Ocean Park's low-slung restaurant row: pressed duck, raw bars, omusubi and a speakeasy under a Victorian.
Pasjoli on Main Street is Santa Monica's French bistro benchmark, lately loosened up with a bigger bar menu and its famous tableside pressed duck restored.
OrderTableside canard a la presse, or the cordon bleu chicken wings at the bar
TipThe pressed duck is a 350 dollar whole-bird production for the table; order it when you book, not on arrival.
Seline is Dave Beran's Michelin-starred tasting room on Main Street in Santa Monica, a cerebral 295 dollar procession from the Californian landscape.
OrderThe seasonal tasting menu; courses change constantly
TipPlan around two and a half hours for the full menu; reservations open by the month and the counter seats sell first.
Cobi's cooks Southeast Asian food in a florid Main Street bungalow in Santa Monica, a Bib Gourmand room of curries, dumplings and wood-grilled plates.
OrderPork dumplings, nasi goreng and a wok-tossed curry
TipThe Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd books ahead on Resy; the weekend brunch sitting is the calmer way to get a table.
Crudo e Nudo runs a chalkboard of daily raw fish on Main Street in Santa Monica, chef Brian Bornemann dry-aging ikejime catch from Baja up to Monterey.
OrderDaily crudo flight and the tuna tartare with seeded loaves
TipWine director Simona Topuzovska pours biodynamic small growers; the daily happy hour 15:00-17:00 is the value window.
Chinois on Main is Wolfgang Puck's 1983 Santa Monica original, still folding Chinese tradition and French technique into California produce on Main Street.
OrderThe whole sizzling catfish and the Chinois chicken salad
TipExecutive chefs Junuen Saldana and Ramiro Saucedo keep the classics on; book OpenTable or phone the room.
Pasjoli on Main Street is Santa Monica's French bistro benchmark, lately loosened up with a bigger bar menu and its famous tableside pressed duck restored.
OrderTableside canard a la presse, or the cordon bleu chicken wings at the bar
TipThe pressed duck is a 350 dollar whole-bird production for the table; order it when you book, not on arrival.
Seline is Dave Beran's Michelin-starred tasting room on Main Street in Santa Monica, a cerebral 295 dollar procession from the Californian landscape.
OrderThe seasonal tasting menu; courses change constantly
TipPlan around two and a half hours for the full menu; reservations open by the month and the counter seats sell first.
Chinois on Main is Wolfgang Puck's 1983 Santa Monica original, still folding Chinese tradition and French technique into California produce on Main Street.
OrderThe whole sizzling catfish and the Chinois chicken salad
TipExecutive chefs Junuen Saldana and Ramiro Saucedo keep the classics on; book OpenTable or phone the room.
Heavy Handed smashes short-rib-blend patties on Main Street in Santa Monica, beef tallow fries and Straus soft serve from a pandemic pop-up made good.
OrderDouble smashburger with beef tallow fries
TipDouble smash with American cheese, fries in tallow, soft serve after; the line moves faster than it looks.
Sunny Blue wraps made-to-order omusubi on Main Street in Santa Monica, miso beef and curry rice balls pressed warm behind a six-seat counter.
OrderMiso beef omusubi, plus a spicy salmon to go
TipMiso mushroom is vegetarian and gluten-free; get one spicy salmon for the walk down to the beach.
Alfalfa packs farmstand plates and breakfast burritos into a friends-founded counter on Main Street in Santa Monica, salads and smoothies with real intent.
OrderAncho Potato breakfast burrito or a farmstand plate
TipThe Ancho Potato breakfast burrito is the local order; it travels well for the four blocks to the sand.
The Galley has kept its portholes and rope nets on Main Street since 1934 as Santa Monica's oldest restaurant and bar, steaks, littlenecks and stiff drinks.
OrderEast Coast littleneck clams, then the filet
TipSit at the South Seas Bar under the year-round fairy lights; the East Coast littleneck clams are the classic starter.
Library Alehouse has poured independent craft beer on Main Street in Santa Monica since 1995, California gastropub plates and a wood-lined back patio.
OrderRotating California taps with the house burger
TipThe back patio hides from the Main Street noise; pair the Mayberry IPA with whatever burger special is running.
Cobi's cooks Southeast Asian food in a florid Main Street bungalow in Santa Monica, a Bib Gourmand room of curries, dumplings and wood-grilled plates.
OrderPork dumplings, nasi goreng and a wok-tossed curry
TipThe Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd books ahead on Resy; the weekend brunch sitting is the calmer way to get a table.
Dogtown Coffee brews organic micro-roasted coffee in the old Zephyr surf shop on Main Street in Santa Monica, breakfast burritos for the dawn patrol.
DrinkCold brew
TipThe building birthed the Z-Boys skate team; get the breakfast burrito before the surf crowd clears the batch.
Dogtown Coffee brews organic micro-roasted coffee in the old Zephyr surf shop on Main Street in Santa Monica, breakfast burritos for the dawn patrol.
BeansOrganic lots, locally micro-roasted
BrewsEspresso, Cold brew, Whole bean retail
TipThe building birthed the Z-Boys skate team; get the breakfast burrito before the surf crowd clears the batch.
Crudo e Nudo runs a chalkboard of daily raw fish on Main Street in Santa Monica, chef Brian Bornemann dry-aging ikejime catch from Baja up to Monterey.
PourChilled biodynamic white with the crudo flight
WineBiodynamic small producers for raw fish
FoodDaily crudo and sustainable seafood
TipWine director Simona Topuzovska pours biodynamic small growers; the daily happy hour 15:00-17:00 is the value window.
The Galley has kept its portholes and rope nets on Main Street since 1934 as Santa Monica's oldest restaurant and bar, steaks, littlenecks and stiff drinks.
DrinkMai tai under the fairy lights
FoodBar menu
TipSit at the South Seas Bar under the year-round fairy lights; the East Coast littleneck clams are the classic starter.
Basement Tavern hides under the 1890s Victorian on Main Street in Santa Monica, a candlelit whiskey bar with live bands packed in most nights.
DrinkOld fashioned
FoodBar menu
TipEnter down the side stairs of the Victorian; it gets shoulder-to-shoulder after 21:00 when the band starts.
Not No Bar plays throwback Euro disco over wood-fired pizza on Main Street in Santa Monica, bar director Kent Thompson's cocktails until 01:00.
DrinkSoy Del Rancho
FoodBar menu
TipFriday and Saturday are fully walk-in; the patio never takes bookings and the room goes 21-plus after 22:00.
Library Alehouse has poured independent craft beer on Main Street in Santa Monica since 1995, California gastropub plates and a wood-lined back patio.
DrinkBlack Manhattan or a Mayberry IPA
FoodBar menu
TipThe back patio hides from the Main Street noise; pair the Mayberry IPA with whatever burger special is running.
Sunny Blue wraps made-to-order omusubi on Main Street in Santa Monica, miso beef and curry rice balls pressed warm behind a six-seat counter.
TryMade-to-order omusubi
TipMiso mushroom is vegetarian and gluten-free; get one spicy salmon for the walk down to the beach.
Heavy Handed smashes short-rib-blend patties on Main Street in Santa Monica, beef tallow fries and Straus soft serve from a pandemic pop-up made good.
TryShort-rib smashburger
TipDouble smash with American cheese, fries in tallow, soft serve after; the line moves faster than it looks.
Library Alehouse has poured independent craft beer on Main Street in Santa Monica since 1995, California gastropub plates and a wood-lined back patio.
TipThe back patio hides from the Main Street noise; pair the Mayberry IPA with whatever burger special is running.
The Main Street Farmers Market turns the Victorian's block in Santa Monica into a Sunday ritual, 40 farms plus prepared food, music and kids' rides.
TipThis is the one with breakfast: come hungry, graze the prepared-food stalls and let the kids at the activity corner.
Summer SOULstice closes Santa Monica's Main Street each June for a free festival of local food, beer gardens and two live-music stages by the beach.
TipThe 2026 edition ran June 20 with Santa Monica Brew Works pouring; arrive before noon to park anywhere useful.
The Main Street Block Party with Day of the Dog closes Santa Monica's Main Street on Sunday 18 October 2026, noon to 6 pm, with live music, local businesses, food and drink and a beer and wine garden.
TipIt pairs with Day of the Dog, so expect half the crowd on four legs; the beer garden wristband line moves fastest early.
Sunny Blue wraps made-to-order omusubi on Main Street in Santa Monica, miso beef and curry rice balls pressed warm behind a six-seat counter.
TryOmusubi
TipMiso mushroom is vegetarian and gluten-free; get one spicy salmon for the walk down to the beach.
Dogtown Coffee brews organic micro-roasted coffee in the old Zephyr surf shop on Main Street in Santa Monica, breakfast burritos for the dawn patrol.
TryBreakfast burritos
TipThe building birthed the Z-Boys skate team; get the breakfast burrito before the surf crowd clears the batch.
Cobi's cooks Southeast Asian food in a florid Main Street bungalow in Santa Monica, a Bib Gourmand room of curries, dumplings and wood-grilled plates.
OrderPork dumplings, nasi goreng and a wok-tossed curry
TipThe Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd books ahead on Resy; the weekend brunch sitting is the calmer way to get a table.
Dogtown Coffee brews organic micro-roasted coffee in the old Zephyr surf shop on Main Street in Santa Monica, breakfast burritos for the dawn patrol.
OrderThe Morning Bowl breakfast burrito and a cold brew
TipThe building birthed the Z-Boys skate team; get the breakfast burrito before the surf crowd clears the batch.
Not No Bar plays throwback Euro disco over wood-fired pizza on Main Street in Santa Monica, bar director Kent Thompson's cocktails until 01:00.
OrderThe Soy Del Rancho and a wood-fired pizza
TipFriday and Saturday are fully walk-in; the patio never takes bookings and the room goes 21-plus after 22:00.
Basement Tavern hides under the 1890s Victorian on Main Street in Santa Monica, a candlelit whiskey bar with live bands packed in most nights.
TipEnter down the side stairs of the Victorian; it gets shoulder-to-shoulder after 21:00 when the band starts.
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