Established in 1949, this historic steakhouse off PCH reopened in 2018 with a refreshed old-school vibe and fine-tuned chophouse menu. The dinnertime menu covers the classics with Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, lamb chops, New York strip, and a bone-in ribeye. Cocktails are equally timeless, with Manhattans and martinis on offer.

Consider HiHo’s cheeseburger one of Los Angeles’s most exceptional burgers. Two wagyu beef patties are dressed with cheese and ketchup for one of the most affordable and satisfying quick meals on this side of town.

Tumbi is the work of longtime restaurateur and hotelier RJ Singh and chef Imran Mookhi. Dig into carefully made and wonderfully spiced Afghani-style seekh lamb kebabs, Goan prawn masala, and more.

Interstellar serves in the heart of downtown Santa Monica with a creative Asian-inflected daytime menu with standout coffee. The Japanese-leaning dishes like the chicken katsu curry and branzino ochazuke (tea-steeped fish) are particularly comforting.

While Heroic started as a very good deli and wine bar, in more recent times it’s converted into a complete vision of Jeffrey Merrihue’s idea of really good Italian food in a relaxed setting. The sandwiches remain, and they are stellar, but the menu now dives into everything from meatballs and pizza to a wide array of excellent pastas.

Josiah Citrin’s namesake restaurant inside the former Melisse has reopened for upscale outdoor dining with a four-course menu priced at $145, though a la carte options are available too (and the bar area can accommodate diners right now). Two Michelin star Melisse, which now occupies its own space inside the building, reopens June 16 with a $295 per person gastronomical experience.

Rustic Canyon is chef Andy Doubrava’s canvas to showcase Southern California's seasonal bounty with dishes like duck legs with preserved rhubarb and mustard cream, as well as cacio e pepe sourdough linguine.

This Italian deli offers what is likely the most iconic sandwich in all of Los Angeles: the Godmother. Bay Cities’ signature sub is filled prosciutto, ham, capicola, mortadella, Genoa salami, and provolone cheese, all contained in a crusty, house-baked roll.

Onigiri, or Japanese rice balls, from Sunny Blue are available for takeout and delivery. The ones filled with miso beef and curry chicken are rightfully popular.

Fine dining vet Dave Beran serves up an elevated French bistro experience to-go and for dine-in through the pandemic. Favorites like the chicken liver-stuffed foie de canard brioche, steak au poivre, and whole pressed duck remain, while the rest of the menu offers California-inspired takes on classic French fare. It’s certainly one of the most polished restaurants to try in Los Angeles right now.

Mary-Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger have been serving Mexican food in Santa Monica for over three decades, so the Border Grill duo knows how to appeal to the neighborhood. The wide menu has everything from tacos and burritos for lunch to more hefty plates like tomahawk pork carnitas and seabass zarandeado for dinner.

Goodboybob is nestled away in a production office-area of Santa Monica, but the reason to come are for the egg-laden chapati that work great with the shop’s ambitious coffee menu. If you’re hanging out on the outdoor patio through the afternoon, the shop has stellar wine options too.

Head to chef Jeremy Fox’s ode to Midwestern fare for soul warming cooking and really good cocktails. The cast-iron cornbread served with chile-honey butter makes for a great starter, while the wood-grilled chicken never fails to satisfy. Consider the rose petal pie for dessert.