The Gilded Bellini at Estérel at The Sofitel Hotel
Celebrity clientele? Check. French garden patio? Check. Breathtaking and colorful outdoor seating? Check. A one of a kind dining experience at one of LA's renowned hotels? Check. We're talking about Estérel at The Sofitel Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills!
My latest brunch with two of my close gal friends was at Estérel, a gorgeous restaurant named after the mountains in South East France overlooking the sea, nestled within the hotel. Estérel is known for its two divisions of the space: The Aviary for private cocktail parties, and its vibrant terrace named Le Jardin (French for "the garden"), an extension of their indoor dining space. I had always known about this spot because it's hard to miss while driving down on La Cienega Boulevard.
The luxurious Sofitel Hotel is recognized for its glamorous and dramatic ambiance in addition to hosting a ton of celebrity filled events. Plus, it recently made a cameo on a recent episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. You know, the episode where the girls donned all-white attire and caused quite the scene when Erika had a little wardrobe malfunction! Despite the fashion mishap, I got to see how gorgeous Estérel looking from television, and I was totally lured in! I couldn't wait to bring my friends along and try out brunch!
Upon entering the hotel, I walked down the long hallway towards Estérel. Gorgeous artwork exuding French fashion and Hollywood glamour guided the walk.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, the indoor portion was a very sleek, spacious dining area with dim mood lighting. In awe of the trendy space, my friends Morgan, Antonia and I were escorted outside to the outdoor patio where we would be enjoying our brunch!
The moment we opened the door, we were amazed at how bright and colorful the space was. It gave us a very magical type feel. Between the hard to miss contemporary lighting and fountains, a Provençal inspired herb garden, lots of big mirrors, and a driftwood bar with a "living wall" of plants backdrop, I felt like we were sitting in a real life fairytale!
We were greeted by Francisco, one of ambassadors at Estérel. He was incredibly knowledgable about every item on the menu and on the restaurant itself!
We began with a few of his recommendations: a Raspberry Bellini, a Bloody Mary and a Mimosa, coffee, and a beautifully presented fresh fruit plate.
We were so excited to try some of Estérel's most well known dishes. Both Francisco and Executive Chef Pete gave us some great recommendations of what to order.
I went with the Smoked Salmon Benedict, accompanied with avocado. Oh my goodness, was this tasty. I'm a total sucker for smoked salmon, and Estérel cooked this brunch dish to perfection. I'm craving it just thinking about it!
Morgan ordered the Estérel Breakfast Wrap, a combination of scrambled eggs, avocado, chorizo, bell peppers, and jack cheese all in one. Morgan is a total breakfast burrito connoisseur, and she said this one was absolutely top notch in her book.
Antonia got the SoCal Egg White Frittata. I had a bite and this seriously was to die for! Made with zucchini blossom, tomato, bell pepper, asparagus, basil, avocado and herb ricotta, the ingredients of this dish created the perfect marriage of savory flavors. Not to mention the gorgeous presentation!
Following brunch, we headed over to the seating area with cute tables placed in a garden-like areas. Fun and colorful shabby chic adirondack chairs were super inviting and we knew we had to snap a few photos here! With the natural sunlight coming in along with the vibrant colors of the furniture, it made for the perfect photo opp. It was fun channeling our own inner Real Housewives!
I was so impressed by not only the food and the beautiful ambiance at Estérel, but how passionate each and every person was who worked there. Everyone was so kind, generous and accommodating. We were so appreciative that Francisco wanted to get to know us and tell us more about the restaurant, his experience in the industry and all the reasons why loves so much where he works. It's not every day that you connect with such genuine people and it was a pleasure getting to know every person at Estérel, from Francisco to Chef Pete, to the manager Marta. One thing that definitely stands out to me when checking out different brunch spots is if the restaurant really nails every aspect of having the ultimate pleasant experience: Estérel does just that and beyond.
Estérel is truly the perfect spot for a fun brunch al fresco, a romantic date or a relaxed mid-morning amongst beautiful scenery while enjoying a hot coffee. It's an elegant local getaway, and luckily for all of us, this real life fairytale brunch spot is in the heart of where we always are...
Esterel | Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
8555 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Photography by Patrick Muñiz
