Betsy
Restaurant · Altadena ·
Everything cooked over fire: steaks, seafood, cheesecake
Everything cooked over fire: steaks, seafood, cheesecake
"Opened in Altadena just a month before the Eaton Fire, this restaurant—originally Bernee and later reopened as Betsy—had quickly developed a cozy, communal atmosphere that felt like a safe home base on the eerie, wind-whipped night when the canyon caught fire and dinner service unfolded under a sky lit by flames. As reservations dwindled and chaotic information about the fire spread, the team ultimately stopped charging for meals, offering to pack up dinners so guests could leave if needed, while inside the room remained warm and communal even as a text from a nearby friend showed the street by the owner’s new house on fire. By the time the night was over, his house and most of his belongings were gone, though, in a twist he struggled to process, the restaurant itself survived with only minor damage despite sitting in what felt like a war zone without utilities and surrounded by destruction. After time away in Ojai, reading Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations every night and questioning whether to walk away, he returned to find gradual signs of recovery—grass growing, cleared and then finished lots, cars once again parked in front—and reconsidered the restaurant’s role. Informal, pay-what-you-can dinners for about 100 people a night became a turning point, with guests told that industry workers who were struggling should not pay while those doing well could contribute more; some left $2,500 for two and others $10, and both gestures were equally meaningful. Those nights revealed how special the place was, with food, service, and experience elevated by a profound gratitude for what almost vanished and by the realization that hospitality can also be about learning to receive care and generosity from guests, transforming Betsy into a symbol of resilience and mutual support in a traumatized town." - Rebecca Roland
"Despite the surrounding destruction of the LA wildfires in January, this Southern California restaurant, Betsy, endured." - Brenna Houck
"Quiet resilience defines this live-fire Altadena restaurant, where owner Tyler Wells — who lost his home in the Eaton Fire — and lead chef Paul Downer have built the consummate community dinner hangout amid a corridor scarred by flames. The hearth powers a chicory Caesar flecked with glimmering white anchovy and a snowfall of Parmesan; the “cheese we are liking” of the day with crackly, sea-salt-pocked focaccia; pillowy ricotta gnocchi doused in lemon butter and freckled with black pepper; and sprouting cauliflower with charred onion vinaigrette. Table centerpieces like the heritage pork chop and tomahawk rib-eye take beautifully to the flames, and a scorched Basque cheesecake brings the fire and caramelization other versions often miss. Warm, attentive service and the open hearth give the room its glow; the move is to go with a big enough group to snag the five- or six-seat banquette and watch Altadena’s dining scene come to life." - Rebecca Roland
"Formerly Bernee, this Altadena dinner destination from restaurateur Tyler Wells has become a warmly embracing hub since reopening in August 2025, its central roaring hearth offering literal and figurative comfort to a community still recovering from the Eaton Fire. The night I went, everything was locally sourced and the frequently changing menu delivered: a peak-season tomato salad burst with tang and sweetness against a rippled mound of burrata; charred broccolini added another kind of heat with its chili-crunch topper; and swordfish, treated like a steak over the open flame, felt just as formidable. The concise, thoughtfully curated wine list rotates, and I’d start or end my meal with a pour my server seems most excited about that night. Basque cheesecake arrived extra blackened yet remained supple inside—spare in presentation that keeps the focus on the slice, though a little fruit or compote could make it even more satisfying. Quiet conversation floats from small tables framing the oblong bar, and the lush circular booth in back (seating five to six) is the prize perch. It runs warm inside—the hearth behind the bar roars from open to close—cozy in colder months, while in summer it can feel like you need a personal fan; the room fills with Altadenans craving a taste of home and Angelenos eager to support a community restaurant." - Nicole Fellah
"Formerly known as Bernee, Betsy reopened in the summer of 2025, months after the Eaton Fire took the home of its restaurateur Tyler Wells. Despite this, Betsy has emerged as a neighborhood dinner destination for fellow Altadenans to congregate over a fantastic shared meal that may include chili crunch-topped broccolini, flame-kissed steaks topped with herb butter, and tender pork smothered in a verde sauce. Almost every dish touches the roaring hearth central to the restaurant, including the perfect closer: a burnt Basque cheesecake." - Mona Holmes
