Where to eat In Downtown Culver City
One of the reasons I love downtown Culver City is how accessible great food is. There are dozens of swoon-worthy restaurants in such a small area. This is a town where it is possible to get a great meal without needing a reservation or waiting in a long line. Since the pandemic, Culver City has changed the rules on outdoor/sidewalk dining, expanding the boundaries of restaurants out to the street. There is just so much patio space for you to dine al fresco. Trying to figure out where to eat in this food-packed area can be a little overwhelming. I hope these recommendations help you decide where to eat in Downtown Culver City.
Table of Contents
Where to get a good cup of coffee
Where can’t you get a good cup of coffee should be the question? Culver City is a coffee town. There isnt another place in L.A. County like it. Not even the hipster enclave of Silver Lake.
Can you get a bad cup of coffee? Sure, but not at any of these places. In alphabetical order–not by order of preference.
- Go Get ‘em Tiger (or gget)—Located in the One Culver Building facing Culver Blvd.
- Philz—Located in the pedestrian-friendly Culver Steps. I have talked about them in this post about Santa Monica. My favorite roast is Silken Splendor.
- Super Domestic--Across the street from gget. This place caters to the bike crowd.
- Village Well—This bookstore—which I will write about in a future post—has a great cafe. I love their lavender latte. This is a great place to work from elsewhere.
Breakfast
In the past, I have talked about preferring just to drink coffee for breakfast. I do make some exceptions, though. When I do eat a bigger breakfast, it is with friends at one of these places.
Esme
This is a new to Culver City spot that has become a favorite of mine. If you walk down Main Street you might miss this small cafe, but take the time to look for it. The interior is bright and full of art.
The order at the counter menu is a mix of Mexican and Mediterranean food where hearty shakshoukas share space with huaraches. This has become a favorite place to write This Ugly Beautiful City where you can find me sipping on the Esme Drink and a cardamom bun.
I see this as a perfect first date spot where it is never too loud and you can choose pastries and coffee or dinner and wine.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.esme-la.com/
- Address: 3837 Main street
- Cost: Lunch around $18 and around $27 for dinner.
gget (Go Get em’ Tiger)
I am circling back to gget because not only can you get a great cup of coffee, but it is a great place to get a quick and tasty breakfast. My breakfast of choice is the protein brekkie with the softest, silkiest scrambled eggs I have ever had. It has fresh avocado, some greens, and several slices of thick-sliced organic bacon.
There is a lot to choose from here. The menu items, although typical to what you can find in cafes, aren’t your average tasteless sandwiches and pastries.
There is tons of outdoor seating here and just far enough away from the main drag of downtown that it is easier to get in and get your coffee. They have a great app for you to place your order ahead of time.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://gget.com/visit/culver-city
- Address: 10000 Washington Blvd.
- Cost: Filter coffee $3.75, almond macadamia nut latte $7.50, Protein Brekkie $15.00
- Other: There are several locations of gget around the city. Check out their Instagram account for upcoming pop-ups.
Cafe Vida
Cafe Vida is one of the most popular breakfast spots in downtown Culver City. There is often a wait, and it is for good reason. Although Cafe Vida focuses on healthier versions of Mexican breakfast items—their huevos rancheros are my go-to order—they offer breakfast classics and healthy bowl options too.
This is one of the few places that caters to a lot of diets while tasting really really good. They serve something to fit everyone’s preferences–vegan, liquid, classic breakfasts, gluten-free, and on and on. They have some of the best gluten-free pancakes I have ever had.
There is a lot to choose from here–maybe too much. You can always come back and try it again.
Hours, cost, other information
- Website: https://cafevida.net/menus/culver-city/
- Address: 9755 Culver Blvd
- Cost: Brown rice almond pancakes $14.50, huevos rancheros $16.00, fresh-squeezed orange juice $8
S & W Diner
If you want to go in a not-so-healthy direction and have a greasy spoon breakfast covered in gravy, you just have to walk around the corner from Cafe Vida. S&W has been around since I can remember, one of the few places that have been open since my early Los Angeles days.
The interior is classic Americana. The decor is a mixture of license plates from states across the U. S., roosters, and other signage, there is a lot to take in before diving into the huge menu focusing on diner classics.
Here you can get eggs the way you like them with hashbrowns and toast with an option to add pancakes or toast or more eggs.
S&W serves hearty, stick-to-your-bones types of food.
I have seen more celebrities here than in other places in Culver City, perhaps it is the proximity to Sony.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://sandwdiner.com/
- Address: 9748 Washington Blvd
- Cost: Two egg breakfast with bacon and hashbrowns $11.95, eggs benedict $12.75, patty melt with fries $8.95.
- Other: S&W is cash only.
Lunch (and all day)
Go Go Bird
Go Go Bird brings Brandon Kida’s famous fried chicken to bigger audiences. Originally a pandemic pop-up, this place specializes in fried chicken made with Japanese techniques. It is juicy and not overwhelmed by the batter. (See photo.)
The menu is small, which makes decision-making easy. I found the tenders box substantial and I didn’t need to order anything additional although I did. The furikake fries are great. The curry poutine is next level.
It being located in Citizen’s Public Market makes it an easy grab and go option with tons of patio seating.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.go-go-bird.com/
- Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12:30-9 (note the website has the incorrect opening time of noon. I’ve gone in person.)
- Cost: Chicken tenders and a buscuit is $16 and curry poutine is $10.
Citizen Public Market: Hours, cost, other information
- Website: https://www.citizenpublicmarket.com/visit
- Address: 9355 Washington Avenue
- Other: Wine and beer are available at most of the vendors. The bar on the top floor Bar Bohemien serves great cocktails–no happy hour or I would have added to that section. CLOSED MONDAYS.
Now we head outside Citizen’s Public Market.
Honey’s Kettle
This place has arguably the best fried chicken in Los Angeles. Don’t just take my word for it. It says a lot that there are lines out the door any time of the day after a decade-plus of being in Culver City.
The fried chicken is kettle fried and kissed with honey batter. It leaves a beautiful lacey crispy crust imparting the juicy chicken with a hint of sweetness. My favorite is the two-piece lunch with golden fries, coleslaw, and a biscuit. Slather everything with honey and the tangy hot sauce.
You might want to grab fried chicken here and at Go-Go bird, sit at the Culver Steps and have a comparison. That would be a perfect day in my opinion.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://honeyskettle.com/ (you can’t look at their website and not want to go)
- Address: 9537 Culver Blvd
- Cost: Buttermilk biscuit $1.65, 2-piece meal $14.50, wings and hotcakes, $16.75
The picks above could very well be on your dinner list as well. I put them in the lunch section only because they are super casual and offer counter service.
Happy Hour
Because of all of the offices, Culver City has a great happy hour society. There are a lot of restaurants that offer drink specials, but not always food specials. My recommendations offer both.
Simonette
This place isn’t your typical hotel bar. It isn’t dark and lonely with a shade and design of carpet that can forgive sins. Simonette is a definite mood though. The inside seems to be in perpetual candlelight, with plants, facing a tropical-looking patio. It is what you imagine a French bistro in Los Angeles would look like. (The photo above was taken when happy hour started.)
Simonette is where I would go for a classy happy hour. I think this would be a perfect date spot.
When is their happy hour? Wednesday through Saturday, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.simonetterestaurant.com/
- Address: 3927 Van Buren
- Cost: Beer $4, house wine $7, cocktails $8, half off burgers
- Other information: You can always spend the night in the hotel if you drink too much.
Ugo
If you want to leave happy hour feeling full, this is the place to come. Ugo is an authentic Italian restaurant serving Neapolitan-style pizzas and classic Italian dishes, with a cafe and gelateria. This is my most inflation-friendly pick, with discounts on pizzas, small bites, and great Italian wines. Its patio is popular all year round and a perfect place to start post-work aperitivo hour.
The Figo is my favorite pizza with sweetness from dried figs and truffle honey, tangy cheese, and peppery arugula.
When is happy hour? Monday through Friday, 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.cafeugo.com/
- Address: 3865 Cardiff
- Cost: Bruschetta $8, Margherita pizza $10, Figo pizza $10, Aperol Spritz $8, select beers $6
- Other information: I recommend getting their affogato with coconut gelato before you leave. (Espresso with gelato)
Stanley’s Wet Goods
If you have followed my social media accounts, you will know how much I love Stanley’s Wet Goods. This wine shop and bar has to be my most visited place in the area. Its bar is a great place to grab a glass of wine or craft beer after work and chat with friends or neighbors.
Now that I am thinking about it, I could have added Stanely’s to an all-day section. They recently added a food program serving salads, cheeseboards, and a fantastic mac and cheese. It is also a great place to work from elsewhere. Last month they started Good Morning Stanley’s and from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. they offer pastries and espresso drinks.
If you are in the area, the best thing you can do is join their newsletter. They announce special events, new wines, and tastings, I have attended a couple of pop-ups, including a multi-course Sichuan dinner with wine pairing.
I guess they do a bit of everything.
When is their happy hour?
They have a weekday happy hour from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and an all-night happy hour on Tuesdays. On the happy hour menu is selected wine and craft beer with Spanish snacks and local charcuteries and cheeses.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.stanleys.la/
- Address: 9620 Venice Boulevard
- Cost: Select wines $8, craft beer $6, and mini cheese and charcuterie $14. Non-happy hour food: Belgian endive and apple salad $12, meatballs with grilled bread $16, and medium cheeseboard $35.
- Other: Oh, I also missed that Sunday is soft pretzel day.
Auld Fella
The one thing I really miss about Minneapolis is Irish Pubs. A lot of the Irish Bars in Los Angeles are just sports bars with Guinness–so many TVs! The closest thing I have found to something like Twin Cities is at Auld Fella. The inside is dark, plaid, and lined with old portraits of some of Ireland’s greatest storytellers.
The one thing that brings you out of Ireland and into California is the patio which is sunny all year long. The only times you feel like you are back is May Gray or June Gloom.
Auld Fella has a great happy hour menu–a good mix of food and drink specials. The sausage roll is really great.
Hours, cost, and other information
- Website: https://www.theauldfella.com/menu#menu=happy-hour
- Address: 9375 Culver Blvd.
- Cost: $7 for everything–beer $7, Fries $7, sausage roll, you guessed it.
- Other information: Some nights there is live music
Where to Eat in Downtown Culver City on Tuesdays
Again, your dining options increase on Tuesdays when the Culver City Farmer’s Market sets-up shop on Main Street. Vendors rotate and have ranged from Texas BBQ, Hawaiian BBQ, Japanese fried chicken, and Filipino tamales.
Not only can you eat at the market, but you can also get a loaf of Bub and Grandma’s bread–one of the best loaves of bread in Los Angeles to take home.
Hours and other information
- Website: https://www.culvercity.org/Explore/Farmers-Market
- Address: 3850 Main Street
- Other information: Tuesdays from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Dinner
This is where downtown doesn’t shine as much. There are places that are fine but not consistently good. I find I like a meal one night, but not necessarily two weeks later. I have been impressed by the new menu at Simonette and Lillie’s, but these need a repeat visit. For dinner, you can
I hope this gives you ideas for where to eat in downtown Culver City. I have to admit that I am still exploring this area. New restaurants are opening all the time. More food, and dinner spots, are coming your way when I talk about the other three areas of the city.
Culver City has had many closures and new opening this year. Subscribe to my newsletter for updated posts.