Colapasta is an italian restaurant in Downtown, Santa Monica.
Editorially verified August 18, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Must order: Beet ravioli in brown butter and the ragu lasagna
Tip: Seating is first come, first served; last seating is fifteen minutes before close, so do not cut it fine.
Address: 1241 5th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
La Purepecha hand-presses corn tortillas on Broadway in Santa Monica, a Michoacan-style counter of asada tacos and machaca burritos without the fuss.
Order: Asada tacos on handmade corn tortillas
Tip: Tacos on handmade tortillas with cilantro and onions are the order; parking sits right beside the shop.
Benny's Tacos brines its rotisserie chicken for 24 hours in citrus and garlic on Wilshire in Santa Monica, with churros piped full of Bavarian cream.
Order: Rotisserie chicken plate and a Bavarian cream churro
Tip: The rotisserie chicken plate feeds two; finish with the cream-filled churros even if you think you will not.
Sweetfin builds chef-driven poke bowls on Broadway in Santa Monica, an entirely gluten-free kitchen of bamboo rice, kale noodles and citrus ponzu fish.
Order: Spicy tuna bowl on bamboo rice
Tip: Every bowl base swaps free, so try the kale noodle base; the whole menu is gluten-free by default.
La Purepecha hand-presses corn tortillas on Broadway in Santa Monica, a Michoacan-style counter of asada tacos and machaca burritos without the fuss.
Order: Asada tacos on handmade corn tortillas
Tip: Tacos on handmade tortillas with cilantro and onions are the order; parking sits right beside the shop.
Tacos Por Favor has fed Santa Monica's Olympic Boulevard workshops since the nineties, a no-frills counter of hard-shell tacos and chile relleno burritos.
Order: Chicken tacos and a chile relleno burrito
Tip: The lunch rush peaks at noon sharp; order the chicken taco plate and grab salsa from the bar before sitting.
Gilbert's El Indio has run its family Mexican dining room on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica since 1974, taquitos, shrimp plates and jalapeno margaritas.
Order: Taquitos with guacamole and a Tajin-rim margarita
Tip: It won Santa Monica's 2024 Most Loved Mexican Food award; Sunday closes at 14:00, so go for breakfast burritos.
Lares has served Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica since 1968, an old-world Mexican dining room with mariachi nights and vegan-friendly southern dishes.
Order: Mole plates from the southern-dishes side of the menu
Tip: Ask about mariachi nights before you book a quiet dinner; breakfast from 08:00 is the sleeper move.
Benny's Tacos brines its rotisserie chicken for 24 hours in citrus and garlic on Wilshire in Santa Monica, with churros piped full of Bavarian cream.
Order: Rotisserie chicken plate and a Bavarian cream churro
Tip: The rotisserie chicken plate feeds two; finish with the cream-filled churros even if you think you will not.
Sweetfin builds chef-driven poke bowls on Broadway in Santa Monica, an entirely gluten-free kitchen of bamboo rice, kale noodles and citrus ponzu fish.
Order: Spicy tuna bowl on bamboo rice
Tip: Every bowl base swaps free, so try the kale noodle base; the whole menu is gluten-free by default.
