40 editor picks in Santa Monica.
40 upscale places in Santa Monica, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Santa Monica: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Santa Monica food.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
TipWine director Simona Topuzovska pours biodynamic small growers; the daily happy hour 15:00-17:00 is the value window.
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.
Xuntos fills a 1926 Art Deco building in downtown Santa Monica with Sandra Cordero's Galician tapas, razor clams, percebes and vermouth over two floors.
OrderRazor clams, jamon iberico and a porron of Basque cider
TipThe menu runs from jamon iberico to Galician empanadas; ask for the mezzanine seats above the bar.
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.
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.
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.
Xuntos fills a 1926 Art Deco building in downtown Santa Monica with Sandra Cordero's Galician tapas, razor clams, percebes and vermouth over two floors.
TipThe menu runs from jamon iberico to Galician empanadas; ask for the mezzanine seats above the bar.
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.
Fia fills a big garden dining room on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica with coastal Italian cooking, burrata with prosciutto and figs, raw fish and steaks.
OrderBurrata with prosciutto and figs, then the Wellington steak
TipThe garden brunch with pastries and bottomless pours is the weekend play; book OpenTable for patio seats.
Le Great Outdoor grills everything outside in the Bergamot Station yard in Santa Monica, lamb chops and tartines off open fire at long picnic tables.
OrderBlistered lamb chops and the goat cheese tartine
TipThe kitchen is entirely open-air in the arts-centre parking lot; book Resy for dinner, walk in at lunch.
Cosetta cooks wood-fired Italian on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, porcini-rubbed wagyu tri-tip and vodka arrabbiata shells with burrata.
OrderPasta shells in vodka arrabbiata with burrata
TipTwo hours of validated parking off 31st Street takes the sting out; happy hour runs 16:00-17:00 on weekdays.
Fitoor grills contemporary Indian food near the Santa Monica Pier, kebabs, kulchas and seafood from the ROOH team's fire-led Ocean Avenue kitchen.
OrderKebabs and kulchas from the tandoor, plus the seafood plates
TipFounders Anu and Vikram Bhambri staff the kitchen almost entirely with chefs trained in India; the halal menu suits groups.
Wally's runs a wine shop, cheese counter and restaurant under one Wilshire Boulevard roof in Santa Monica, a by-the-glass list beside the retail wall.
TipAnything on the retail wall can be drunk at the table for corkage; the cheese counter builds boards to order.
Le Great Outdoor grills everything outside in the Bergamot Station yard in Santa Monica, lamb chops and tartines off open fire at long picnic tables.
OrderBlistered lamb chops and the goat cheese tartine
TipThe kitchen is entirely open-air in the arts-centre parking lot; book Resy for dinner, walk in at lunch.
Fia fills a big garden dining room on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica with coastal Italian cooking, burrata with prosciutto and figs, raw fish and steaks.
OrderBurrata with prosciutto and figs, then the Wellington steak
TipThe garden brunch with pastries and bottomless pours is the weekend play; book OpenTable for patio seats.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Calabra spreads Mediterranean-Californian plates across the Santa Monica Proper Hotel rooftop, a circular bar and garden terrace with Pacific views.
OrderChallah french toast at brunch, mezze and crudo at night
TipProper Hour runs 16:00-17:00 weekdays and 15:00-17:00 weekends; the poolside alcoves take groups up to twelve.
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.
Piccolo Ristorante hand-rolls its pasta on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, chef Antonio Mure's Venetian-leaning dinners with a deep Italian cellar.
OrderHomemade pasta of the day with a glass from the Italian list
TipThe room is candlelit and small, better for two than six; Prosecco by the glass opens the night properly.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Farmshop pairs a Californian brunch room with an artisan market in the Brentwood Country Mart on 26th Street in Santa Monica, bakery counter from 07:00.
TipThe market side sells the bakery bread, cheese and prepared food to go when the brunch wait runs long.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Calabra spreads Mediterranean-Californian plates across the Santa Monica Proper Hotel rooftop, a circular bar and garden terrace with Pacific views.
TipProper Hour runs 16:00-17:00 weekdays and 15:00-17:00 weekends; the poolside alcoves take groups up to twelve.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Calabra spreads Mediterranean-Californian plates across the Santa Monica Proper Hotel rooftop, a circular bar and garden terrace with Pacific views.
OrderChallah french toast at brunch, mezze and crudo at night
TipProper Hour runs 16:00-17:00 weekdays and 15:00-17:00 weekends; the poolside alcoves take groups up to twelve.
Farmshop pairs a Californian brunch room with an artisan market in the Brentwood Country Mart on 26th Street in Santa Monica, bakery counter from 07:00.
OrderCoddled eggs with brioche, then raid the market shelves
TipThe market side sells the bakery bread, cheese and prepared food to go when the brunch wait runs long.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
The Lobster has watched the Santa Monica Pier from its Ocean Avenue perch since 1923, grilling Maine and spiny lobster above the beach crowds.
OrderGrilled lobster or the lobster roll with truffle parmesan fries
TipBook Resy for a window at golden hour; the lobster roll at the bar is the affordable route.
FIG at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica cooks off weekly farmers market runs, wood-blistered pizzas and lemon ricotta pancakes on a garden terrace.
OrderLemon ricotta pancakes or the breakfast burrito
TipThe sun-trap garden terrace and the Potting Shed private room book out for weekend brunch; go on a weekday morning.
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.
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.
TipSit at the South Seas Bar under the year-round fairy lights; the East Coast littleneck clams are the classic starter.
FIG at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica cooks off weekly farmers market runs, wood-blistered pizzas and lemon ricotta pancakes on a garden terrace.
OrderLemon ricotta pancakes or the breakfast burrito
TipThe sun-trap garden terrace and the Potting Shed private room book out for weekend brunch; go on a weekday morning.
The Penthouse floats on the 18th floor of the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica, white banquettes and coastline views from breakfast through late cocktails.
TipHappy hour runs 16:00-18:00 on weekdays; sunset window tables go to whoever books earliest on OpenTable.
The Penthouse floats on the 18th floor of the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica, white banquettes and coastline views from breakfast through late cocktails.
OrderWeekend brunch with the ocean panorama
TipHappy hour runs 16:00-18:00 on weekdays; sunset window tables go to whoever books earliest on OpenTable.
The Penthouse floats on the 18th floor of the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica, white banquettes and coastline views from breakfast through late cocktails.
OrderWeekend brunch with the ocean panorama
TipHappy hour runs 16:00-18:00 on weekdays; sunset window tables go to whoever books earliest on OpenTable.
The Bungalow sprawls through a beach-house maze at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, cocktails, DJs and pool tables with ocean air off the bluff.
TipDress code loosens early; go at 17:00 for a patio sofa because the queue after 21:00 on weekends is real.
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