They may be under pressure to fit a designer sample size, but even stars have to eat. As celebs dart around entertainment’s home base of Hollywood, hitting awards shows and other industry events, you have a shot at spotting them at Hollywood’s trendier dining spots.
Cleo, operated by the taste-making SBE group, sits at the storied intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. A contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant with a darkly glamorous flair, Cleo features a giant photo mural of actress Theda Bara in costume for the 1917 film version of Cleopatra, but that’s not its only connection to the silver screen: Salma Hayek and Jessica Alba are among many stars who have dined here. It’s also just blocks from the Academy Awards ceremony home, the Dolby Theatre; if you dine here on Feb. 24, keep your eyes peeled!
Another contender for post-Oscars dining is nearby Delphine, an Innovative Dining Group project within the W Hollywood. Those taking home statuettes can toast their victories at the restaurant’s raw bar over oysters mignonette and ahi tuna poke. And Sunday Jazz Nights in the W’s Living Room, adjacent to the restaurant, are often full of music-industry biggies.
Chefs Nancy Silverton and Mario Batali have their fair share of celebrity pals—don’t forget that Batali shot a PBS series, Spain … On the Road Again, with Gwyneth Paltrow—who enjoy stopping in at their venture, Mozza, comprising Pizzeria Mozza and the more upscale Osteria Mozza next door. The chefs don’t prioritize scene over cuisine, however. Winning pies at Pizzeria Mozza include one with squash blossoms, tomato and creamy burrata, and at Osteria Mozza, the pancetta-wrapped quail and selections from the mozzarella bar are quite memorable.