blur close up cutlery dining

Where to eat in Downtown Santa Monica

Although the tourist area in Santa Monica is going through some growing pains, there are still a lot of places to grab a great bite to eat. Whether you are coming to the pier and promenande as a tourist, or going to your office job I will give you plenty of options in this where to eat in downtown Santa Monica post.

Each section is organized by time of day cost. More economical restaurants are first on the list and then get more expensive. I hope this helps you stick to your budget or find great special occasion meals.

Breakfast in Downtown Santa Monica

As with my Hollywood post, I tend not to concentrate on breakfast. I tend to be a light eater in the morning, sustaining myself on coffee. Big breakfasts aren’t really my jam (pun intended). You won’t find me waiting in line at the Griddle in Hollywood in the hopes of eating a pancake the size of a hubcap. I prefer my breakfast small and pastry-like.

Sidecar Doughnuts (Spelled out, so you know it is fancy)

This California-grown company started in Costa Mesa in 2013. They boast of having the freshest donut. It is true; they bake small batches throughout the day, and they are still warm when I sink my teeth into them. They range from a simple butter and salt glaze to a seasonal stuffed yeast donut with frosting and themed toppings. The doughnut for October/November was pumpkin-flavored with a pumpkin and whipped cream topping with toasted pumpkin seeds. Just to give you an idea.

If you haven’t had Sidecar Doughnuts before, I do recommend you fix that. The donuts are more expensive than what you would find at the chains, but you should treat yourself every once in a while, especially now.

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://sidecardoughnuts.com
  • Location: 631 Wilshire Ave., Santa Monica
  • Cost: $3.25 for a traditional and up to $4.50 for the more elaborate or seasonal items
  • What to eat: Everything, but especially apple cider donuts when they are in season
  • COVID-19 INFORMATION: It is a small shop, so the line can get long. I felt that people were good at self-monitoring the six feet distance between each other. Because it is small, there aren’t tables inside, but there is a patio extension on Wilshire.

I just want a good cup of coffee.

I love coffee. Maybe I love it a little too much. I like my coffee strong, chocolatey, nutty, with a splash of milk. My recommendations gear towards this type of coffee drinker. If you want something frapped, blended, and desserty, and there is nothing wrong with that, there are plenty of options available in Santa Monica, and I think you know where to get them.

Yes, there are a lot of familiar chains along the Third Street Promenade, including a credit card company cafe, but I think there is better coffee to be had at places that do not have familiar-sounding names.

Demitasse

If you find yourself on the Wilshire end of the Third Street Promenade, Demitasse is a great place to grab a skillfully brewed cup of coffee. These self-identified coffee geeks use techniques close to chemistry labs to get you the best cup of coffee. Coffee is roasted in-house in small batches for freshness.

Hours, cost, and other information

Philz

My one exception to chain coffee is Philz Coffee. The reason why I am breaking from my three stores or less rule is that Philz cares about the coffee they serve. Slightly less expensive than Demitasse, you can still get a cup of coffee fit to your individualized tastes. Choose from dark roasts with notes of smoke, nuts, and tobacco to lighter roasts that give you hints of breakfast flavors. There is a small menu of pastries that cater to a health-focused crowd. We are in Santa Monica, after all.

The mint coffee is extremely popular here. I know it sounds weird but go with it.

Hours, cost, and other information

This Ugly Beautiful City Tip

More often than not, in Los Angeles, coffee shops are grab-and-go situations. They don’t want you to stick around. In the Midwest, I would sit at coffee shops for hours writing. Here, that experience is harder to find. Also, so many places do not have bathrooms open to the public, which makes it hard to hang around drinking coffee all-day.

Author photo

.

Lunch in Downtown Santa Monica

There are a lot of chain restaurants in downtown Santa Monica. Instead of a McSomething-or-other, I suggest these alternatives.

Double cheeseburger from HiHo Cheeseburger in Santa Monica

HiHo Cheeseburger

I have a confession. I don’t like in-n-out.

There, I said it. In Los Angeles, those are fighting words. You do not know how many times friends and I have had the In-n-Out versus any other burger joint debate. It really is the one few things that divides Angelenos. We all have very serious opinions about In-n-Out. Bring it on in the comments. 

I am here to tell you that there are much better burgers in Los Angeles. Like HiHo Cheeseburger. Just off the Promenade on 2nd Street in downtown Santa Monica is my favorite burger in Los Angeles. I once tricked visitors into eating HiHo a couple of days before In-n-Out. I ruined In-n-Out for them.

What I look for in a fast burger is exactly what HiHo provides. Multiple napkin needing juicy, quality meat–it is wagyu, and not overwhelmed by a sauce. The burgers are pretty substantial. If you get it to-go, their logo is laser printed dots in the bag so that if you seal it tight, the bag doesn’t act like a steam cooker to make your fries soggy. Yes, you are going to pay more, but lunch in Los Angeles for $16.00 is still a great deal. All cheeseburgers are double or triple, no singles here.

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://www.hiho.la
  • Location: Santa Monica location is 1320 2nd street. There is a second location in mid-Wilshire at 6245 Wilshire.
  • Cost: Double cheeseburger is $7.95, a triple is $10.95
  • What to eat: The whole menu is great. Don’t sleep on the milkshake, which is also better than In-n-Out. It actually tastes like chocolate instead of a milkshake that is driven by a chocolate shop.
  • Other: There are vegetarian options and grilled cheese for the kiddos.

HiHo Cheeseburger is on my top smash burger rankings. Get that list and other tips by subscribing to my newsletter.

delicious vegetable salad and golden fork and knife on table

Tender Greens


This organic and locally sourced restaurant is super approachable, whereas others can be a bit stuffy and, frankly, a bit condescending. I like to take out-of-towners here because there is something for everyone, which is a lifesaver, especially when your crew can’t decide what to eat.

You could get your mid-western mom steak and mashed potatoes, your sister a Tuna Nicoise salad, your nephew a fried chicken sandwich, and your vegan cousin a Happy Vegan salad and one of the vegan desserts tempting you at the end of the counter and all at the same place.

Tender Greens is a counter-service restaurant, making it quick so you can get in, get out, and go on your way. After eating here, you are going to be able to continue with your day without wanting to take a nap.

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://www.tendergreens.com/
  • Location: 201 Arizona
  • Cost: This place is relatively inexpensive for the quality of the food. That steak dinner is going to cost around $17 plus tax.

Bay Cities Italian Bakery  & Deli

Not everything you need to know about Bay Cities is in the name. Yes, they do have some of the best sandwiches in the city and some great Italian pastries, but they are also a market. There you can get products that you can only find in Italy. Great quality olive oils and giant cans of tomatoes. That is if you can get to them. Their sandwiches are so popular that there is always a crowd. 

There is a reason why people keep adding Bay Cities to their list of best sandwiches in Los Angeles. The bread isn’t just a vehicle to get the top-quality ingredients in your mouth. The bread has a nice lacquered crispy outside but is still pillowy soft on the inside. Through the layered meats, cheeses, spreads, and picked vegetables you can still taste the tanginess of the dressing. Their sandwiches hit the perfect balance of crispy, meaty, creamy, and sour. 

The Godmother is what everyone orders. It is Genoa Salami, Mortadella Coppacola, Ham, Prosciutto, and provolone. Sandwiches can be ordered plain, but I suggest that you go for the works. For eighty cents more you get lettuce, tomatoes, olives, pickles, and condiments. 

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com
  • Location: 1517 Lincoln Blvd
  • Cost: There is a choice between a small ($8) and a large ($11) sandwich. Note that getting it with the works is an additional eighty cents.
  • What to eat: Yes, of course, the Godmother, but don’t sleep on the Caprese. They sub burrata for the standard mozzarella and it is out of this world.
  • Other: Cash is preferred. (During non-COVID times)

Happy hour in Downtown Santa Monica

FIG Restaurant

two brown liquid inside clear drinking glasses

FIG Restaurant is located in the historic Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows just on the north end of the Third Street Promenade. 

As mentioned in my post about the Annenberg Community Beach House, the Fairmont is where Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer set up its Old Hollywood stars once they were contracted with the studio. MGM wanted its stars to be seen out and about, walking around as free publicity. It didn’t hurt if they caused a little intrigue while they were living at the hotel.

This hotel is still a great place to see celebrities, especially during award ceremony season. To give you a reason to visit, I recommend its restaurant FIG and its great happy hour.

The happy hour is taken very literally here. It is exactly one hour, 5:PM-6:PM. During that hour most of the menu is 50% off. The FIG at five is a really good deal as you can get entrees as well as appetizers at half price. This hotel is higher-end and serves great quality farm-to-table ingredients. 

Fairmont Miramar Hotel in books: Catalina by Liska Jacobs and Greta Garbo: A Life Apart by Karen Swensen.

Hours, cost, and other information

Dinner in Downtown Santa Monica

Xuntos

I think I have finally found my tapa/pinxtos bar in Los Angeles.

Xuntos is just off the touristy core of Santa Monica on Santa Monica Blvd. It serves Spanish classics–croquetas, jamon, and pan con tomate plus some California seasonal offerings if they were brought to Spain.

I love the selection of Spanish wines! If you are going to Spain anytime soon, stop here first and get a taste of the countries wine regions before you go. They do a flight if you aren’t sure where to start.

Sit at the bar if you are missing Spain’s tapas culture.

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://www.barxuntos.com/
  • Location: 516 Santa Monica Blvd.
  • Cost: This place is truly a choose your own adventure in cost. Come in for a couple of tapas and some wine or build a dinner out of snacking.
  • What to eat: Croquetas $11, patatas bravas $11, jamon Iberico 1/2 racion $25.

Solidarity

You may know Solidarity by its former name, Warsawa. As the former name might suggest, this is one of the few places to get Polish food in Los Angeles. The name change came after the daughter took over the original place and made it more approachable by getting rid of the white tablecloth service and extending the patio. Although there is a change in name and ambiance, their menu leans heavily on the original menu–which is a good thing.

There is something homey and midwest about Polish food for me. The heavy comfort of stroganoff, mashed potatoes, and cabbage.

Here, you can choose pierogi of many fillings and preparations. My favorite is the golabki or stuffed cabbage. It is full of meat and rice, perfectly steamed and flavorful.

The only negative about this place is the parking. 

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: http://solidarityla.com
  • Location: 1414 Lincoln Blvd
  • Cost: This is a very cost-friendly option from $6 for two homemade pierogi, so many options at $9 apiece, and my favorite golabki for $22. (And it comes with sides people!)
  • What to eat: If you are craving comfort food this is a great place. You will find all those comforting notes–fried, cheesy, and warm.
  • Other: Solidarity hosts Sociolingo, a MeetUp group that provides a space for language learners and native speakers can get together to do language exchanges.

Casa Martin

margarita glass on table

There is something about a day spent on a sunny day beach that makes me want Mexican food. I want margaritas and salty things. Maybe it is the salty air?

A couple of blocks away from the pier is one of my favorites, Casa Martin. They serve a traditional Mexican menu from recipes handed down by family for generations. The food is freshly made. You aren’t going to have taquitos or rellenos that have been sitting in a box in the freezer for weeks. The food is flavorful. The margaritas are strong. They are liberal with the chips.

I could have very well added this to my list of happy hour locations. Casa Martins’s happy hour is three hours, 3:PM-6:PM, and has a lot of food at discount prices as well.

They did open a second location on the Third  Street Promenade within walking distance of the original on Ocean avenue. I don’t know what that means about which location will survive. The promenade location has Mariachi on the weekends.

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://www.casamartinsm.com
  • Location: 1654 Ocean Ave or 1251 Third Street
  • Cost: The $22 combinations are well worth it. Happy hour has a lot of variety for less money, 2 tacos for $8.
  • What to eat: Green enchiladas are my favorite. First-timers should try their combination plates to get a taste of everything.

Cassia

Cassia covers the map of Southeast Asian cuisines with French influences and preparations. Think sweet and salty kaya toast, concentrated seafood broth with thick noodle laksa, as well as chilled seafood and roast chicken. 

This is my go-to when we have visitors who have more adventurous palates. It is a great place to share dishes and try a bit of everything. I would be happy just eating the whole section of clay oven breads on the menu by myself. 

Cassia is part of an extended family of restaurants located in the Santa Monica area. I will talk about its sister restaurants Birdie G’s and Milo and Olive, in an upcoming post. Don’t forget to step across the hall from Cassia for a glass of wine at another sister, Esters. 

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://www.cassiala.com
  • Location: 1314 7th Street
  • Cost: Most dishes are around $20 with mains around $40.
  • What to eat: Don’t skip the Vietnamese coffee pudding. They used to have a jellyfish salad which I really loved. I hope they put it back on the menu.
red roses in bloom

Tar & Roses

This restaurant serving Californian cuisine is one of the hardest reservations to get. I am sure you hear that term a lot: California cuisine. What that means is seasonal and hyper-local. It means the restaurant works closely with farmers and takes trips to the Santa Monica Farmers Market, a couple of blocks away, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. It also means that the menu may change from the website because the produce is out of stock or out of season.

Tar & Roses is one of the best at this culinary movement. That is why it is hard to get a reservation. 

Hours, cost, and other information

  • Website: https://tarandroses.com
  • Location: 602 Santa Monica Blvd
  • Cost: This is definitely a special occasion meal, prices reflect this.
  • What to eat: Strawberry dessert

I think this post about where to eat in downtown Santa Monica covers a lot of ground as far as price and locations. Stay tuned for the next Santa Monica neighborhood, where to eat in the Main Street area of Santa Monica.

If you think I made a glaring omission in the downtown Santa Monica scene, please add your pick to the comments. The truth is I haven’t eaten everywhere, and your advice might help someone out. 

Leaving a comment? Check out my privacy policy.

Did you know I have a newsletter? I let you know the best things I ate in the last month and when posts like these are updated.



Comments (2)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Prev Post

Most popular posts of 2020

Next Post

Where to eat on Main Street Santa Monica