Bel-Air Founder Andrew Bredon’s Guide to LA’s Hottest Spots
Andrew Bredon is the founder of Shoreditch foodie hot spot Bel-Air, the home of feel-good fast food which has been brightening East London’s lunch hours. After making a vow not to spend another winter in the UK, in 2009 he moved to the city of Angels. We sat down with the Fresh Prince as he shared his top LA picks…
17 August, 2016
Andrew
Bredon is the founder of
Shoreditch foodie hot spot Bel-Air, the home of feel-good fast food which
has been brightening East London‘s lunch hours
with the likes of black-bean falafel, buttermilk-baked chicken and
broccoli and almond slaw since opening in 2015. The concept came
about when Andrew vowed not to spend another cold winter in the UK,
moving to
California in 2009 where he jumped head first into the sun, sea
and
surf lifestyle. Inspired by the city’s experimental pop-ups,
food trucks and healthy outdoor living, the idea of Bel-Air was
soon born. Andrew quickly hopped off his sun lounger returned to
London – bringing a slice of the LA
life with him. We ask the Fresh Prince for his top LA picks…
restaurant
Gjelina
Los Angeles, United States
The first time I went to LA I stayed with a friend I had met at
Burning Man who’d recently bought a house there. At the end of her
road happened to be Gjelina – I didn’t know anything about it but
walked by and thought it looked pretty cool. Boy was that a good
hunch. In the four weeks I stayed in the city, I must have eaten
there over 20 times – the staff must’ve thought I was crazy (or
half starved). Go for the simple but totally delicious braised-pork
meatballs or grilled-kabocha squash with mint pesto and
pomegranate. Someone needs to export that stuff to London,
quick.
restaurant
Black Cat
Silver Lake is the Dalston of LA, overflowing with hip coffee
shops, organic grocers and enough material to satiate the entire
Insta-foodie brigade. If you’ve got time, drop into Pine &
Crane, Forage and Cliff’s Edge, but if you must pick just one, it’s
got to be Black Cat. Laid-back and fun, don’t be fooled by the
discount-mall facade – this is a super-stylish tavern with a long
bar serving fab cocktails and interesting Californian food, all
done in that effortlessly cool “whatever” manner, which I’ve yet to
master.
restaurant
Jitlada
In-the-know LA pals took me to this Thai institution. Yes, it’s
in a strip mall and it might have more neon lights in the window
than the whole of Las Vegas, but the food is both authentic and
delicious – more importantly, my friends claim it’s Ryan Gosling’s
favourite restaurant (though I’ve yet to spot him) so it must be a
good’un. Be sure to book in advance as we waited 45 minutes for a
table (and are still waiting for Mr Gosling).
hotel
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
My girlfriend and her band recently played Coachella which
marked the end of a month-long US tour, so as a treat I booked us
into the Peninsula Hotel for a night. This old-school Beverly
Hills, five-diamond luxury affair is the stuff of dreams (though a
nightmare for your wallet) but you don’t need to be making it rain
to tuck into their legendary Sunday brunch. Think bottomless
champagne and plenty of celeb spotting – though even more fun is
pretending you’re one of them
Address
9882 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, United States
hotel
Viceroy Santa Monica
Lots of people talk about how fake LA is, but I’ve always found
locals there to be remarkably friendly and many wild nights have
begun by chatting to strangers. One which stands out in particular
was when I was lounging on a sun bed at the Viceroy in Santa Monica
and made friends with a 50-year-old former Playboy bunny and her
impossibly attractive toyboy. It was a heady night fuelled by
killer cocktails and more-ish poolside tapas. Embrace the fakery,
it’s totally brilliant and you never know where you might end up.
The Playboy Mansion, say… What happens in LA stays in LA,
right?
