Day-by-day eating plans for Santa Monica. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Santa Monica weekend: market, pier and Main Street ★ 4.6

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend built on the city's real anchors: the farmers market, the 1946 corn dog stand, Main Street's kitchens and a landmark dive nightcap.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: farmers market, the Godmother, pier sunset

    Morning
    Downtown Farmers Market on Arizona Avenue from 08:30. Coffee first, then walk the organic stands before the crowds.
    Afternoon
    The Godmother at Bay Cities on Lincoln Boulevard, eaten on the bench outside. Walk it off down to the pier for a Hot Dog on a Stick corn dog.
    Evening
    Dinner at Pasjoli on Main Street from 19:00, then a nightcap among the peanut shells at Chez Jay on Ocean Avenue.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: bakery morning, Main Street crawl, early dinner

    Morning
    Huckleberry on Wilshire at 08:30 for the maple bacon biscuit and a quiche before the queue forms.
    Afternoon
    Main Street: raw fish and biodynamic wine at Crudo e Nudo from 12:00, then a warm omusubi from Sunny Blue for the walk to the beach.
    Evening
    Dinner at Cobi's from 17:30, then one round at The Galley, pouring on Main Street since 1934.

Market-to-table Wednesday ★ 4.5

Food-obsessed day visitor1 day

Follow the produce: shop the Wednesday market chefs buy from, then eat at the kitchens that cooked it by dinner.

  1. Day 1: Wednesday: the market that feeds LA

    Morning
    The Wednesday Farmers Market on Arizona Avenue from 08:00; watch restaurant carts do their rounds and taste whatever is peaking.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Milo & Olive on Wilshire, garlic knot first. Then a cut-to-order tasting at Andrew's Cheese Shop on Montana Avenue.
    Evening
    Dinner at Rustic Canyon on Wilshire from 17:30, where the menu changes with the same market, then a whisky at The Daily Pint.

Beach-day budget crawl ★ 4.3

On a budget, one day1 day

A full Santa Monica beach day under 60 dollars a head: surf-shack burrito, boardwalk corn dog, jerk chicken and karaoke.

  1. Day 1: Friday: dawn patrol to karaoke

    Morning
    Breakfast burrito and cold brew at Dogtown Coffee in the old Zephyr surf shop on Main Street, open from 07:00.
    Afternoon
    Corn dog and hand-stomped lemonade at Hot Dog on a Stick by Muscle Beach, then a late jerk chicken plate at Cha Cha Chicken on Ocean Avenue.
    Evening
    Sunset beers at Big Dean's below the pier, then karaoke until far too late at The Gaslite on Wilshire.
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