8 californian spots in Downtown, editor-picked by TableJourney. All of Downtown's food · All californian in Santa Monica.

Melisse ★ 4.9

$$$$CalifornianDowntown

Melisse is the 14-seat tasting counter hidden behind Citrin in Santa Monica, a two-Michelin-star room from Josiah Citrin and chef partner Ken Takayama.

OrderThe full tasting menu; the kitchen builds it around the week's market

TipAround 800 dollars for two before wine, with a strict no-cancellation policy; book two to three weeks out.

Melisse ★ 4.9

$$$$CalifornianDowntown

Melisse is the 14-seat tasting counter hidden behind Citrin in Santa Monica, a two-Michelin-star room from Josiah Citrin and chef partner Ken Takayama.

OrderThe full tasting menu; the kitchen builds it around the week's market

TipAround 800 dollars for two before wine, with a strict no-cancellation policy; book two to three weeks out.

Citrin ★ 4.8

$$$$CalifornianDowntown

Citrin is Josiah Citrin's modern Californian flagship on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, a Michelin-starred dining room built on market produce.

OrderThe prix fixe, built around Santa Monica farmers market produce

TipBook the a la carte room; the 14-seat Melisse counter behind it is a separate, pricier reservation.

Citrin ★ 4.8

$$$$CalifornianDowntown

Citrin is Josiah Citrin's modern Californian flagship on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, a Michelin-starred dining room built on market produce.

OrderThe prix fixe, built around Santa Monica farmers market produce

TipBook the a la carte room; the 14-seat Melisse counter behind it is a separate, pricier reservation.

Rustic Canyon ★ 4.6

$$$CalifornianDowntown

Rustic Canyon is Santa Monica's farmers-market dining room on Wilshire, now cooking seasonal Mexican-Californian food a few blocks from the Wednesday market.

OrderThe vegetable plates that change weekly with the market

TipLast seating is 21:00 most nights; the menu shifts weekly with the Arizona Avenue market haul.

Michael's Santa Monica ★ 4.5

$$$CalifornianDowntown

Michael's Santa Monica has run since 1979, Michael McCarty's garden dining room on 3rd Street where a long line of famous chefs cooked market-first food.

OrderWhatever the market plates are that week; the garden room is the point

TipAlumni include Jonathan Waxman and Nancy Silverton; chef Job Carder now runs the hyper-seasonal menu. Book on Resy.

Michael's Santa Monica ★ 4.5

$$$CalifornianDowntown

Michael's Santa Monica has run since 1979, Michael McCarty's garden dining room on 3rd Street where a long line of famous chefs cooked market-first food.

OrderWhatever the market plates are that week; the garden room is the point

TipAlumni include Jonathan Waxman and Nancy Silverton; chef Job Carder now runs the hyper-seasonal menu. Book on Resy.

Tar & Roses ★ 4.3

$$$CalifornianDowntown

Tar & Roses has held its downtown Santa Monica corner since 2012, a wood-fire kitchen of oxtail dumplings and whole fried snapper that improves with age.

OrderOxtail dumplings, then the whole fried snapper with soba

TipThe whole fried snapper with cold soba is built for two; smaller plates share better than they look.

Book food experiences in Santa Monica

Gourmet Hollywood Walking Food Tour★ 3.2 (2)

Guided tour · 3 hours

Gourmet Hollywood Walking Food Tour

Step into the glamor of old Hollywood as you dine at historic restaurants once graced by silver screen legends. Explore top-rated contemporary fare and diverse immigra...

from$167 Check dates

See all 166 bookable experiences in Santa Monica