Newsroom Cafe   

In spite of its Beverly Hills location and very attractive, high-gloss crowd, this popular spot maintains a relaxed, come-as-you-are vibe. Dress in jeans and flip-flops or a DKNY business suit -- whatever makes you comfortable. The interior is spacious, noisy, and slightly vaulty with spare, modern decor. It's popular with solo diners because of the newsstand just inside the front door, with vegetarians because of the wide selection of meat- and dairy-free dishes, and with snobbish boozehounds because of the great mixed drinks and imported beers. The reasonably priced California cuisine wins just about everyone else over. The flatbread is a delicious starter, and so are the grilled artichokes (not on the menu, but usually offered as a special). Though much is made of the veggie burgers and tofu stir-fries, omnivores will be happy with the seafood and poultry dishes. Mornings are great here -- fresh-squeezed juice, killer omelets and scrambles, plus some of the most perfectly crisped breakfast potatoes in the Los Angeles hemisphere. If you like sweet drinks, try the nectar-like peach lambic, brewed by monks in Europe and sold here for less than it costs in a liquor store.