The following are some of my favorite spots on the West side.
The best coffee shops:
Urth Santa Monica: One of my first memories from freshman year at USC was my roommates and I rallying for my friend’s birthday to head to Urth and sip our matcha lattes- hot. The coffee here is solid and the vibes are immaculate. Is it a little dated? Yeah, but it’s soooo worth.
Salt & Straw Abbott Kinney: There’s coffee flavored ice cream so we’ll count it! When I moved from LA to NYC I declared that besides my friends, Salt & Straw was one of the only things I’d miss about LA. Apparently they’re opening up NY locations soon which made me die laughing. But for real, I am not an ice cream girl AT ALL, so I have no idea what they put in their concoctions here. My favorite is definitely their cookie dough ice cream. Abbott Kinney also happens to be one of my favorite areas to stroll around in LA.
The best restaurants:
Tacos 1986 Santa Monica: Some of the best corporate tacos in LA. Of course, you gotta make sure you grab a street taco or two while you’re in LA, but if you feel like being in a fast casual restaurant vibe, there is no other place I’d recommend. I always get their adobada tacos/burritos and their jamaica drink is also fire.
Blue Plate Taco: My friend and I randomly stumbled into this place during a day at the beach and immediately fell in love. Not only is the food great, but the views of the beach are beyond gorgeous. Make sure to be seated outside.
The Bombay Frankie Co: Frankies are basically Indian burritos. And yes, they are as good as they sound. Get the garlic naan as the burrito wrap. You’ll thank me later.
The best bars/clubs:
The Little Friend Venice: Probably my favorite bar in all of the west side. They have TABLE TENNIS, arcade games and, my favorite, an indoor/outdoor concept, all while still offering enough space to move around. Absolutely top tier.
Brennan’s Marina Del Rey: They race turtles here. Which I actually haven’t seen with my own eyes, but I DID see two men wrestling nacho libre style on St. Patty’s day! So that was cool!
The Room Santa Monica: A few of my homies do DJ sets here so I’ve got some good mems at this place. The venue is smaller and has more intimate vibes, but a lot of people end up hanging out outside when it gets too hot indoors.
The Lighthouse Cafe: Last time I was here some guy was tryna flex on me by talking about all the random Hollywood connects he had. I was like, my brother, we live in LA. They have a nice outdoor space and good music though, so that’s a vibe.
Honorable Mention: The Victorian (I can’t in good faith recommend the Victorian as it is a bit washed, but what I will say is that every time I go there I leave with an…umm…interesting story. The venue is built to mimic a house party, which is actually kind of cool.)
The best outdoor spaces:
The Culver City Stairs: Not to be confused with the Culver Steps, which are also dope. The stairs are great for a workout or a chit chat walk with the homies, which is what my friends and I did. Do NOT go if you have a fear of heights. The views are gorgeous- even if your legs will be killing you.
Brentwood Farmer’s Market: Such an underrated farmer’s market. Has way more of a local and community feel than some of the others in the city. Grab some food and chill on the grass for an hour or two while you eat.
Laguna Beach: Technically located outside of LA proper, about an hour and a half of a drive away, Laguna is my favorite beach in all of socal. It literally looks straight out of a postcard. I honestly don’t even think I ever actually swim when I go visit- I’m always too busy admiring just how gorgeous the view is. They also have tidepools with little crabs in them depending on the season and the surrounding town is just as scenic.
Manhattan Beach: This is probably my favorite beach in LA proper. The beach itself is solid, but I think what really stands out to me is how cute the town itself is. I couldn’t even count how many hours I’ve spent wandering around the area. The houses here are quite literally to die for.
Hermosa Pier: My friend had her birthday bar hopping around Hermosa last year. I couldn’t believe how long it had taken me to visit the pier. It has such a quirky and unique vibe and feels different than a lot of the other beaches in and around LA. Honestly great for both bar hopping and people watching.
The best art/cultural centers:
3rd Street Promenade: Is this the epitome of a tourist trap? Yes! Is it still worth it to check it out? Yes!!! There are so many great restaurants along the promenade, not to mention the interactive elements like spinny chairs that are sprinkled around the entirety of the walkway. If you’re already at the beach you might as well grab a bite and check it out!
The Getty: One of the most beautifully designed museums I’ve ever seen. The garden area is like a portal to another world. Pro tip: you can have a whole picnic in their outdoor area if you are respectful about it- we did so for one of the homies’ birthdays.
Los Angeles, I love you & I’ll see you soon 🫡.
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