The 25 Best Restaurants In Santa Monica

"In Rome, you might take a tour of the Vatican City, climb the steps of the Sistine Chapel, and look out on the Piazza San Pietro. In Santa Monica, you take the elevator up to the roof of the Proper Hotel and look out at 7-11, CVS, and the Pacific Ocean. Calabra is no Rome, but the crowd is happy to have a reason to be dressed in this part of town surrounded by rattan furniture, palm fronds, and a swimming pool. Though these design elements are evocative of Tulum, it doesn’t feel gimmicky. Plus, the cocktails and Mediterranean food here are really, really good, from the kebabs and dips to hefty burgers and gyros." - arden shore, brant cox, nikko duren, sylvio martins