We love a little London moment — especially in the form of a well-styled cafe. The Draycott is an adorable British-inspired eatery that recently opened in the Pacific Palisades, and it might just be the loveliest new spot in the city. With a focus on fresh ingredients sourced from local farms and purveyors, The Draycott serves seasonal dishes seasoned with a British twist, including a serious high tea and a whole bunch of cute.
The Draycott, which is part of the new Palisades Village, is the latest project from London transplants slash global restaurateurs, Marissa and Matt Hermer. These native Brits now live in the beach-adjacent LA neighborhood of the Pacific Palisades, which until very recently, didn’t exactly have much going on (other than a few blah coffee shops and a bunch of fancy homes). The Draycott is a welcomed style moment, bringing a bit of London’s European elegance and blending it with just the right amount of California cool.
Between the dreamy pastel-toned decor, al fresco patio seating and the idyllic menu of Cali-Brit cuisine, this hybrid haunt is bound to be a favorite spot for friend dates, cozy dinners and any time you feel like you need to get out of LA.
We caught up with The Draycott’s Marissa Hermer to ask her all the questions about the super cute style of the space, the highlights of the menu, and their gorgeous modern-traditional high tea situation. Discover all the inspired details in our interview below, and snag a special recipe from their kitchen. Pinkies out, ladies, let’s begin…
The Draycott dining concept in three words:
Wholesome. Seasonal. British or London meets LA.
What inspired the look and feel of the space?
We wanted the space to evoke an English brasserie (with California influences) as an ode to our home in London. Fettle Design did a brilliant job emphasizing light and color to create an open and inviting space with added European touches, such as the buttoned furniture, traditional wall paneling and Italian chevron mosaics.
The most British thing on the menu:
The fish and chips! We use beer-battered cod and serve the dish the traditional way — with mushy peas, tartar sauce, malt vinegar and fries. The British influence also extends to the cocktail menu, which has a Pimm’s Cup and a cocktail called Walton Street, which we actually brought over from Eclipse Bar in London. It’s already becoming a favorite here in the Palisades!
The most LA thing on the menu:
The kabocha squash salad epitomizes LA cuisine — we use all locally sourced vegetables, from the squash to the torn mint garnish, as well as sautéed forbidden rice and harissa vinaigrette. This salad is fresh and gratifying, and we all know LA loves a good rice bowl.
The most indulgent menu item:
The Draycott burger is a nice indulgent option, with Niman Ranch beef, butterkase cheese, bib lettuce, heirloom tomato, house-made pickles and our special sauce all on a brioche bun. To up the ante, we also offer the option to add a fried egg (of course!).
The healthiest menu item:
The chicken paillard is super clean and comes with arugula and lemon vinaigrette. We also have a grilled salmon on the menu with navy beans, bitter greens and early winter citrus. Both are perfect for a light healthy lunch or dinner!
New neighbor at Palisades Village you are most excited about:
We are so excited to be neighbors with friends like Elyse Walker, Anine Bing, Andrea Lieberman and Jen Meyer, but thrilled about all of the restaurants and retailers in Palisades Village. We can’t wait to visit them all and have them in for brunch, dinner and beyond at The Draycott!
Talk to us about the high tea at The Draycott:
Our afternoon tea service will be debuting in the next few weeks, with all tea sourced from Fortnum & Mason — the Queen’s shop for tea! The service will include homemade cakes, scones and finger sandwiches, like the cucumber smoked salmon sandwiches (see the recipe below!) with herby cream cheese.
Cucumber Smoked Salad Sandwiches with Herby Cream Cheese
Makes 16 sandwiches
Ingredients:
8 large slices of wholemeal or plain soft bread
1⁄2 cucumber, very thinly sliced
4 oz smoked salmon
1 Tbsp butter, sliced and at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 lemon, zest and juice
salt and pepper
Directions:
These are elegant finger foods, perfect to serve with afternoon tea. They can be made a couple hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
In a small bowl, whip together the cream cheese, shallot, dill, chives, lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, set aside.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly onto 4 slices of bread. Top with cucumber slices, slightly overlapping, and a couple pieces of smoked salmon.
Lightly butter the other 4 slices of bread, then place on top of the ones with the salmon filling. Trim the edges and discard. Cut into 4 even finger sandwiches.
Tip: If you’re making the sandwiches ahead of time, lightly spritz with water to prevent them from going dry.
