Beyond Rodeo Drive: a local’s guide to Beverly Hills

It’s the roaring 1920s. Half a dozen cars are thundering around a rickety, timber speedway in Beverly Hills, California, to the rapturous cheers of thousands of spectators – many of them having placed bets in hope of winning big and starting a new life.

A scent of danger and exhaust fills the air, with several vehicles unlikely to reach the finish due to sharp 45-degree banks and the ailing state of the wooden track… but that doesn’t stop racers rising to the challenge.

Fearless competitors battling it out on the Beverly Hills Speedway.
Image courtesy of Beverly Wilshire.

This image couldn’t be more at odds with the glamorous, sophisticated Beverly Hills of today. But then, every city has an origin story. This one just happens to be more heart-racing than most.

Though the speedway no longer stands, having been dismantled after just four years, there’s another magnetic icon rising high on that same site: the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel first opened in 1928 and now embedded in the very fabric of the city.

You’ve no doubt seen its façade in countless movies. Pretty Woman, Beverly Hills Cop and Clueless are a few of the modern classics featuring the storied hangout – and the chic neighbourhood surrounding it.

Beverly Wilshire's domed awnings are a quintessential local sight.

Boutiques from Prada, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton are all present and accounted for on Rodeo Drive across the way, together with Breguet and Dolce & Gabbana.

Yet, these iconic fashion houses, not to mention the Porsches and Lamborghinis parked outside, are just one page of the longer story.

Chris Gleeson, the Director of Marketing for Beverly Wilshire, has called the city home for around 17 years, having swapped his former home in Australia for the heady Californian lifestyle.

Despite the global reputation of his adopted home though, Gleeson says the city is surprisingly misunderstood, with many viewing it as unapproachable. That is, unless you’re of mind to give your credit card a work out.

Beverly Hills' iconic Rodeo Drive.

“We are less about over-the-top opulence and luxury that we sometimes get stereotyped with,” he explains, while describing it as a community that is “grounded, connected and welcoming”, with much more than just designer shopping.

Walking along Rodeo Drive, it’s hard to see Gleeson is talking about, but take an about turn and head down nearby South Beverly Drive, and you’ll soon discover what he means.

Here, the high fashion brands are replaced by bookstores and beauty parlours, coffee shops and clothing outlets designed more for day-to-day wear than a Hollywood benefit.

“Beverly Hills is also very green,” Gleeson notes. “As soon as you enter the city limits, you'll notice all the lush parks, rose gardens, and iconic palm-tree lined streets.”

Then there’s the culinary scene, where patisseries are plentiful, breakfast haunts like Urth Caffe spill onto the pavement, and pizzerias sell gigantic pepperoni pizzas by the slice.

“They say California is the ‘world’s fruit basket’ so as you can imagine, some of the best produce comes out of California and the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market certainly gets its fair share of this amazing produce.”

Beverly Gardens is a 3km liner park along Santa Monica Boulevard.

Beyond the Sunday market, other low-key and delicious dining options include the always-busy Cantina Frida, and The Hideaway from actor Ryan Philippe, which is an homage to 1970s Baja California.

Of course, there are plenty of notable fine dining restaurants as well, including Tatel (owned by Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Nadal), the handmade pasta favourite Funke, and upmarket steakhouse CUT by Wolfgang Puck.

Tatel plates up Spanish haute cuisine.

And if you’re an art fan, you’ll also find plenty to capture your gaze, from the vibrant Mr Brainwash Art Museum to a bold mural by British artist D*Face on South Beverly Drive and Beverly Gardens park, which runs 22 blocks along North Santa Monica Boulevard.

Gleeson’s tip to getting the most out of your visit is to approach it through a local lens – tick off the recognisable sights from TV, then cast your net wider. A visit to the concierge is a good place to start.

A colourful mural by artist D*Face.

The other big benefit of Beverly Hills is its central location. “From beach to the mountains, to cultural immersion with state-of-the-art stadiums, concert halls, museums, galleries and iconic sites,” Gleeson says it’s all within a quick drive from Beverly Hills.

Depending on traffic, which admittedly is one of Los Angeles’ hardest aspects to predict, could be in West Hollywood, Downtown LA or Venice Beach in less than 30 minutes.

The Hideaway is open from lunch till late.

Though thundering race cars of old may have been replaced by purring Porsches and Lamborghinis, there are also vestiges of Beverly Hills past to be seen, and the Beverly Wilshire – adorned in images of days gone by – is a fine place to start.