The Restaurant at the Hotel Bel-Air offers one of the most elegant dining settings in all of Los Angeles. Unspoiled by trendy gimmicks and raucous crowds of Hollywood hipsters, this is a classy establishment—and the kind of place where you can actually hear your dinner date. Its dining room is an inviting space of warm earth tones, but even better is the charming bougainvillea-bedecked terrace, where the outdoor fireplace keeps away the chill (yes, every once in a while it does get chilly in L.A.) and swans glide by on the hotel’s lake. Chef Douglas Dodd and chef de cuisine Bruno Lopez use farmers’-market-fresh goodies, adjusting the menu regularly to take advantage of the best seasonal ingredients. The result is a succession of exquisitely prepared dishes that are just as lovely as the setting. As far as restaurants go, this one is a Hollywood (or L.A.) classic.

The Restaurant at Hotel Bel-Air Information:

• Mediterranean menu. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch. Bar. Reservations recommended.