My girlfriend and I have a very bad habit of deciding to head out to dinner after 10 PM in LA, during the week. It seems most places close their kitchens at 10 or 11, leaving a surprisingly limited amount of late-night, fine dining choices. While searching for what our options were on a recent Sunday night, we saw a listing for Wally’s in Beverly Hills as serving until 2 AM. Recalling the name as a classic LA liquor store, we decided to head over to a deserted stretch of Canon Drive in the heart of Beverly Hills to check it out.

We were greeted by walls of wine, and a very friendly, neighborhood atmosphere. Immediately welcomed by one of the bartenders (a key first impression for me) we were promptly presented with a menu, wine list, cocktail list and smile. I’ll be writing more about my experience, but it was delicious. We had a ham and cheese sandwich (with appropriately fancy bread, ham, cheese and mustard) along with a charcuterie plate of Manchego cheddar, Jamon Serrano and Prosciutto di Parma.

These were all joined by a terrific 2010 Leaf Bordeaux from Saint-Emilion. Not cheap at $26 per glass, it was worth every penny and reminded us of the difference between great and good wine. Overall delicious food, friendly service, a cool crowd; a wonderful discovery as a late-night dining option in the heart of Beverly Hills.