Residential blocks around Ocean Park Boulevard hiding the city's best bread, bagels, omakase and vegan Thai.
Shunji on Ocean Park Boulevard is Santa Monica's serious omakase counter, a chef-led 295 dollar procession of aged and marinated fish booked via Tock.
Order: Omakase only; the aged marinated tuna nigiri is the anchor
Tip: The room is tiny and reservations go through Tock; aged marinated tuna nigiri is the signature move.
Cosetta cooks wood-fired Italian on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, porcini-rubbed wagyu tri-tip and vodka arrabbiata shells with burrata.
Order: Pasta shells in vodka arrabbiata with burrata
Tip: Two hours of validated parking off 31st Street takes the sting out; happy hour runs 16:00-17:00 on weekdays.
Piccolo Ristorante hand-rolls its pasta on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, chef Antonio Mure's Venetian-leaning dinners with a deep Italian cellar.
Order: Homemade pasta of the day with a glass from the Italian list
Tip: The room is candlelit and small, better for two than six; Prosecco by the glass opens the night properly.
Ghisallo blisters Neapolitan-and-New-York-style pies on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, with arancini, radicchio salads and a semi-hidden back patio.
Order: Squash blossom pizza in season, the diavola year-round
Tip: The back patio is the seat; squash blossom pizza when it is on, diavola otherwise. Wine list stays well priced.
Shunji on Ocean Park Boulevard is Santa Monica's serious omakase counter, a chef-led 295 dollar procession of aged and marinated fish booked via Tock.
Order: Omakase only; the aged marinated tuna nigiri is the anchor
Tip: The room is tiny and reservations go through Tock; aged marinated tuna nigiri is the signature move.
Ghisallo blisters Neapolitan-and-New-York-style pies on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, with arancini, radicchio salads and a semi-hidden back patio.
Order: Squash blossom pizza in season, the diavola year-round
Tip: The back patio is the seat; squash blossom pizza when it is on, diavola otherwise. Wine list stays well priced.
Pita House grills certified halal Mediterranean plates on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, shawarma, falafel and kebabs late into the evening.
Order: Mixed shawarma plate with garlic sauce
Tip: Everything on the menu is certified halal and there is no alcohol; the mixed shawarma plate feeds two.
Satdha Plant Based Thai Kitchen has cooked gourmet vegan Thai food on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica since 2013, no fake meats, just vegetable craft.
Order: Khao soi and the lion's mane mushroom fried chicken
Tip: Chef Gunn Pankum's lion's mane mushroom fried chicken converts sceptics; the khao soi is the quiet best dish.
Jyan Isaac Bread bakes deeply fermented sourdough on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, bagel sandwiches and brunch beside the Ghisallo pizza kitchen.
Order: A sourdough loaf and the tuna melt at lunch
Tip: Loaves sell down by early afternoon; weekend brunch adds duck confit hash and cereal milk french toast.
Layla Bagels hand-rolls sourdough bagels daily on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, open-face builds with seasonal fruit, honey and smoked salmon.
Signature drink: Drip coffee
Tip: The Pre-Jam with seasonal fruit, cream cheese and honey is the signature; the everything loosies sell out first.
Jyan Isaac Bread bakes deeply fermented sourdough on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, bagel sandwiches and brunch beside the Ghisallo pizza kitchen.
Signature drink: Espresso
Tip: Loaves sell down by early afternoon; weekend brunch adds duck confit hash and cereal milk french toast.
Jyan Isaac Bread bakes deeply fermented sourdough on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, bagel sandwiches and brunch beside the Ghisallo pizza kitchen.
Tip: Loaves sell down by early afternoon; weekend brunch adds duck confit hash and cereal milk french toast.
Worth the queue: Sourdough country loaf
Layla Bagels hand-rolls sourdough bagels daily on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, open-face builds with seasonal fruit, honey and smoked salmon.
Tip: The Pre-Jam with seasonal fruit, cream cheese and honey is the signature; the everything loosies sell out first.
Worth the queue: Pre-Jam open-face bagel
Pita House grills certified halal Mediterranean plates on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, shawarma, falafel and kebabs late into the evening.
Try: Shawarma plates
Tip: Everything on the menu is certified halal and there is no alcohol; the mixed shawarma plate feeds two.
Jyan Isaac Bread bakes deeply fermented sourdough on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, bagel sandwiches and brunch beside the Ghisallo pizza kitchen.
Order: A sourdough loaf and the tuna melt at lunch
Tip: Loaves sell down by early afternoon; weekend brunch adds duck confit hash and cereal milk french toast.
Layla Bagels hand-rolls sourdough bagels daily on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, open-face builds with seasonal fruit, honey and smoked salmon.
Order: Pre-Jam open-face bagel with a drip coffee
Tip: The Pre-Jam with seasonal fruit, cream cheese and honey is the signature; the everything loosies sell out first.