Santa Monica and Venice food guide: where and how to eat by the beach

For the best eating in Santa Monica and Venice, skip the first places you see on the pier and the boardwalk and head a few blocks inland: to the Wednesday farmers market on Arizona Avenue, to Main Street in Ocean Park, and to Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. The two beach towns sit side by side on LA's Westside, and the Metro E Line runs all the way to Santa Monica, so you can reach them without driving.

How do you get to Santa Monica and Venice?

The Metro E Line runs from downtown Los Angeles to its last stop, Downtown Santa Monica station, a few blocks from the Santa Monica Pier and the Third Street Promenade. From there you can walk south along the beach path toward Venice, or take a bus or bike. Driving is possible, but beach traffic and parking on summer weekends can be slow and expensive, so the train is worth considering.

Where should you eat in downtown Santa Monica?

Downtown Santa Monica is the area around the Third Street Promenade, a car-free stretch of shops, cafés and street performers a few blocks from the ocean. The Promenade itself is heavy on chains, so look one or two blocks either side of it for independent restaurants, cafés and bars. Ocean Avenue, along the bluffs above the beach, has restaurants with ocean views. The pier is fun for a walk and a snack, but it is not where locals go for dinner.

What is the Santa Monica farmers market like?

The Wednesday Downtown Farmers Market on Arizona Avenue is described by its organizers as the largest grower-only certified farmers market in Southern California, and it has long been a favorite of local chefs, who shop it for their menus. There is also a Saturday market downtown, and a Sunday market on Main Street that is more of a family morning out, with food stalls and music. Market Match, which adds to CalFresh EBT purchases, is offered at some of the city's markets. Days, hours and locations can change, so check before you go.

What is Main Street in Ocean Park?

Main Street runs through the Ocean Park neighborhood, two blocks from the beach, linking downtown Santa Monica with Venice to the south. It is a walkable street of cafés, restaurants, bars and shops, with a more local feel than the Promenade. It is a good place for brunch or an early dinner before a sunset walk on the beach.

What is Abbot Kinney Boulevard?

Abbot Kinney Boulevard, named for Abbot Kinney, is Venice's main street for food and shopping, lined with boutiques, art galleries, coffee shops and restaurants. Many of its restaurants build menus around produce from the local farmers markets. Weekends are busy, and popular dinner spots often have a long wait in line, so book where you can or go early.

Is it worth eating on the Venice Boardwalk?

The Venice Beach Boardwalk is one of the great people-watching walks in Los Angeles, with shops, food stands, artists and street performers along Ocean Front Walk. The food there is mostly casual, such as pizza by the slice, tacos, burgers and smoothies, and it is part of the fun. For a proper meal, walk a few blocks inland to Abbot Kinney or Main Street.

How do you plan a beach day around food?

A day that works well:

1. Morning: the E Line to Santa Monica, coffee downtown, and the farmers market if it is a Wednesday or Saturday.
2. Midday: walk or bike the beach path south, with lunch on Main Street.
3. Afternoon: the Venice Beach Boardwalk for people-watching and a snack.
4. Evening: dinner on Abbot Kinney, then back to Santa Monica for the train, or watch the sunset from the beach first.

What should you know before you go?

Prices near the beach tend to run higher than in much of the city. Restaurants with patios and ocean views fill up fast on warm evenings, and summer weekends bring the biggest crowds and the slowest traffic.

If you are coming from downtown, the E Line ride takes a while, so bring something to read, and it drops you within walking distance of the ocean. Weekday visits are calmer, and a Wednesday works especially well because you can start at the farmers market and stay on the Westside for lunch and dinner. On the pier and along the boardwalk, look at menus before you sit down, since tourist spots can charge more for less. Many restaurants inland are small and casual, with counter service at lunch. If you are planning a sunset dinner with a view, book ahead or arrive well before the sun goes down. And if the weather turns, the farmers market and the inland streets are just as good on a cloudy day as the beach is on a sunny one.

How do you remember the good finds?

The beach towns are full of places that look the same from the sidewalk and are very different on the plate. On Mosey you can rate the places you ate at and the dishes you ordered, with photos, and keep a list of Westside favorites to share with friends who visit.

More guides to read next:

• Koreatown Los Angeles food guide: barbecue, soups and late nights
• Silver Lake and Echo Park food guide: eating on LA's Eastside
• Tacos in Los Angeles: a guide to taco trucks, stands and styles

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.