Fromin's Delicatessen and Restaurant has been a Santa Monica institution since 1979, when it was founded by Dennis Fromin. He eventually sold the restaurant in 1990 to current owner Maurice Solomon. Both owners had grown up working in delis in 1950s Cleveland.
The menu here offers a large selection of breakfast items, with 19 different omelets, various blintzes, open-faced bagels with toppings and a special brunch platter that serves two. Sandwiches are also a big deal here. All sandwiches are served on rye, roll, wheat or egg bread and come with various sides.
Special sandwich selections include the Sky High, combinations and hot sandwiches. Fromin's Special Dinners include soup or salad, choice of side, dessert and beverage, with choices such as corned beef and cabbage, Hawaiian chicken breast, grilled orange roughy, grilled liver and onions, skirt steak and seafood fettuccine.
A section for weight-conscious patrons offers low-calorie fare. The deli in the front sells sliced meats, salads, cheeses, pickles, fish, kishka, knishes and stuffed cabbage.
Krispy Kreme originated in 1937, with its original glazed doughnuts, and grew as a national name in the late 1990s. The company has been recognized as a 20th Century American icon by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Here at the Santa Monica store, 32 different kinds of doughnuts are always available, with seasonal specialties that change every few months. Regular favorites include glazed cinnamon, chocolate iced glazed, chocolate iced creme filled, chocolate iced custard filled, glazed raspberry filled, cinnamon bun, glazed blueberry and apple fritter.
Instead of Krispy Kreme's brand coffee, this location has a limited selection of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf brewed coffees and espresso drinks. Free Wi-Fi is available here, and birthday parties can be arranged with customized doughnut cakes.
Starbucks offers a wide selection of freshly brewed coffees and teas from its large location in downtown Santa Monica. The menu features fruit infusions, teas, baked goods and plenty of coffee options. The space is large and offers indoor and outdoor seating, along with free Wi-Fi.
Brooklyn-born Izzy Freeman opened his New York style deli with Santa Monica developer Ernie Auerbach in 1973. It has since become a Santa Monica institution, with food available 24 hours every day, attracting many celebrity figures over the years.
Breakfast is served all the time, with many egg dishes, pancakes, potato pancakes, lox, corned beef, blintzes and fresh baked goods available. You can even create your own omelet. A large portion of the menu is devoted to the many sandwiches made here, including overstuffed sandwiches and dip sandwiches, with choices like pastrami, turkey, salami, bologna, roast beef, beef tongue, ham, meat loaf, knockwurst, tuna, lox and cheeses. Dinner entrees feature chicken dishes, corned beef and cabbage, beef stew, goulash, kishka, turkey, beef liver and onions, meatloaf and country fried steak. All these are served in the relaxed, diner-style atmosphere of the dining room, with images of New York on the walls, and pictures of Izzy with various celebrities.
The deli counter just inside the entrance sells various meats and cheeses by the pound, along with fish, kishka, knish, blintzes, salads, olives, bagels, puddings and baked goods. Catering is a specialty here, with various platters available for large groups.
Cafe Zella is a little cafe set back a little off Wilshire and 16th St. Quick, fresh food is made here, from breakfast dishes to sandwiches and salads. Breakfast is served all day, including breakfast burritos, bacon paninis, ham with swiss paninis, and vegetarian paninis. Along with egg dishes and omelettes, the cafe has bagels and freshly baked croissants, both of which can be used for breakfast sandwiches. The lunch combo special includes any 1/2 sandwich with mixed greens, and either soup or strawberry lemonade. Comfort soups are made from scratch here, with daily selections that may include turkey vegetable, chicken tortilla, butternut squash, tomato basil, or lentil bean. Cold, hot and vegetarian sandwiches are made-to-order, served on ciabatta, sourdough or whole wheat bread, and served with mixed greens. Coffee and espresso drinks can be served over ice or ice blended.
Urth Caffe opened up its Santa Monica location on Main Street and Hollister in 2005. Originally founded as an organic coffee house working only with sustainable coffee growers, the company has grown to include organic teas, fresh farm salads made only with locally grown produce, gluten-free and vegan/vegetarian friendly pastries and desserts. Its menu also offers signature panini sandwiches, turkey burgers, quesadillas, lasagna and much more. There is no table service offered, instead, patrons order their food at the counter and it is then delivered to their table. In addition to eat-in and take-out, this location also provides catering as well as delivery services daily, from 11:00am – 2:30pm and 5:30pm – 9:00pm.
Gianpietro Silardi and Alessandro Ercoli, owners of Caffe' Delfini, started their restaurant 24 years ago with one goal "to create great food" Well, they did it and this little (there are only 15 tables) restaurant is a gem. It's romantic lighting, fantastic food and vast wine list make this place a local favorite.It is a nice place to go when you want to be able to talk and hear the other person you're with. When it is your turn to pick a restaurant for "date night " this is the place to choose.
Kreation Organic is a quaint cafe located in the heart of Santa Monica on Montana Avenue. It is a certified green business and tries to ensure that meals are made mostly with organic and locally grown ingredients. Kreation Organic serves a variety of healthy dishes that include salads, soups, sandwiches, kabobs, tapas and desserts. There is also a wide selection of beverages including coffee, teas and juices. The cafe is a quite small with only outdoor seating in the back and on the street. The service here is excellent, making dining at Kreation Kafe a very pleasurable experience. So if you are looking for a place that values local production and your health without sacrificing taste, come on down to Kreation Kafe.
The Interactive Cafe is an espresso, juice and internet bar and cafe. It has free wifi and computers with internet access in the back of the cafe. The interior is decorated with eclectic furniture and tables. According to the store's motto, the store is "almost always open" for business. It also offers croissants, bagels, fresh fruit and more.
Sur La Table sells a wide selection of kitchen and culinary tools. The original store, in Seattle, sold exclusively French imports. After expanding nationwide, Sur La Table added domestic items, as well as products from around the world.
Customers can find premium-quality culinary tools here for making any type of cuisine. Pots, pans, ceramic baking dishes, plates, mixing bowls, knives, electric mixers and more are displayed throughout the store.
One section of Sur La Table is devoted to coffee, with whole bean coffee for sale as well as various coffee makers and accessories. Cook books, aprons, oven mitts and kitchen furniture are also available. Knive sharpening service is offered. The store is conveniently located near the 3rd Street Promenade, home to a farmer's market twice a week. Free parking is available in nearby public parking structures.
Famous for its Frappuccino and international recognition as a purveyor of fine coffee, Starbucks sells espresso, lattes and other fine coffee drinks. Non-coffee drinks like juice, water and Vivano smoothies are available, as are specially brewed teas and tea lattes, all provided by Tazo Tea. All Starbucks locations come with free Wi-Fi.
Mugs and coffee accessories such French press coffee makers and espresso machines are sold here, as are whole bean and ground versions of their coffee to take home. All types of coffee sold are premium blends from around the world and all are roasted by coffee masters. Pastries can be purchased at Starbucks including muffins, scones, cupcakes, biscotti and bagels, and to-go food trays with cheeses, meats, fruit and sandwiches are for sale as well
Thyme Cafe & Market is a restaurant and gourmet deli located on Ocean Park Boulevard in the community of Ocean Park. This restaurant, which was modeled after Dean & DeLuca, offers breakfast, salads, sandwiches, fresh soups, homemade cookies, baked goods and desserts. In addition to its restaurant menu, Thyme Cafe & Market has a gourmet to-go section where customers can get boxed lunches and deli items for takeout. The cafe also has outdoor patio-style seating.
The Op Cafe, located right on Ocean Park Boulevard, is known for its menu of healthy, contemporary California cuisine. Some of the most popular menu items include the homemade desserts, the breakfast tacos, low-carb scrambled eggs, a grilled chipotle chicken wrap, the Op burger, a Cobb salad and the diablo burrito. Op Cafe offers early risers a weekday breakfast special before 9am. Customers can eat inside or enjoy their meal al fresco on the patio.
