The best restaurants in Santa Monica, according to critics

9 Santa Monica, CA restaurants featured on published critics’ lists from 5 publications: Eater LA, James Beard Foundation, Los Angeles Times, MICHELIN Guide, The New York Times. Ordered by how many of those lists agree.

• Pasjoli — Ocean Park, Santa Monica — on 3 critics’ lists
• Mélisse — Midtown Santa Monica, Santa Monica — on 2 critics’ lists
• Seline — Ocean Park, Santa Monica — on 2 critics’ lists
• Citrin — Mid-City, Santa Monica
• Cobi's — Ocean Park, Santa Monica
• Colapasta — Downtown Santa Monica, Santa Monica
• Cosetta — Ocean Park, Santa Monica
• R+D Kitchen — Montana Avenue, Santa Monica
• Rustic Canyon — Downtown Santa Monica, Santa Monica

The Santa Monica lists

• The 38 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles — Eater LA
• James Beard Award Winners 2026 — James Beard Foundation
• 101 Best Restaurants in L.A. (2025) — Los Angeles Times
• MICHELIN Bib Gourmand — Los Angeles 2025 — MICHELIN Guide
• MICHELIN Guide — Starred Restaurants, Los Angeles 2025 — MICHELIN Guide
• The 25 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles Right Now (2023) — The New York Times

The Critic List — the critics’ “best restaurants” lists, in one place. We don’t write the lists; the critics do, and every one links back to the original.