Rumor has it this beautifully restored log building, more than 100 years old, previously housed everything from a hunting lodge to a bordello. Now it's a restaurant that feels days away from LA, especially in the spring and summer when the patio is lush with foliage and fresh smells of the country.

Located in a canyon between Malibu and Calabasas, Saddle Peak—with its rustic dining rooms and fireplaces, antlered animal heads on the walls and a bar bedecked with vintage guns and fishing rods—has the feel of a country retreat. The upstairs library has a view of surrounding mountain peaks through French doors; the tree-lined terrace is within earshot of a waterfall. Game has long been the menu's specialty, but traditionally the fare is presented with such elegance and creativity, the place could be in the heart of Restaurant Row. If buffalo tartare with whole-grain mustard aioli, roasted partridge on crostini, or fork-tender elk tenderloin aren't your game, there are plenty of seafood options; we're partial to the organic New Zealand salmon with caviar cream. Brunch is an institution of its own, especially on holidays like Easter and Mother's Day. —Lesley Balla