Neighborhood Spotlight: Santa Monica

Jeremy Fox won awards for his seasonal fare at Rustic Canyon, helped develop the family-friendly Tallula’s Mexican Restaurant, and finally has a place all his own. At Birdie G’s  Fox serves everything he’s ever wanted to cook or eat, pulling inspiration from everywhere—from the matzo ball soup in his grandmother’s kitchen to the sweetbread toast he eats in San Francisco. In a warehouse in the Bergamot Station arts district, Birdie G’s is open and lively, with a fantastic bar and a great patio. And with a menu that can satisfy any craving—from caviar to pickles, roast chicken to ribeye—it’s a restaurant aiming to be everything for everyone.

Hidden in the barn-like Brentwood Country Mart, Farmshop is like a culinary roadtrip through California. The marketplace carries wonderful cheeses, pastries, breads, pastas, and every jam and mustard a condiment-loving heart could desire. The dining room is filled with locals, including entertainment heavyweights aiming to look inconspicuous. The seasonal menu relies heavily on ingredients sourced from local farms; current offerings include fava bean falafel, roasted beets with hazelnut salsa, and slow-baked king salmon with artichoke barigoule. Brunch is a standout, with signature dishes such as vegetable-filled frittatas, deviled eggs with smoked trout and caviar, buttery biscuits, and dreamy French toast.

Fresh off a Michelin one-star win, Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan’s first restaurant is still at the top of its game. Newly minted chef de cuisine Andy Doubrava, who worked under Jeremy Fox’s tutelage, continues pushing the envelope—with dishes that cross-pollinate seasons and cultures—making Rustic Canyon one of the best restaurants on the Westside. There’s a constant buzz in the compact space, with seasoned regulars and first-timers digging into plates of burrata with cured salmon roe, beets and berries with avocado and pistachio “soil,” roasted chicken with hot honey and pecans, and the wildly popular pozole verde with mussels and hominy. The superb wine list is only adds to the appeal.

Set in a historic Art Deco building a little off the beaten path, Cassia hails from award-winning chef Bryant Ng and seamlessly blends Singaporean and Vietnamese flavors with French classics. With high ceilings, big windows, marble tables, and shellfish glistening at a long raw bar, Cassia is Southeast Asian technique meets Parisian vibrancy. Ng’s exceptional menu includes dishes like oysters and sambal-laced cocktail sauce, supple egg custard with sea urchin and mushrooms, chopped escargot in garlic butter with hot-from-the-oven flatbread, Vietnamese pot au feu, and lemongrass-scented roast chicken with mashed potatoes. The wine list is well-curated to pair with the globetrotting fare, and cocktails take a Southeast Asian slant without being overbearing. Devotees and newcomers alike will love Esters— the smashing all-day wine bar next door that features its own menu of snacks, light fare, and vino to sip there or take to go.

That a restaurant of this refined caliber is hidden inside a food hall on the Third Street Promenade is striking, even in Los Angeles, where the best restaurants are often found in strip malls. But when Dave Beran came from Chicago to open a restaurant in Los Angeles, the former Next and Alinea chef took a chance—and it paid off. Dialogue is one of the most unique experiences in all of L.A.: A seasonal 21-course tasting menu set to a hip-hop soundtrack. Nothing is as it seems: that chip might be mummified tofu skin with peanut dust and aged persimmon; there might be blueberry-colored chicken confit underneath those flowers. Every bite is a delight, and the beverage pairings know no bounds; they go from pinot noir to beer to sake and back to something non-alcoholic.

Joining forces with several creative hospitality friends he met in Australia, chef Ari Taymor (Alma, The Standard West Hollywood) found a home for his creative, seasonal fare in an intimate, candle-lit spot along Main Street. There’s a conviviality in the dining room, which has a wood-burning oven in the center. Flavors and ingredients roam the world, but all still have a California vibe: corn and poblano fritters, Brussels sprouts with gribiche, halibut cured in nori, roasted pork ribs with kale. You know it’s a neighborhood staple when it has a happy hour, a weekend brunch, and a pizza night— everything any community needs.

With slick, mod furnishings, perfect textiles, and enviable seaside views, this all-day restaurant and lounge in the heart of downtown SaMo boasts a custom-designed space that’s nearly impossible to leave. The rooftop setting is just the place to enjoy a light lunch that turns into happy hour, and goes straight into dinner. If you’re still around at midnight, blame the Italian-leaning menu (crudo, kale, the works) and lots of crisp bubbly.

A modern cocktail bar with a twist, The Chestnut Club is Santa Monica’s introduction to the Pablo Moix, Steve Livigni, and Antonia Lafaso collection of concepts. With exposed brick, wood beams, leather booths, and a long bar, the swanky locale feels intimate and exclusive, but still has a friendly, neighborhood vibe. Cocktails range from tiki-inspired to spirit-forward, and feature selections from the Club’s extensive Scotch collection. Lafaso’s food menu is like a greatest hits from the team’s other spots (Scopa, Dama, Black Market), but more fancy bar snacks than full-on dinner. Order deviled eggs, made-to-order dill potato chips with malt vinegar aioli, deep-fried pretzels, meatballs with burrata, chicken tacos, and ceviche tostadas, and you’ll have yourself a party.