Explore the city’s nature and noshes

Peel back Calabasas’s veneer as a paparazzi magnet, and you’ll find a town of 22,227 residents who know the real Calabasas—the one where you can spend the day dining and exploring its natural beauty.

Start your day at La La Land Kind Café in The Commons at Calabasas. Order one of the creative espresso or matcha tea options with names like “World’s Best Vanilla Latte” and “Lavender Bloom Latte.” Enjoy your liquid treat amid the white-on-white décor. On a nice day, it’s worth grabbing a table on the large outdoor patio with its lush plants and outdoor-mall-sized lake.

Another side to La La Land is its nonprofit arm, the La La Land Foundation. Its La La Workforce Development Program is open to people ages 17–25, in foster care or transitioning out of the system, to train as a barista at selected cafés to build work experience and gain personal development. Francois Reihani, founder, president and CEO of the foundation, started the café as a place to get a meal and as a platform for change, according to the website. You can order toast with toppings to complement your coffee.

For bagel buffs, Hank’s Bagels is a must-visit. It takes three days to transform sourdough starter into bagels with a chewy exterior, tender crumb and superior flavor. It’s on day three that the staff comes in early in the morning to boil, seed and bake the bagels. The seed step results in lavishly loaded bagels for a full-flavor experience.

The bagels are made at the Sherman Oaks location and daily transported fresh from the oven to the Calabasas and Burbank shops.

Eat the bagel plain or gild it with a selection of sweet and savory cream cheeses. There’s also bagel sandwiches and breakfast items to choose from.

Trevor Faris, who co-owns the eatery with his wife, Kelley, started the business in 2019 with the Farises’ middle son, Hank, as its namesake. “Originally we also made focaccia for lunch sandwiches, but the bagel demand was too great, and we decided to shift all our focus to making the most bagels we could,” he says.

“I always thought I would open a pizza joint,” Faris adds. “Things didn’t work out that way.” We can all be glad it didn’t.

On Saturday mornings, you don’t want to miss the Calabasas Farmers Market. Held in Old Town Calabasas, the area is a hive of activity with the farmers’ market being the draw.

You’ll see people streaming into the farmers’ market or leaving with armfuls of farm-fresh produce, vibrant flowers and other sweet and savory goodies.

Choosing the seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables filling the vendors’ tables can be hard. But once you’ve picked your produce, shop for artisanal baked goods, from croissants to crusty loaves of sourdough bread. (You may want to purchase a handmade cutting board to slice that beautiful loaf.)

Pick up a jar of jam, almond butter or Hive honey to complement the loaves. Add eggs, and you have the makings for Sunday breakfast. For lunch and beyond, there are barrel-aged balsamic vinegars—like Strawberry White Balsamic—and infused oils, ingredient-spiked pickles and soups. There’s even fresh dog food and treats.

While you’re at it, grab some snacks for one of the area’s hiking trails. If you’re looking for short, head to the Calabasas Hidden Stairs. It begins at the Anza Loop Trail sign near the dead end at Calabasas Road. A soundtrack of freeway noise near the start gives way to bird songs (my bird app identified seven species) and views of scrubbrush hills and oak trees.

The hike ends at 375 heart-pumping cement stairs to heaven that stop below a gated housing community. The stairs are about six inches tall, so they’re good for walking or running, and there are catch-your-breath landings. Do the stairs once and call it an accomplishment or multiple times for training. Either way, the top rewards you with far-reaching mountain and valley views. The out-and-back adventure is 1.3 miles.

For lunch, head back into Old Town Calabasas to Pedalers Fork. The airy, wood-paneled restaurant that opened in 2013 welcomes you with a full menu of gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and omnivore selections. Healthy and decadent offerings let you be in charge. For something lighter, choose the Kale Caesar with toasted almonds, sourdough croutons and nutritional yeast; you can add a protein if you wish. Craving something more decadent? The Hot Chicken sandwich, with its crispy buttermilk fried chicken, chili rub, pickles and chili aioli might be the answer. There is also a selection of tacos, barbecue, pizza and bowls. If you need more coffee, 10 Speed Coffee Shop is on the premises. And there’s a full bar, if you’re so inclined.

Superba Food + Bread is brand new to the Calabasas dining scene. This location, also in The Commons at Calabasas, expands the reach of the four Superba locations in LA (Venice, Hollywood, Pasadena and North Hollywood). Stop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner and pick menu items built around “seasonally driven ingredients.” The eatery sources produce weekly from the Calabasas and Santa Monica farmers’ markets and uses organic ingredients wherever possible. Signature items include the Superba Grain Bowl, Lots of Grains Hotcake and Roasted Mary’s Half Chicken. Plus, there are Calabasas-exclusive dishes, including the Egg White Frittata, Superba Hash Browns and Osetra Caviar, Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio and a Market Vegetable Fritto Misto. “Our Calabasas guests are sophisticated, “ says Jeff Goodman, CEO of American Gonzo Food Corp., Superba’s parent company, when asked how these dishes embody Calabasas. The goal is to “deliver compelling and healthful dishes” and “pair them alongside luxury items,” he adds.

The restaurant also features freshly baked breads and pastries, and adaptogenic ingredients in drinks and food items, such as matcha tea, activated charcoal, turmeric, CBD and mushroom powders. Adding to the feel-good experience, Superba monthly donates to organizations that impact its communities. Now that they’re in Calabasas, they’ll be helping organizations in the larger Calabasas area. Diners can vote for their preferred organization, helping to determine the distribution of donations, says Goodman.

LA LA LAND KIND CAFÉ
4799 Commons Way, Calabasas
LaLaLandKindCafe.com/pages/thecommons

HANK’S BAGELS
23655 Calabasas Rd, Calabasas
HanksBagels.com

CALABASAS FARMERS MARKET
23504 Calabasas Rd, Calabasas
RawInspiration.org/locations/calabasas-farmers-market

CALABASAS HIDDEN STAIRS
25169 Calabasas Rd, Calabasas

PEDALERS FORK
23504 Calabasas Rd, Calabasas
PedalersFork.com

SUPERBA FOOD + BREAD
4719 Commons Way, Calabasas
LifeSuperba.co