Shade trees, stately lawns and sprawling mansions line the streets of Hancock Park, a residential enclave reminiscent of Hollywood’s Golden Age. This centrally located Los Angeles neighborhood, which features homes by the likes of Wallace Neff, Paul Williams, and Frank Lloyd Wright, offers the best of both worlds—providing the single-family residential experience within moments of the nightlife, dining, shopping, and entertainment of nearby Hollywood and Downtown Los Angeles.
“With Hancock Park, you get the whole package,” says Billy Rose, President and Founder of The Agency, who represents two of the neighborhood’s most exquisite residences, 601 S. Windsor Blvd and 637 S. Lucerne Blvd. “You can have the expansive, stately home and still be connected to the incredible, ever-evolving retail, restaurant, and lifestyle offerings of Los Angeles.”
With a little help from Billy, our in-house Hancock Park aficionado, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best places to dine, sip, shop, and explore in and around the neighborhood.
DINE HERE → République, if not for the French-inspired fare than for the architectural prominence. Located in the building that housed Charlie Chaplin’s offices in the 1920s, the open, airy space features original brick, tile and ironwork giving the trendy café, bakery, bar, and bistro a classic feel. (Enjoy a coffee and pastry from the to-go window while you wait for your table at brunch.) Café Gratitude, which has made our must-try list before, features a plant-based menu served in a refreshingly modern atmosphere on the northernmost edge of Larchmont Village. For a casual, savory night out, try The Burgerian, not your garden-variety burger joint, serving gourmet beef burgers, shrimp burgers, veggie burgers, and don’t skip the garlic fries.
SIP HERE → Just off La Brea Avenue, Wilde Wine Bar and Restaurant was inspired by European-style brasseries, fancying itself an “everyday neighborhood kind of place,” that serves artisanal wines and wine-friendly dishes. Just between Hancock Park and Hollywood in the Historic Hollywood Hotel, The Edmon oozes with glamour, evoking the roaring 20s and featuring a classic cocktail list. Step out, and up, for drinks on the rooftop at The Highlight Room at the Dream Hotel Hollywood, a Billy favorite, featuring an 11,000-square-foot outdoor lounge, pool, and grill with far-reaching city views.
SHOP HERE → Residents of Hancock Park head to Larchmont Village for its quaint, small-town feel, Sunday farmer’s market and walkable streets lined with specialty boutiques, restaurants, and cafés. Among them are Trina Turk, Ampersand Boutique, and one of L.A.’s last standing independent bookstores, Chevalier’s Books, “a super cool space, conveniently located next to the coffee shop,” says Billy.
STRETCH HERE → YogaWorks Center for Yoga, also in Larchmont Village, was the first yoga center to open in Los Angeles, originally founded in 1967. This neighborhood favorite spans two floors with three rooms offering an array of styles from beginner to advanced. On South La Brea, Liberation Yoga offers both indoor and outdoor classes in its authentically inspired, spiritually enlightening space.
EXPLORE HERE → You can’t explore Hancock Park without a visit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, featuring works from around the world, or La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, the world’s only active, urban Ice Age excavation site. For a more intimate cultural experience, Billy recommends the Fahey/Klein Gallery, offering “fantastically well-curated photography exhibits,” including 20th Century and Contemporary Fine Art Photography.
LIVE HERE → 601 S. Windsor Blvd is the quintessential Hancock Park residence, located in prestigious Windsor Square. Designed by noted architects Hunt and Burns in 1914, the stately, traditional home has undergone an extensive restoration and addition. Still featuring many of the original details, the home also boasts a host of modern amenities, including a home theatre, wine room, and guest house. View more images of the home here.
OR HERE → The extensively remodeled 637 S. Lucerne Blvd is a Historic Cultural Monument designed by John C. Austin, the Architect of L.A.’s City Hall, The Griffith Observatory and The Shrine Auditorium. Many of the exquisite 1900s period details remain, including the soaring ceilings and intricate woodworking, molding, and columns. Home amenities include a remodeled gourmet kitchen, light-filled breakfast room, billiards room/TV lounge, yoga/meditation room, screening room, and wine cellar. Read more here.
