surfrider malibu

If you are planning a trip to Malibu, I definitely recommend checking out The Surfrider Malibu. This boutique hotel is the epitome of chic, oozing with California surf culture, and is situation right on the coast with expansive sea views. As if that’s not reason enough to book your stay, their rooftop restaurant churns out some truly fresh and delicious local-inspired cuisine. The menus are Coastal-Californian with a focus on locally sourced, sustainable and organic produce, and strike a wonderful balance between farmland and sea. The drinks are not to be missed either, and include natural and organic vineyards and distilleries, Ayurvedic tea houses, local coffee roasteries, and a cocktail menu featuring local produce. The vibe here is as if you’re hanging out on the deck of your own Malibu beach house (if only we could all be so lucky), so relax and enjoy a long, leisurely lunch al fresco- no shoes required!

I’ve gotten the opportunity to dine here midday for a post-beach brunch, as well as for a nice dinner out with friends, and each time the food was thoroughly enjoyed, having us planning our return trip soon. I mean, seriously, how picture perfect are these dishes? The Gjusta bakery sourdough with burrata is never a bad way to start the meal, along with the fresh ceviche. I highly suggest ordering any of the fresh fish on the menu- in our case this was a wild caught, local catch of the day served in a balinese curry that was just to die for! And that flat iron steak (from local Santa Carota Ranch) was cooked perfectly and plated beautifully as well. My toddler and I were huge fans of the (gigantic) seasonal cobbler, which featured local blackberries, heirloom apples, coconut crisp & vanilla gelato, and was the perfect ending to our meal :) I’m getting hungry again just writing this, so looks like we need to plan a return trip soon!

endless color topanga

I love a local, neighborhood spot. Even better if it serves vibrant, deli and flavorful food! Endless Color Topanga is just that and more, serving up wood-fired pizzas and organic market plates, along with a nice selection of biodynamic wines and beer & hard kombucha on tap! They have a lovely outdoor patio where you can enjoy your eats, and hang with friends over a drink. What’s even more fun is the ambiance inside the joint- they have a stellar selection of records for sale. So feel free to peruse the albums while you wait for you pie.

The fresh, organic, market-driven plates vary by the season, and are on display when you order, so pick a few that look good to nosh on while your pizza is cooking. The brussels sprous with citrus and the roasted rainbow carrots are always a good move. When it comes to pizza, I’m a fan of the Super Greens, which comes loaded with spinach, leeks, mozzarella, goat & cheep cheese, or the Zucchini, which is a tasty combo of zucchini, confit tomatoes, goat cheese, fennel fronds, mint & arugula. Yum! They also serve classics like pepperoni and margherita for the purists out there. At Endless Color, all the pizza dough is made in-house using 100% Dark Northern Spring Wheat (grown in the deep volcanic soil of the Pacific Northwest), and is fermented for 72 hours to give it that perfectly crisp, yet chewy texture. And if you’re gluten-free, fret not- they also offer a gluten free dough using heirloom rice and millet flours, which is fermented for 24 hours! Don’t skip the homemade (gluten free!) cookies either! I’m partial to the double chocolate with cashew, or oatmeal with golden raisins & walnuts :)

For the longest time, Endless Color was only open in the late afternoon/evenings, which I thought was somewhat of a missed opportunity given the lack of decent food options in Topanga (but also understandable given the state of the world…). I’m happy to report that they’re now open all day, and plan to launch a full on breakfast and lunch menu soon! For now, I love stopping in for a coffee and pastry on my morning commute. Yay for delicious local spots!


all time

For a tasty neighborhood joint with excellent coffee and a beautiful patio, it’s hard to beat All Time. This all day café in Los Feliz serves consistently fresh and tasty food, which keeps me coming back for more and more. The outdoor dining situation and cute handwritten menus don’t hurt either! Menus change with the seasons, and I love that they source from local farms- many of which are named on the menu. You’ll always find a version of the “Good Ass Salad” at All Time, a huge bowl of greens and seasonal produce that’s sure to please any veg-head. They also churn out some nice, al dente pasta for those in the mood. Plus their meat and fish dishes, like a 40 day dry-aged rib eye or a whole branzino, are flavorful and cooked to perfection. Be sure to scroll through the slideshow above to get more details on each dish from my recent trip to All Time. Those Japanese smashed sweet potatoes with romesco were just heaven! I’m definitely looking forward to returning for breakfast- the farmer’s market hash with poached eggs and the housemade seedy adventure bread are calling my name! The team recently just opened a takeout dinner spot, Part Time (love the name!), which I can totally see us hitting up in the near future as well. All Time-like eats in the comfort of my own home? Yes please! Not to mention, now’s the perfect time to support your fave local restaurants to ensure they’ll still be around in post-pandemic times.

christopher's kitchen

Immediately before the pandemic hit, I got to travel to Jupiter, Florida for my best friend’s wedding. The weekend was truly memorable for so many reasons- from the beautiful venue to the delicious food to the gorgeous bride- and I’m happy to say the trip ended on a tasty note as well! On our way back to the airport, a group of us stopped by Christopher’s Kitchen in Palm Beach for a healthy, vegan meal. After a night of drinking (and perhaps more than one piece of cake), it felt good to flood my body with so many healthy ingredients. The pad thai and thai wrap were fresh and flavorful- I really loved the almond sauce for a unique take on the more typical peanut. But the sushi really stole the show- avocado, kale, almond ginger paté, cucumber, mango, red pepper, collard green, sprouts, all topped with almond crunchies!? Yum!

Of course we couldn’t pass on dessert, so we got a little sampling of their homemade chocolates and cookies to finish the meal on a sweet note. I love all the vibrant colors in these photos- such a great depiction of all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients you get from eating fresh, plant-based food. Christopher’s Kitchen was the last restaurant I dined at before the pandemic caused us all to stay home. I feel lucky that it was such a tasty, yet healthy experience, and I look forward to returning, hopefully sooner than later!

wax paper co.

I always say it’s hard to beat fresh, homemade bread. But throw some sandwich fixins between two slices of said delicious bread, and you’ve got yourself a pretty dang satisfying, yet simple meal if I do say so myself! I discovered Wax Paper Co. soon after moving to our neighborhood, and boy am I glad that I did. This tiny spot right along the LA River churns out some mean sammies, and the Bub & Grandma’s bread they use only helps take them to another level of deliciousness. There’s something for everyone here (although less so for my gluten sensitive friends…)- from a unique take on a banh mi with roasted, shredded pork, miso aioli & pickled carrot & daikon, to a scrumptious vegan option with shaved & marinated seasonal veggies & a pecan pesto, I’m sure you’ll find something up your alley. My personal fave is a roasted turkey on focaccia with jalapeño cilantro radish slaw & hominy. The bread is so perfectly chewy and fluffy- yum! I can’t forget to mention one of the best parts about Wax Paper Co. - the names of their sandwiches! Each one is named after an NPR personality, from Ira Glass to Larry Mantle to Terry Gross! Love the creativity there ;) And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, they recently started serving classic, old fashioned soft serve ice cream as well. All the more reason to return soon. But just a heads up, you better go early, because they sell out almost daily. Consider yourself warned!

trilogy sanctuary

On a recent day trip down to San Diego with the fam, we got to spend time with one of my best friends and eat some tasty vegan food in the process. I’d heard great things about Trilogy Sanctuary, a cute vegan cafe and yoga studio in La Jolla, so was pumped to check it out. We sat outside on the rooftop deck, overlooking Trilogy’s setup for Aerial Yoga (which looks both super intimidating yet relaxing at the same time), and enjoyed fresh, healthy, yet satisfying meal. The menu is huge- I already want/need to go back to try out more things- but once I finally narrowed it down, I decided on the raw coconut wrap filled with tasty things like roasted butternut squash, avocado and tahini drizzles, along with a green smoothie full of apple, avocado, cucumber parsley, fennel, ginger, and lime! Zingy and delicious! My hubby, an avid meat-eater, ordered the Beet Burger with fries, and chowed down. I think he just wishes it were bigger, as per usual… My bestie went the cauliflower route, and I have to say her buffalo cauliflower wings and cauliflower crust pizza were super impressive and flavorful as well! I definitely need to come back soon for a dessert sampling: the raw carrot cake, jumbo peanut butter cup, and warm fudgy brownie with date caramel are all calling my name! And who knows, maybe I’ll even try Aerial Yoga?!