Sylvio Martins

Sandwiched between the Santa Monica mountains, 405 freeway and Santa Monica proper sits Brentwood, an upscale, quiet L.A. neighborhood that manages to stay off most tourists’ radars. If you’ve heard of it, chances are it's home to some of your favorite celebrities, or you might recognize it as a frequent backdrop in Curb Your Enthusiasm. But just because Brentwood isn’t necessarily one of the more bustling parts of town doesn’t mean it lacks things to do. If you peel off the 405 and venture into Brentwood, you’ll likely find yourself cruising down San Vicente Boulevard, which cuts through the neighborhood. This diagonal street is lined with coffee shops, boutiques and plenty of eateries for enjoying a meal in the sunny Southern California weather. Known for its freshly-trimmed lawns, beautiful homes and slower pace of life (or at least by L.A.’s standards), most of the activities in and around Brentwood involve unwinding or enjoying the finer things in life. This Westside neighborhood also offers a handful of great restaurants, with an abundance of Italian options to choose from for a delicious pasta dinner. Brentwood’s proximity to the freeway makes it a tucked away gateway to the beaches, mountain trails and various iconic L.A. landmarks. You can get to Santa Monica or Venice Beach in under 30 minutes without traffic, take the 405 north to the Valley or take Wilshire Boulevard into Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. Some nearby major landmarks include UCLA’s beautiful campu

The Fairfax District—or just Fairfax for short—is a highly urbanized and historical 3.2-square-mile block where you’ll typically see a revolving door of tenants rather than new real-estate developments. It’s this mixture of old and new that makes it one of Los Angeles’s most eclectic neighborhoods, which often attracts diverse crowds and age groups as one of the city’s top shopping, dining and entertainment destinations. Traditionally considered to be the heart of L.A.’s Jewish community, you’ll still find plenty of kosher supermarkets and halal eateries scattered around the neighborhood. However, many of these businesses now coexist alongside popular streetwear brands, major tourist attractions like the Grove, and some of the most Instagrammed restaurants in town (if not the country.) Fairfax Avenue’s palm-lined sidewalks are also usually packed with locals and tourists alike queuing in line for a bagel, the latest sneaker drop or whatever celebrity pop-up is currently on display. In other words, it’s not somewhere you’d go to avoid crowds. But there’s still always something to do in the hustle and bustle, and chances are, you’ll at the very least transverse Fairfax on your way to other popular L.A. neighborhoods. As you might’ve assumed, the area gets its name from Fairfax Avenue, the epicenter of the neighborhood's fashion and food scene that also bleeds into Melrose’s buzzing traffic. Its substantial distance from major freeways and prime positioning between West Hollywoo

L.A. is definitely no stranger to the delights of tequila and mezcal, regardless of whether you enjoy sipping it neat or mixed into a smoky cocktail. But with Mexico only a few hours away, the city’s bar scene is constantly evolving as new imports continue to shake up drink menus across town. Other agave-based spirits like raicilla, bacanora and sotol are now becoming more and more commonplace—and are introducing patrons to regional specialties and nuanced flavor profiles. From Santa Monica to Highland Park, here are the bars and restaurants currently offering the best menus for all things agave. RECOMMENDED: Visit more of the best bars in Los Angeles

Though the George Sturges House is a private residence and off-limits for tours, you can still easily admire iconic architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s design from the street. Designed in the architect’s Usonian style with steel, brick, redwood and concrete elements, the structure is a more rigid yet naturally warm design than the Mayan revival style seen in FLW’s Hollyhock House across town. Previously the home of actor Jack Larson, you can take in the designated historical monument from the street as long as you don’t trespass into private property.

Alfred is one of the city’s most iconic coffee brands with its colorful branding (its “but first, coffee” signs are inescapable), famous vanilla iced lattes and matcha drinks that helped push the green tea powder into the mainstream market. The Brentwood location offers a breezy outside patio off San Vicente, making it a great spot for upcoming coffee dates or some needed alone time with a podcast or that book you keep saying you’ll read.

Los Angeles can be an exhausting place sometimes, which is why a visit to the spa could do you some good. Milk + Honey Spa is a one-stop shop for all types of treatments and beauty services, including Swedish-style massages, facials and all-natural manicures. The Austin export even offers medical aesthetic services like laser hair removal, chemical peels and microneedling in an airy, relaxing and minimalist setting.

Though Clark Street has a few shops around town, its Brentwood location is the only one west of the 405 that cranks out the delicious breads that have made this bakery one of the city’s best. Sample their glossy challah, Swedish cinnamon rolls and country loaves, or go for a jambon beurre sandwich with Paris ham and comté on a French baguette.

Serving decadent pastas for over 30 years now, Toscana is a neighborhood trattoria that always comes in handy when your dinner group is feeling Italian. From perfectly breaded Milanese steaks to saucy tagliatelle bolognese and rich black truffle and burrata pizzas, everything on Toscana’s menu is flavorful and ideal for sharing.

Note: Rustic Canyon Trail + Murphy Ranch are currently closed until further notice due to the Palisades Fire. This 3.4 mile-long trail gets its name from the famous 1930s compound of Winona and Norman Stephens, a married couple who were Nazi sympathizers and built a (now mostly-demolished and very graffitied) community in the area. But dark history aside, the modern-day trail consists of a fair amount of stairs and offers great views of the coastline, walks across small creeks and an interior view of the mountain range that feels lightyears away from the city’s hustle and bustle.

Madre is one of the city’s best Oaxacan restaurants, and it’s recently expanded to three locations across Los Angeles. Each offers regional specialties like banana-leaf wrapped tamales with mole negro, tlayudas and pork ribs coated in creamy coloradito. But what makes the Melrose location unique is its mezcal collection, which boasts a staggering selection of over 400 bottles to choose from. Sip your mezcal neat or have it mixed in a spicy cocktail for your next happy hour in Fairfax.

If a Sunday Mexican-style brunch and craft beers sound like your ideal afternoon, then Xelas is the spot for you. This Boyle Heights bar has an impressive list of California and Mexican brews, as well as some great cocktails to go with any of their delicious food offerings. The tequila-based La Plaza is a personal favorite and comes with a mix of pineapple juice, lime and raspberry syrup. Xelas is a lively spot with live DJ sets and cultural events regularly on the calendar, so come prepared for a fun atmosphere and a few drinks.

Nativo in Highland Park has one of the best Mexican-style happy hours in town with creative contemporary bar foods and delicious drink offerings. Their mole-covered tater tots and street-style tacos call for a refreshing cocktail, like their Cucurrucu, a tequila reposado, grapefruit soda, hopped grapefruit bitters and pamplemousse combo that’s best enjoyed in their lively outdoor patio. Tequila and mezcal flights are also on the menu and come with your choice of three spirits, but we suggest the “ofrenda” upgrade if you choose to partake. The additional $6 charge includes seasonal citrus, chapulines (or grasshoppers), sal de gusano, a piece of Oaxacan cheese, salty sunflower mix and the kitchen’s house-made sangrita to chase your drinks with.