Southern California Coast

Michelin-starred French-Californian tasting menu, chic without the ego.

Cash-only, open when they feel like it, and donuts that taste like summer break.

Hippie-adjacent breakfast spot where surfers and yogis fuel up post-sesh.

Wild sourdoughs and laminated pastries, baked with intention.

LA’s cult deli. Smoked fish, seeded rye, and pastries that feel like an edible Wes Anderson set.

LA’s cult deli. Smoked fish, seeded rye, and pastries that feel like an edible Wes Anderson set.

Milan-style pizza by way of the beach. Thin crust, big flavor.

Oaxacan-driven dishes that lean into mezcal and color.

Tiny shop, big cold brew energy, and vegan donuts.

A cozy café offering in-house roasted coffee, organic meals, daily pastries, and hosting live music events.

A micro-roaster offering carefully crafted brews just steps from the beach.

Coffee, flowers, and regularly packed with the city’s most interesting makers.

Outdoor patio, local art, acai bowls and surfboards out front.

A community-forward café with clean design, house-roasted beans, and a small menu of thoughtful bites. The lavender latte is the neighborhood favorite.

Ethiopian coffee and spices in a humble café with warm heart.

Hidden tiki bar with flames, smoke, and a thatched-roof altar.

Local, organic brewery with an indoor-outdoor North Park tasting room.

Latina-owned brewery that’s as much a community hub as a taproom.

Wine bar with natural pours and a curated vinyl collection.

Located in Tijuana's Estación Federal district, just steps from the pedestrian border, this mod bar serves creative cocktails and small bites and sports an outdoor terrace.

Coastal beer done crisp, with an eye toward balance.

Red-lit cocktail bar with leopard carpet and martinis like mom used to pour.

Speakeasy in a fake liquor store in a mall. The fireplace spins. Yes, really.

A cocktail bar inspired by Mexico City's vibrant Roma Norte neighborhood, serving technique-driven cocktails and Mexico City-style bites in a chic setting. ​

Old outlaw stage stop turned biker-friendly beer haunt.

Rotating exhibitions exploring Western identity through Native, Mexican, and settler histories.

Boards, surf ephemera, and Bethany Hamilton’s shark-bitten board.

Rotating exhibits that stretch what a photo can say.

Newly expanded and renovated with world-class exhibits, an Ed Ruscha mural, and cliffside views.

Lush botanical collections, a research library, and the quiet scent of camellias.

Multi-stage blowout mixing local and touring acts with a bay breeze.

Contemporary art from Latin America and the diaspora, with a strong curatorial POV and bilingual programming.

Classic car cruise and cultural celebration held every second Saturday. Chrome gleams, oldies echo, and the streets come alive with Chicano pride.

Modern beach hotel with rooftop cocktails and bare feet allowed.

Downtown redesign-meets-nightlife, helmed by Kelly Wearstler.

Iconic red turrets, ocean breeze, and 135 years of coastal drama.

Midcentury time capsule with dive-in movies by the pool.

Boutique hotel that feels more like the beach house of your chicest friend.

Record label meets rock hotel—shows downstairs, velvet upstairs.

Zen-minimalist B&B for design nerds and surfers with day jobs.

Floor-to-ceiling used books, literary events, and a neighborhood cat.

Author talks, old dust jackets, and intellectual beach town swagger.

Family-run since 1961. Board repair, wetsuits, and local lore.

High-design boards and gear that nod to California’s surf heritage.

Vinyl, zines, folk art, and the occasional accordion set.

Chic home goods, collars, and vintage score finds.

Plants, pottery, incense. Feels like a West Coast spellbook.

A vibrant ode to Mexican art and design stocked with piñatas, cookbooks, hand-painted ceramics—everything here celebrates joy, color, and culture with zero tourist trap vibes.

Local surf, skate, and apparel label with a purpose-driven backbone. Ethically made gear, dreamy photography, and a brick-and-mortar that feels like a clubhouse for quiet rebels.