The Palisades Village feels like a Utopian dream with clean sidewalks, shi-shi shopping, and gorgeous people milling about on restaurant patios. Lately, we have found ourselves disenchanted with food in Malibu as it’s been overpriced and underwhelming. Thus, we have made the 30-minute drive to Pacific Palisades for some date night dining excitement. Here’s the LaLaScoop on some of our favorite bites in this family-friendly Caruso-designed LaLaLand mecca.
For your meat cravings, a must-try is Executive Chef Isaias Peña’s Single and Double Diamond Burger at Hank’s. Named the “Best Burger of the Southland” in 2022 by the L.A. Times, my husband confirmed as he mouthed between bites that it was the best burger he has ever had.
Named in honor of Rick Caruso’s father Hank, dine outside on the terrace over a JUICY double burger made out of short rib, wagyu, and brisket enhanced with Tillamook cheddar, butter lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, and house sauce. Add on a side order of crispy onion rings and pair with a Dirty Martini or Espresso Martini. Other burger options include a Smokehouse Burger, Turkey Burger, Fungi Burger, and the California Burger with bacon, American cheese, avocado, iceberg lettuce, tomato, fresh onion, and Dijon pepper sauce.
Chef Isaias Peña is also responsible for the full modern Mexican menu that can be found tucked in the corner of the Village next to Blue Ribbon Sushi. Every menu item is noteworthy (from guac ordered the way you like – mild, medium, or hot… to crisp churros with the right chewy softness inside) but we can’t stop thinking about the tacos, especially the $6 Carnitas made with Mexican Coke braised pork topped with salsa crude, pickled onions, charred pineapple and micro cilantro.
You also don’t want to miss the flavorful Fish Tacos with avocado cream and chipotle chile aioli, the Beef Birria taco in a crisped cheese tortilla with dipping consommé and the mushroom taco loaded with a black bean puree and bell peppers and onions. Now serving brunch too, enhance your meal on the tiny patio or inside counter space with their masterful cocktails including mango margaritas and Mezcal gingers.
We’ve always had a sweet spot for Angelini since we moved to LA as our go-to spot for celebrations. We spent years dining on their Italian cooking in their intimate crammed location in Beverly Grove, but today you can find that same authentic Italian cuisine in the Palisades with an open-air bar and plenty of outdoor sidewalk dining. Here the signature Lasagne Verde is just as supreme made with homemade spinach pasta, beef-and-pork ragu, béchamel and parmigiano.
Other Angelini pasta dishes to dream about are the Tagliolini al Limone, the Bolognese, and Linguine with Santa Barbara sea urchin. Table-side salt-casked Branzino is just as memorable today as 16 years ago, cracked in front of you with buttery fish dripping off the bone but today guests rave about the Dover sole also prepared table-side smeared with herbs and spinach. Besides Californian and Italian wines, there is a festive, customizable gin-and-tonic menu with various spirits, mixers, and garnishes.
Once our NYC favorite, SoCal sushi lovers can now find this legendary east coast spot here in the Palisades too. Dine under the heat lamps when temps drop and take advantage of the menu with a Chef’s Choice Platter loaded with varying options like 18 pieces of sashimi or 10 pieces of sushi and 1 roll. The menu splits the fish up according to Atlantic and Pacific. Add on a Baked Crab Hand Roll or Blue Ribbon Roll (King Crab and Caviar) to round out any raw fish meal.
We have been on a quest for this ice cream since our time in the desert devouring scoopfuls of McConnell’s Garrison Brothers Whiskey and Pecan Pralines Ice Cream thanks to a Limited Release collaboration at the new Acrisure Arena.
Three generations in, the ice cream company TIME Magazine called “the best in the world”, operates according to the same standards Mac and Ernie McConnell established almost 70 years ago. Made from scratch, find unique flavors with local ingredients at grocery stores and scoop shops in Santa Barbara, SLO, L.A., and the Palisades Village.
Head into this Palisades Village store to take home a pint or a post-dinner dessert scoop on a cone with flavors like Double Peanut Butter Chip, Salted Caramel, Strawberries and Shortbread Cookies, Toasted Hazelnut Butter, Sprinkle Cake, Peppermint Stick, and many more.
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