Bristol Farms

I'm not sure if an upscale grocery store really counts as a restaurant--but there's indoor/outdoor seating, made to order, and pre-made foods readily available--so I'm counting it. Not every Bristol Farms is as nice as the one on the corner of Doheny and Beverly Blvd in Beverly Hills, but, who goes to a grocery store for the atmosphere anyway?

If you aren't familiar with Bristol Farms, picture this. Gourmet foods lining ever isle. It has the same organic feel as Whole Foods although, they don't advertise themselves to be organic in any way. In the produce section--along with all the regular things, they offer fresh cut fruit, fresh squeezed juices and a large variety of dried fruits and nuts. Across the store at the bakery section you can purchase loaves of fresh bread, rolls, and a variety of desserts ranging from your average cookie to fancy chocolate delicacies. There is a large deli with a variety of meat, cheese, salads and other foods. There are also a variety of samples circling the store.

And the pre-made and made to order section is the heaven of quick work day lunch breaks. There are foods for every appetite--paninis, sandwiches, soups, salads, pasta, sushi, and a large hot food section.

Today, I went to Bristol Farms with 2 others, but this is not the first time I have gone there for lunch. Today I ordered the roast beef grilled sandwich. Unlike a traditional panini, it comes on a fresh hard roll. The sandwich is pre-made cold with horseradish cheese, mildly hot peppers, and succulent roast beef. If you don't have time to wait 5 minutes for your sandwich to be heated, it is just as delicious cold. The different textures really make the sandwich more than the average roast beef. I also got a peach from the produce section--it was perfectly ripe and ready to eat. To drink I found some nectarine mango juice. My meal wasn't cheap, but it was so delicious it didn't matter.

The other two people with me got completely different stuff. One girl got a chicken pot pie and kiwi lemonade. She decided to eat the pie cold and said the crust was perfect and the filling thick and filling. She had enough leftover for dinner. The third diner got a chicken terriyaki rice bowl with broccoli. The portion size was perfect for lunch and the price was equally good. We surveyed the bakery after lunch but were too full to get anything.

However, I have visited the bakery several times in the past. The s'mores bar is delicious and unusual (because when do you ever have s'mores in bar form?). The dark chocolate box--a small box made entirely of thick chocolate walls and filled with chocolate mousse, is decadent but way too sweet to eat alone or in one sitting. The only food I have ever been disappointed with at Bristol Farms is the sushi. It doesn't have as much flavor as you would expect. If you are looking for quick sushi from a grocery store get it from Whole Foods instead.

There is a lot of seating at the Bristol Farms in Beverly Hills. You pay at the counter or in the front and then can enjoy your food on the patio, or inside at one of the fancy booth seats or the French-cafe style tables right in the middle of the store.

The store can get crowded at peak lunch hours, but the line is never longer than 5 minutes and there is ample parking in the free lot. Plus, you can get your grocery shopping done at the same time.




Bristol Farms
9039 Beverly Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90048
Map