Greetings and Welcome to Santa Monica!
I am a native of Southern California since the mid-1960's. Here are some of my food recommendations for guests and visitors for Santa Monica, WestLA, Culver City. We have many top-rated restaurants here. See Michelin GUIDE
There are so many great restaurants nearby! So many restaurants. So little time (and money.) 😂
Within Walking Distance
Milo & Olive
(1,618)
$30–40 (450)
$20–30 Vito's Pizza
(734)
$20–30 (1,023)
Upscale health-food store featuring organic, local & sustainable groceries & prepared fare.
(Lincoln Blvd, 21 blocks away)
Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
(2,877)
$10–20 Word famous deli. Get the "Godmother Deluxe" sandwich! Cash or Debit card only.
FINE DINING
(1,054)
$$ Get the Hawaiian ribeye and share the artichoke dip
pasjoli
(465)
$100+ Must try: brioche with fois'gras pate.
Mélisse Restaurant
(396)
$200+ Michelin 2-Star Restaurant. Book 1 month in advance, or go to Citrin below (same building/same owner)
Citrin Restaurant
(159)
$100+ Advice: Sit at the bar for happy hour for great food with happy hour specials.
(3,049)
Nice view of the ocean from its 3rd floor rooftop restaurant and bar. Very noisy at night.
(1,001)
$$ Chef Raphael Lunetta has 2 restaurants side by side: Lunetta All Day and the evening only dining room.
(2,597)
$100+ They showcase their dry-aged beef. You pay per lb. High-end, first class. On Ocean Ave (ocean view)
Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse
(1,652)
$50–100 Il Moro Restaurant
(280)
$50–60 The calamari and the super-flat, thin crust Margherita pizza are amazing.
PIZZA & BBQ
Bludso's BBQ
(466)
$30–50 Prime Pizza
(169)
$10–20 Vito's Pizza
(734)
$20–30 JAPANESE
(824)
$$ (409)
$50–100 (1,952)
$20–30 MEXICAN
(1,204)
$20–30 Get the crunchy tacos
(858)
$10–20 Campo's Special All-meat burrito, or the "wet" saucy Panzon burrito
CHINESE/TAIWANESE/SE ASIAN
Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐 Santa Monica
(325)
$$