Santa Monica Restaurants

Veterans of the Los Angeles dining scene since 1981, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger have garnered national acclaim and multimedia stardom with their modern approach to Mexican cooking. Throughout their ascension, the duo has managed to keep their Santa Monica flagship vital. A magnet for both tourists and locals, Border Grill showcases colorful murals and plentiful portions of equally vibrant Mexican cooking. With encyclopedic menus and daily specials, ordering can be daunting, but regardless of the selection, the dishes are consistently flavorful. The duo’s attention to detail lasts through dessert, with house-baked cakes and strong, spice-infused café de olla. Learn More »

Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi is a family managed restaurant that has been serving the Los Angeles area for over fifteen years. The restaurant offers simplicity, authenticity, the love for tradition, and full respect for their customers. Try such dishes as Risotto with roasted peppers and Dungeness crab or Sweet Corn Agnolotti with mascarpone and truffle butter. They even sell their own tasty sauce so you can make your own dishes at home. This is nice place for getting together with family and friends to enjoy a good meal and wonderful service. Learn More »

Located in Santa Monica, Melisse combines the sophistication of traditional French cuisine with contemporary American sensibilities, resulting in a truly elegant experience. The two-star Michelin rated restaurant features a menu reflecting seasonal and specialty items carefully selected and intricately prepared by Chef Josiah Citrin and his skilled kitchen staff. The Truffle Risotto carnaroli rice, mascarpone and shaved black truffles and the Broccoli & Quail Egg Agnolotti, young broccoli, brown butter and shaved black truffles are popular with guests. Dessert selections include Sticky Toffee Pudding and a classic Apple Tart. For an experience in refined French American cuisine, Melisse in Santa … Learn More »

Josie, aptly named after Chef Josie, combines healthy and tasty to create mouth watering dishes such as Pan Seared Duck with Savory Hawthorn Berry Sauce and the Rib-eye Steak with Pop’s Peppercorn Sauce. The restaurant prides itself on using natural and organic food in many of their dishes. The rustic and refined feel emanates from the sand-blasted wooden ceiling beams to the modern skylight. There is a mixture of old country warmth and contemporary sophistication that interplays perfectly with Josie’s menu. With so many great dishes you will want to come back again and again. Learn More »

At Valentino, Piero Selvaggio’s flagship restaurant, freshness is not just a priority, it is a passion. Executive Chef Angelo Auriana, who has been with the restaurant for close to 18 years, seeks out the finest ingredients, often returning to his homeland for superior quality. Whether it is cheese from Puglia or white truffles from Piedmont, Auriana’s menu incorporates the grandest treasures in the culinary worlds. The menu changes seasonally, but you might find dishes such as San Daniele Prosciutto with Tirloese speck and melon pearls, Ricotta gnocchetti with walnuts and four-cheese sauce, and Colorado lamb chop with Gorgonzola and port … Learn More »

Classy meets comfortable at Whist, located at the Viceroy Santa Monica, a restaurant offering elegant Coastal Mediterranean cuisine for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Not only do menu items offer variety, but in order to ensure individual levels of comfort guests are offered several choices in seating locations including the traditional formal dining room, casual poolside tables as well as private chef cabanas for a more intimate experience. Whist is an eatery known for its significantly stylish décor which fuses vintage and modern furnishings. The restaurant excitedly welcomes new Executive Chef, Tony DiSalvo to the team, who uses his vast … Learn More »

Since 1979, Michael's has presented modern American cuisine with a French influence. The decor is light and airy, with a spacious, uncluttered dining room featuring modern art from an array of great contemporary artists. The lush, serene patio garden allows guests a chance to enjoy the Southern California weather while dining. An extensive wine list includes more than eight hundred labels from California, France, Italy, and wine growing regions from across the globe. The secluded garden, landscaped with a variety of trees, exotic flowers, and flowing fountains, creates an ambience ideal for a garden party, a relaxing meal, or romantic … Learn More »

With nearly every new restaurant offering some sort of fusion cuisine today, Sam’s by the Beach rises above the rest and delivers fresh, smart food in an intimate neighborhood setting just off Pacific Coast Highway. The seasonal menu includes traditional California basics that seem familiar until the taste reveals unique Mediterranean details. The unassuming outside belies the quiet romance waiting inside. Dedicated staff members cater to your every dining need, implementing a special menu if requested and treating each patron as a regular. Visit this surprising getaway to relearn all your old favorites. Learn More »

Opaque in Santa Monica offers diners a one of a kind culinary experience. One that is proposed to enhance the senses of taste, smell, touch, and hearing by abandoning one that we often take for granted, Opaque is “Dining in the Dark”. The straightforward menu offers diners the entrée choice of Filet Mignon, Roasted Herb Chicken Breast, Seared Atlantic Salmon, or Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Rigatoni. Dessert is either a Mango Panna Cotta or Warm Chocolate Lava Cake. Blind servers aid guests with tips on how to approach dining free of sight, and a portion of the bill goes towards blindness … Learn More »

Ozumo is one of the few true contemporary Japanese restaurants in Santa Monica. Food is prepared on a traditional Japanese Robata Grill and includes the finest sushi and sashimi. The extraordinary interior concepts of Ozumo incorporate the four major materials found in Japanese design and architecture: wood, paper, steel and stone. Featuring a 22-seat sushibar, elegant dining room, an Izakaya lounge, as well as outdoor beer garden, Ozumo can cater any social or business event. The sake list at Ozumo is second to none, and features a large selection of the highest quality "ginjo" and "daiginjo" premium sakes. An extensive … Learn More »

Chef/Owner Jean Francois Meteinger has redefined French cuisine with his signature “Cuisine Naturelle” style of cooking which uses little or no cream or butter. He has quickly become one of the leaders of the Los Angeles culinary world with his innovative talent, numerous awards and rave reviews. In few short years he has turned La Cachette into one of the most popular restaurants in Los Angeles. Learn More »

A pale palette of cream tones bathes the walls in subtle elegance, while the rich leather upholstery and wood seating invite visitors to settle in for the evening. 3 on Fourth exudes a kind of seamlessly simple elegance that carries over from the stunning second-floor railing to the thoughtful and varied menu. American, Asian, and European cuisine are all represented on the daily changing menu; and they are married by an equally comprehensive drink selection of wine, beer, and sake. Patrons may construct a traditional dining experience around three courses, or they are welcome to mix and match the many … Learn More »

Why confine oneself to only tasting one region of Italy’s fine cuisine when we may savor the many flavors that make the country the dining destination of the world? i. Cugini serves up authentic specialties from Sicily, Sardinia, Naples, and Tuscany in a dining space fit for the Amalfi Coast. Once visitors enter the restaurant, passing the luscious display of fresh fish and the open kitchen, they begin to understand what sets i. Cugini apart. The extensive seafood selection offers the unique opportunity for patrons to dine as native Italians do – the salt-cured whole cooked fish are favorites, and … Learn More »

Chef Celestino Drago has been cooking up some of the best Italian food in Los Angeles since 1991. This jewel in Santa Monica has been wowing critics and locals alike ever since. Drago offers private dining and catering to accommodate those special events and occasions. Try their Tortelloni, which is filled with pumpkin, sage, butter and parmesan cheese or the Petto Di Pollo, a tomato and parmesan crusted chicken breast, broccoli, peewee potato in a prosciutto parmesan sauce. The cozy ambience along with the classic atmosphere and delicious food creates an unforgettable experience. Learn More »

Despite its proximity to the swarming Third Street Promenade, Anisette Brasserie is a gem of Parisian bistro charm. With a cathedral ceiling, elaborate tiled floors, red leather banquettes, and fluted sconces, locals and tourists alike will be hard-pressed to find a more authentic looking brasserie-style restaurant in the area. Chef Alain Gireaud (formerly of Citrus and Bastide) has created a menu to match the ambiance, offering unassuming, classic French fare such as Onion Soup, Steak Tartare, Sweetbreads, and Duck a L’Orange. The staff only intensifies the establishment’s Belle Époque magnificence with their ankle-length aprons, black vests, and impeccable service. Learn More »

Santa Monica is home to one of the world’s premier raw food restaurants, Planet Raw. Executive Chef Juliano Brothman is no new comer to the raw food lifestyle; at the vanguard back in 1994, he has brought his years of expertise to Planet Raw. The restaurant does not utilize four, wheat, grain, sugar, canned, or boxed foods of any kind. What they do use to construct their raw dishes is fruits, vegetables, roots, leaves, nuts, and seeds. The menu includes a long list of house potions, elixirs & smart drinks, and smoothies, all with their own respective benefits dependent on … Learn More »