The LA Guide
Every place I've sent my newsletter readers to, in one spot.
This weekend
All events →70 places
A Gym Called Happy Hour
Where you'll find me at 5:30am Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Structured strength cycles, real coaching every class, a 15-minute conditioning burst to finish, and a Finnish sauna after. The first class is on the house; tell them Mike sent you.
11980 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 106, Los Angeles, CA 90049
À Votre Santé
A true neighborhood staple. Casual and welcoming, perfect for a long lunch or a relaxed dinner.
13018 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049
All Roads
A Roman wine bar and bottle shop with a kitchen attached. The thing to know is pinsa, pizza's lighter, crispier Roman cousin; the mortadella with pistachios and burrata is the move. Add the fried artichoke and a glass of something you can't pronounce, and let the night go slow.
145 S Barrington Ave, Los Angeles, CA
Baltaire
Brentwood's answer to the modern steakhouse: soaring ceilings, a lively bar, a gorgeous terrace and an impressive raw bar. The go-to when business and pleasure overlap.
11647 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Barney's Beanery
One of the classics within walking distance of the calm residential pockets off Santa Monica Boulevard.
8447 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Beethoven Market
A breezy Cal-Italian spot with wood-fired dishes, coastal wines and an open-air courtyard. A little Mediterranean getaway tucked into Mar Vista.
12904 Palms Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
One of LA's more wonderfully specific traditions, celebrated every year with Bob Baker Day.
4949 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Boichik Bagels
The bagel the New York Times built a story around is coming to Westwood Village. A brand with this kind of following doesn't pick a neighborhood on a whim, which is why I read it as a sign Westwood is turning the corner.
911 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Brentwood Country Mart
Its own website says Santa Monica. Everyone calls it Brentwood anyway, and has since 1948. It's a red barn wrapped around a courtyard and a fire pit, and the tenant list includes a shoe repair, a working post office and a barbershop.
225 26th St, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Brentwood Farmers Market
A Sunday essential: fresh produce, great vendors and the best-looking dogs west of the 405. You almost always run into someone you know.
741 S Gretna Green Way, Los Angeles, CA
Bun and Mi
A serene, tiny Vietnamese counter spot that's easy to miss. Don't miss it. My favorite bánh mì is the beef, marinated filet mignon on a soft baguette.
1004 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Caffè Luxxe
A European feel for Brentwood's coffee scene: carefully sourced beans, excellent pastries and porcelain cups.
225 26th St, Suite 53, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Chateau Marmont
Tucked off Sunset behind thick greenery, it carries old Hollywood energy in a way that still feels authentic. Quiet, private, a little mysterious: the kind of place where conversations stretch longer than you planned.
8221 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Citrin
Mélisse's modern sibling: contemporary California cooking in a polished but approachable room.
1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Cobi's
Floral wallpaper, mismatched chairs, and soul and reggae louder than the room technically allows. The food is Southeast Asian and gloriously all over the map, with a Michelin Bib Gourmand to show for it. Start with the curry puffs, then the nasi goreng and the dry-aged branzino in yellow curry. Ask for a patio and book a few days out.
2104 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Cosetta
Chef Zach Pollack's Italian spot: handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and thoughtful wines. Rustic Italian comfort with California cool.
3150 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Crudo e Nudo
A jewel-box seafood spot two blocks from the sand. Nothing on the menu comes from farther than the water between Baja and Monterey, and the chalkboard is rewritten daily. Take the parklet, a stack of oysters and a tin of good fish. Order at the counter for lunch. The bread is from Gjusta.
2724 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Diesel, A Bookstore
The Country Mart's independent bookstore, and a regular host of author events.
225 26th St, Suite 33, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Divino
An Italian osteria in Brentwood Village: warm wood, an open kitchen and walls lined with wine. Chef Goran Milic's fresh pastas, seafood and the beloved tagliata. Fun fact: the first ad I ever sold for the Brentwood School paper was to Divino.
Barrington Ct, Brentwood Village, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Earthbar
One of the everyday spots within walking distance of the quiet, tree-lined streets just north of Santa Monica Boulevard.
8365 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Electric Bleu
A French-inspired bistro wrapped in deep electric blue: refined classics and a killer wine list. One glass turns into two, and the conversation never feels rushed.
3523 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Erewhon
Part of what makes Palms work: you can walk to Downtown Culver City for groceries, coffee and a movie.
9300 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
Farmshop
This is where I send people. The poached chicken salad with chopped dates is on every table for a reason. The real move is Sunday: fried chicken, take-out only, 12:30 to 5, and it's not on the regular menu.
225 26th St (Brentwood Country Mart), Santa Monica, CA 90402
Gamble House
A Pasadena Arts and Crafts landmark, and one of the stops when ArtNight turns the city into a free, sprawling art party.
4 Westmoreland Pl, Pasadena, CA 91103
Gelson's
One of the everyday spots within walking distance of the quiet, tree-lined streets just north of Santa Monica Boulevard.
8330 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Gjelina
People come for the pizza. Regulars come for the vegetables: the grilled asparagus with romesco, the charred pea tendrils, whatever bean they're doing that week. Order three of those and one pizza to share. Ask for the back garden or the rooftop, and the takeaway counter next door skips the wait.
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Gjusta
Arguably the best bakery and deli in the city, run like a small, benevolent dictatorship. Pull a ticket the second you walk in, then read the menu. Half the good stuff is in the case, so order by pointing. Only want a pastry? Use the express line. Get the baklava croissant.
320 Sunset Ave, Venice, CA 90291
goop
One of the tenants that make the Brentwood Country Mart the most Los Angeles sentence ever assembled.
225 26th St (Brentwood Country Mart), Santa Monica, CA 90402
Great White
One of my favorite places to land for breakfast or lunch. Relaxed, consistently good, and local in the best way.
11660 Darlington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Häsi Bread
Part bakery, part minimalist art piece. The sourdough and pastries make a simple loaf feel like an act of devotion.
4119 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Heavy Handed
In my book, one of the best burgers in the city. Short-rib smashburgers, house pickles, the sweet-tangy heavy sauce, and fries cooked in beef tallow, on a dog-friendly patio. My order: the double, heavy fries to share, sauce on everything. Go at an off hour; the line is real.
2912 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Hinano Cafe
An old-school Venice classic: burgers, beers and zero pretension. If you want the Venice that existed before tech money, this is it. Cash only.
15 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292
Joey's Cafe
One of the everyday spots within walking distance of the quiet, tree-lined streets just north of Santa Monica Boulevard.
8301 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA
Kenter Trailhead
My favorite quick reset: views, fresh air and just enough elevation to feel like you earned your coffee. Early mornings are ideal.
Top of N Kenter Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
After 17 years and a billion dollars, George Lucas's museum of visual storytelling: 1,300-plus works across 30 galleries, from cave paintings and Renaissance masters to Norman Rockwell, comics and Star Wars. The building alone is worth the trip.
3800 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA
Malou Coffee
A newer favorite. Calm energy and great coffee, just right for a quiet moment or a low-key catch-up.
912 S Barrington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Marix Tex Mex Café
A WeHo neighborhood classic, an easy walk from the courtyard buildings on Flores.
1108 N Flores St, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Maru Coffee
The best coffee I know. Maru means mountaintop in Korean, and the founder is a certified Q Grader. Order the Cream Top and don't stir it; sip it through the cream. Go when you want the coffee to be the whole event.
1936 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
McCabe's Guitar Shop
The beating heart of acoustic music in this city since the fifties. When they put on a free show, you go.
3101 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Mélisse
A nine-course Michelin-starred classic, with dishes like hay-smoked chicken.
1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Menotti's Coffee Stop
Small, unpretentious and serious about coffee. A great grab-and-go before the beach.
56 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291
N17 The Lane
A polished neighborhood gastropub with creative cocktails, as good for a lazy afternoon as an elegant night out.
12821 Washington Blvd, Suite 103, Los Angeles, CA 90066
One Pico at Shutters
Oceanfront dining at its most timeless.
1 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Pace
Hidden in Laurel Canyon: intimate, candlelit, and more like being at someone's home than a restaurant. Rustic Italian and an easy place to settle in for the night.
2100 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Pacific Palisades Farmers Market
Back on Swarthmore, the street it always had, on Wednesday afternoons for now.
1035 Swarthmore Ave, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Palisades Village
Reopened in August 2026 after 19 months closed, with most of the old names back. The fire never reached it, and it still took $100 million to get the smoke out of the walls and ducts.
15225 Palisades Village Ln, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Parakeet Cafe
Bright, consistent and always dependable. Great coffee, solid food, and an easy stop post-hike or between meetings.
13050 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 112, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Pasjoli
Parisian romance meets modern finesse, with Michelin recognition and elegant tableside service.
2732 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens
One of the few places in this city where the volume actually drops to zero. Inside a 1910 mansion most people drive past their whole lives, there's an outdoor stone labyrinth you walk slowly, on purpose. Reserve ahead; there's a small fee.
3500 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018
Reserve Venice
Where I hosted Higher Love, an evening on relationships, intimacy and the future of human connection.
1041 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Santa Monica Stairs
Two of the most punishing staircases in the city. The wooden set is about 170 steps, straight up, and the better one if you actually want to run it. The concrete set at 4th and Adelaide is longer, winds in switchbacks, and is narrow enough that passing turns into a negotiation. Go before eight, keep the noise down, and park on San Vicente or Ocean, never Adelaide.
Adelaide Dr at 4th St, Santa Monica, CA
Seline
A 38-seat jewel on Main Street where chef Dave Beran turns seasonal ingredients into a tasting menu that feels more like theater than dinner.
3110 Main St, Suite 132, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Si! Mon
Where my wife and I went for our ten-year anniversary, on the recommendation of a few of my readers. You have good taste.
60 N Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Somni
A chef's tasting menu, and a private cellar room beside the wine cellar for the night you want the best of the best. Reservations required.
9045 Nemo St, West Hollywood, CA 90069
SUSHISAMBA
A rooftop with vibrant, social, slightly scene-y energy. Great when you want elevated food and the buzz of being out in the city.
639 N La Peer Dr, West Hollywood, CA
Tartine Santa Monica
The Westside outpost of one of the most influential bakeries in America. My slow-morning order is the morning bun and a coffee on the patio. Hungry? The smørrebrød. Take home a loaf of the country bread.
1925 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Taverna at The Mar Vista
A Greek-inspired hideaway for mezze, cocktails and the second round you didn't plan on staying for.
12249 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
The Bellwether
One of the better new rooms in the city for a show that sounds better in a smaller space.
333 S Boylston St, Los Angeles, CA
The Bungalow
One of the better-looking venues in the city, a short walk from the beach.
101 Wilshire Blvd (Fairmont Miramar), Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Lobster
It has sat at the mouth of the Santa Monica Pier for about a century, and the sunset from that room is the most expensive view in town.
1602 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Penthouse at The Huntley
Iconic views and a sleek, Mediterranean vibe at the top of the Huntley.
1111 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403
The Rose Venice
Spacious and lively, and always a good move for brunch or dinner with a group. Elevated but relaxed enough to linger.
220 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291
The Venice West
Sets the tone for live music on the Westside: great sound, craft cocktails and a laid-back coastal atmosphere.
1717 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
The Win-Dow
Some of the best smashburgers in the city for about six dollars: American cheese, grilled onions, house sauce, potato bun. My order is the double, fries extra crispy, and a strawberry shake. Don't try ordering it without onions.
425 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291
Tonga Hut
The oldest operating tiki bar in LA, pouring since 1958. Pair it with a show at Zombie Joe's for a full spooky-season night.
12808 Victory Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91606
Toscana
A cornerstone of Brentwood dining for more than 30 years. Handmade pastas, seasonal specialties and a top-notch wine list, right for anything from a quiet power lunch to a celebration.
11633 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Trader Joe's
Part of what makes Palms work: you can walk to Downtown Culver City for groceries, coffee and a movie.
9290 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
Venice Canals
My favorite slow walk on the Westside. Quiet, beautiful, and a reminder that LA can still surprise you. Best early morning or at golden hour.
Between N Venice Blvd and Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Yamashiro
High above the city, with unreal views and a cinematic setting that shifts beautifully from sunset into night.
1999 N Sycamore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068
Zombie Joe's Underground
Immersive, genuinely creepy theater. Exactly the strange, only-in-LA thing October is made for.
4850 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601
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