Ospi, one of the picks in Westside: Santa Monica, Venice, Culver — On the cover: Ospi

Experiences · Worth Fighting Traffic For

Westside: Santa Monica, Venice, Culver City

Ocean air, Helms District European plates, Venice steakhouse polish, Sawtelle late drinks. The westside guide for when the 10 is already your fate—make the miles count.

12 picks · places checked 2026-09-22 · See this guide on the map · Have us plan your night out

Questions

Where should I eat dinner in Santa Monica?

Our Santa Monica picks are LouLou for French-Californian neighborhood dinner and Orla by Michael Mina, oceanfront at Regent Santa Monica Beach with Greek-Egyptian coastal Mediterranean.

What are good restaurants in Venice and Culver City?

In Venice, Ospi does pasta-forward coastal Italian and American Beauty is a wood-grill steakhouse on Rose Avenue. In Culver City, try Lustig’s Austrian bistro or Pasta Sisters.

The twelve Westside picks, in order

#1 Ospi

Venice · Italian / coastal Italian · $$$

42 N Venice Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Venice Italian from the Angelini orbit—pasta-forward coastal Italian on Venice Boulevard.

Reserve →

Photo · Official website (ospi.com)

#2 Lustig

Culver City · Austrian / European bistro · $$$

3273 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Culver City Austrian-leaning Helms bistro from Bernhard Mairinger—European dinner-forward.

Photo · Official site (chefbernhard.com / Lustig)

#3 Pizzana

Brentwood · Neo-Neapolitan pizza · $$$

11712 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Brentwood neo-Neapolitan from Daniele Uditi—wood-fired, Resy-friendly westside pizza dinner.

Reserve →

Photo · Official website (pizzana.com)

“Brentwood neo-Neapolitan from Daniele Uditi—wood-fired, Resy-friendly westside pizza dinner.”
On Pizzana

#4 Hermanito

Sawtelle · Japanese-Mexican / cocktails · $$$

2024 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Sawtelle Japanese-Mexican cocktail bar—westside late drinks with a focused food menu.

Photo · Official website

#5 Sobuneh

West LA / Sawtelle · Breakfast burritos / cafe · $$

11419 Santa Monica Blvd, Space 22, Los Angeles, CA 90025

West LA / Sawtelle breakfast-burrito cafe with Persian-tinged drinks—all-day westside morning stop.

Photo · Official site

Double Tap’d placeholder (photo to come) for Cantalini's Salerno Beach

#6 Cantalini's Salerno Beach

Playa del Rey · Italian / red-sauce classic · $$

193 Culver Blvd, Playa del Rey, CA 90293

Playa del Rey classic red-sauce Italian near the beach corridor—family dining room institution.

#7 LouLou

Santa Monica · French-Californian · $$$

395 Santa Monica Place, Suite 300, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Santa Monica French-Californian neighborhood dinner.

Photo · Official site

“Santa Monica French-Californian neighborhood dinner.”
On LouLou

#8 Orla by Michael Mina

Santa Monica · Coastal Mediterranean / Greek-Egyptian · $$$$

1700 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Regent Santa Monica Beach oceanfront—Greek-Egyptian coastal Mediterranean.

Photo · Official site

#9 American Beauty

Venice · Steakhouse / American · $$$$

425 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291

Venice Rose Avenue wood-grill steakhouse—polished neighborhood date night.

Photo · Official site

#10 Pasta Sisters

Culver City · Italian / pasta · $$

3280 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Culver City fresh-pasta Italian—casual handmade bowls for neighborhood dinner.

Photo · Official website

Double Tap’d placeholder (photo to come) for TC Organic

#11 TC Organic

Playa del Rey · Cafe / organic American (vegan options) · $$

333 Culver Blvd, Playa del Rey, CA 90293

Playa del Rey organic all-day cafe with vegan options—beach-adjacent daytime.

#12 Hangry Moon's

Westwood · American / comfort · $$

970 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Westwood Gayley Avenue family-run comfort—campus-adjacent westside dining room.

Photo · Official site