Food and Drinks:
Sunny Blue- Omusubi and Organic Frozen Yogurt
This place is quite new, and I was immediately in love at first bite. Omusubi is one of my favorite Japanese foods, and rare to find on the west side. (The website says it's the first Omusubi shop in Southern California.) So what are they? Omusubi are rice balls filled with different ingredients, then sprinkled with different seasonings or toppings (like sesame seeds), and wrapped in a sheet of Nori seaweed. (The seaweed being optional). Traditionally made with fish or meat on the inside, but this shop always has several vegetarian/vegan options! (Which is so refreshing for Japanese food, because they sneak fish into everything.) Made fresh, try the miso-mushroom or the really traditional umeboshi plum, a slightly sour treat with a fresh umeboshi leave on the outside. And two of these treats can fill you up, and that's an awesome deal since they range between $1.75-$3.00. And if you're still hungry, they also serve frozen yogurt and Japanese side dishes.
2728 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: (310) 399-9030
Hours: Mon-Thu 11 am - 8 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 7 pm
http://sunnyblueinc.com/omusubi.html
Happy Hour-The Library Alehouse
The Library Alehouse is great for many reasons...it has a HUGE beer and wine selection, which should please the most picky connoisseur. They also have great food, made even better by their happy-hour prices. You can get appetizers for half-off, so I love the Papaya Goat-Cheese Quesidilla for $5. They also have deals on their beer and wine, so make sure to ask if you want to save some money on drinks. The only downside is that it can get a little cramped, which is another bonus for happy hour, since it's usually not as crowded.
The Library Alehouse is great for many reasons...it has a HUGE beer and wine selection, which should please the most picky connoisseur. They also have great food, made even better by their happy-hour prices. You can get appetizers for half-off, so I love the Papaya Goat-Cheese Quesidilla for $5. They also have deals on their beer and wine, so make sure to ask if you want to save some money on drinks. The only downside is that it can get a little cramped, which is another bonus for happy hour, since it's usually not as crowded.
Phone: 310-314-4855
Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 12 am
Happy Hour: 4-6pm Monday-Friday
www.libraryalehouse.com
Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 12 am
Happy Hour: 4-6pm Monday-Friday
www.libraryalehouse.com
One Life-Juice Bar
One Life is a little health-food grocery store, with a large vitamin department downstairs. But the best part of this place has to be the juice bar. They have a couple large, old school juicers that crank out any vegetable you put in them. You can pick exactly what items you want off their list, and make your own crazy concoction. You can have all vegetables, all fruit, or a combo of both. (I like mine with parsley and ginger.) And you can't beat the price...the 12 ounce of your choices is only $3.50, and they also have larger sizes and smoothies. Get a dose of greens or apples while you walk around Main St.
3001 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: 310-392-4501
Store Hours: Mon-Sun 8 am - 9 pm
Holy Guacamole
If you're going to go Mexican, I definitely suggest Holy Guacamole. The prices are great, and it's more fresh and flavorful than your usual chain. They have a serious selection of hot sauces (be careful, I've not headed the warning labels of spiciness and paid dearly for it), and their veggie tacos are full of good ingredients (and easy to make vegan.) Plus, they are open really late, so it's a price-effective way to quell late-night munchies.
2906 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: 310-314-4850
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 11 am - 2 am
Coffee:
Peet's Coffee and Tea
This may seem like an odd suggestion, since Peet's is a chain after all. But after careful inspection and many samplings, I have realized that Peet's has some of the best coffee. Their loose-leaf tea selection is large and of great quality, and I even like their milk alternatives. It is one of the only cafes I know that uses unsweetened soymilk for their drinks, which gives me the freedom to sweeten it to my taste, instead of being attacked by pre-sweetened overload. There are other great cafe's on Main St. (like Urth Cafe, of course, which also has great desserts) but Peet's is a more quiet, and usually less-crowded alternative. And I've had consistently great service, which adds to my love of this place.
2439 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: (310) 399-8117
Hours: Mon-Sun 5 am - 8 pm
Free Wi-Fi
www.peets.com
Cielo
A decently new spot, but I didn't want to skim it over, since they are unique. It's a small place, and their drinks menu is more limited than Peet's. But they have consistently great coffee, and they even siphon-brew, which not only makes good coffee but is fun to watch. They also have agave at their sweetener counter, and a mellow crowd.
(310) 314-9999
Mon-Thu, Sun 7 am - 7 pm
Mojitos:
World Cafe
This place is especially good for two things: ambiance and mojitos. It's beautifully decorated, with art, candles, and an outdoor area. The food is a bit pricey for my taste, but on Friday and Saturday nights they bring out the mojito stands. The drinks are stuffed with fresh mint, and are a steal at $6. And they're pretty strong, so you can have a night out on Main St. and spend less than $20. Times vary for the mojito bar, so give them a call to check. If you don't like mojitos, you can get some food and well drinks during their happy hour, with a decent selection of snacks, wine, and liquor.
Address: 2820 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
This place is especially good for two things: ambiance and mojitos. It's beautifully decorated, with art, candles, and an outdoor area. The food is a bit pricey for my taste, but on Friday and Saturday nights they bring out the mojito stands. The drinks are stuffed with fresh mint, and are a steal at $6. And they're pretty strong, so you can have a night out on Main St. and spend less than $20. Times vary for the mojito bar, so give them a call to check. If you don't like mojitos, you can get some food and well drinks during their happy hour, with a decent selection of snacks, wine, and liquor.
Address: 2820 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone: 310-392-1661
Happy Hour: 5 -7 PM Sat. - Mon.; Tues - Fri. all day to 7 PM -House wines $4, well cocktails $5.
I'm pretty picky about my bar scene (there are many on Main St. that I don't like.) But if you want to expand your horizons, here is a great site that lists all the main street happy hours:
I'm pretty picky about my bar scene (there are many on Main St. that I don't like.) But if you want to expand your horizons, here is a great site that lists all the main street happy hours:
Museum
California Heritage Museum
If it's too cold to hit the beach or ride on the bike path, you can always check out the art at the California Heritage Art Museum. It's a converted two-story Victorian home. They have visiting art selections that are always changing, and there's often some food trucks milling around on the weekends.
Phone: 310-392-8537
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Last tour at 3:30 p.m.
General Admission: $8
Seniors, Students: $5
http://web.mac.com/calmuseum/Site/Home.htmlLast Fridays
If you happen to be on Main Street on the last Friday of the month, then walk around and enjoy Last Fridays. Some shops stay open late, food trucks abound, and there's often live music or other activities. Just don't get stuck driving down Main St. this day...you probably won't go very fast.
http://www.mainstreetsm.com/last-fridays/
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