Iconic Neighborhood Restaurants: Brentwood
History of the Neighborhood
Long ago, the neighborhood now known as Brentwood was part of the Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica. This ranch was given over to the city of Los Angeles in 1839 after the Mexican-American War and placed in the hands of the Sepulveda family. The portion of this land that now makes up Brentwood, the Pacific Palisades and a small part of Bel-Air changed hands several times throughout the years and was finally bought by the Western Pacific Development Company in the early 1900s.
Not long thereafter, Westgate was born, a new subdivision heralded for its breathtaking views and uniquely pastoral atmosphere. Another strong draw was the newly developed Westgate Line, part of Los Angeles Pacific Railroad’s Red Car service, which provided quick and easy transportation up and down the coastline.
Today, all the remains of that original neighborhood is Westgate Avenue. However, Brentwood still upholds many of the standards that were set by the Western Pacific Development Company so many years ago. It is still one of the lowest density neighborhoods in Los Angeles in terms of population as well as one of the wealthiest. Brentwood has been home to many celebrities throughout the years, including John Travolta, Cindy Crawford, Steven Spielberg and Ben Affleck. The shops and restaurants that line the main thoroughfares and back streets of Brentwood speak to the neighborhood’s elite residents, but many of them are accessible, appealing and surprisingly affordable for the rest of us.
Reddi Chick at the Brentwood Country Mart: The Brentwood Country Mart was first opened in November of 1948 and was originally intended as a Westside version of LA’s more well-known Farmer’s Market, located at Third & Fairfax. At the time of its conception, the mart was considered an innovative shopping experience, offering a variety of food stalls and services like a barber shop and post office, both of which still stand in their original locations today. In the early days, this little shopping center was a popular haunt of the Hollywood stars and starlets that resided on the west side of Los Angeles. Reddi Chick is one of the longest standing food stalls in the market today. Opened in 1979, it has been serving up home-style barbecue to Westsiders young and old, famous and otherwise, ever since. Anyone who grew up west of the 405 freeway has tried at some point the infamous Reddi Chick Chicken Basket. This finger-licking dish consists of half a roasted chicken piled high with crispy yellow French fries and will leave you greasy and wanting more. 225 26th St. #23, (310) 393-5238
A Votre Sante: A Votre Sante has been serving up clean and guilt free dishes to the residents of Brentwood since long before health food was fashionable. Opened in 1987, this diet friendly restaurant may be hard to distinguish at a glance from the seemingly endless fad feeding foodie spots on the Westside. However, a closer look will reveal a friendly neighborhood restaurant serving up body conscious dishes that are delicious and entirely unpretentious. Even people who don’t consider themselves health nuts will enjoy dishes like the Mediterranean Lamb Burger or the Filet Mignon Burrito that A Votre Sante is dishing up daily. The focus at A Votre Sante has never been trendy ingredients like kale, quinoa or activated charcoal, but instead to promote healthy living through good food. 13016 San Vicente Blvd., (310) 451-1813
Peppone Ristorante: With stained class chandeliers and red leather booths, the interior of Peppone Ristorante may feel more like an old-fashioned steak house than a classic Italian joint. However, the food tells a different story. Peppone has been serving up traditional Italian dishes with a slight American twist, like the mouthwatering filet mignon meatballs, since 1974. The dark and romantic ambiance makes this vintage spot ideal for either a date night or special occasion. You may see a boiterous group celebrating a birthday party at one table and a couple intimately toasting their wedding anniversary at the next. One thing Peppone’s is not is cheap, no surprise given its prominent location in the swanky Brentwood neighborhood. However, the food that this ristorante is dishing out is more than worth the bill. 11628 Barrington Ct., (310) 476-7379
Q’s Billiards Club: Although residents of Pasadena know think of Q’s Billiards as their own local haunt, Brentwood locals know that the original is located in their own neighborhood. Q’s on Wilshire was founded in 1989, at a time when the now prolific landscape of upscale pubs was nearly non-existent. The four founders were all avid pool players, but were sick of the limited and dreary options for their favorite game. Around the same time, upscale pool halls were beginning to sprout up in cities out East, and so Q’s founders decided they should start one in LA. Throughout the ‘90s, Q’s Billiards found itself home to a variety of clientele, including of course the large number of Hollywood elite living in Brentwood. Stars like Linda Hamilton, Demi Moore and George Clooney were known to have played a game or two. The secret to Q’s longevity in a city where bars and restaurants come and go quite often is most likely the attitude it projects. This isn’t a trendy Westside bar, but instead a sort of neighborhood hang, where visitors always feel at home and never fail to have a good time. 11835 Wilshire Blvd., (310) 477-7550
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: People the world round enjoy their morning brew at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, but what most of these consumers don’t know is that this coffee enterprise was founded in Brentwood, California by a husband and wife duo by the names of Herbert and on a Hyman. The Hymans started their business in 1963 as a coffee service for offices. However, it was in 1966 while honeymooning in Sweden where they began their love affair with quality coffee. When they returned to Los Angeles, they decided that they wanted to start a new business importing and selling upscale coffee. The first Coffee Bean store was opened in Brentwood in 1968. In the 1970s, the Hymans had ten stores across Southern California and in the last 46 years the company has expanded to over 1,000 locations worldwide. Herbert Hyman is today considered to be one of the founding fathers of the gourmet coffee movement in the United States, inspiring brands like Pete’s Coffee and Starbucks. Despite its prolificacy, Coffee Bean is still at heart a community coffee shop and the location that stands in Brentwood today is one of the nicest. The patio outside is lined with shade trees and lounge chairs where customers often enjoy their hot brews and signature blended drinks while reading a good book or studying for an upcoming final. 11698 San Vicente Blvd., (310) 442-1019
