TOP HEALTHY RESTAURANTS IN LA

Our favorite local spots for healthy eats and light bites.

Health is synonymous with Santa Monica: in a city lavished by refreshing breezes off the Pacific, a sense of nourishment is as ubiquitous as the sunshine. We rounded up our favorite healthy restaurants in Los Angeles, from vegan cafes to beachside sushi, for a summer where you feel your best, inside and out.

CAFE GRATITUDE

Arts District/Larchmont/Venice
Now an LA health food institution, Cafe Gratitude was founded with the belief that food is medicine. Using nutrient-dense ingredients from local farmers, the menu is flavor- and health-driven, with dishes — ranging from the “Enchanting” salad with warm broccolini and edamame, and the “Fortified” summer vegetable bowl with garlic tahini — that evoke Cafe Gratitude’s spirit of joy and regeneration. It’s no surprise that it’s consistently ranked one of the best healthy restaurants in LA.

GRACIAS MADRE

West Hollywood
Gracias Madre’s traditional Mexican menu is entirely plant-based, drawing on local and organic ingredients. The prevailing ethos behind their cuisine is love, both for the planet and for ourselves. From lunch to dinner to weekend brunch, find creative takes on familiar dishes — from flautas to ceviche to nachos — with jackfruit, oyster mushrooms, soy chorizo and hearts of palm replacing meat.

For a libation, peruse their lineup of diffuser-free agave spirits. One of our favorite things about this hot-spot? Some of the proceeds from tequila cocktail sales support local charities.

AVRA BEVERLY HILLS ESTIATORIO

Beverly Hills
Inspired by Greece’s airy, citrus-infused ambiance, stone-washed walls and lemon trees greet you at one of LA’s best healthy restaurants. Though you’ll find grilled chicken, lamb chops and New York strip on Avra’s menu, offerings are heavily driven by the sea, with fresh whole fish flown in daily and a selection of sashimi — evoking an open-air market with an upscale flourish. Appetizers have traditional Grecian flare, from hummus to haloumi to steamed mussels.

The Beverly Hills location is Avra’s first on the West Coast, with two others in New York.l

SANTA MONICA FARMERS MARKET

Santa Monica
To flex your own healthy cooking abilities or to snack on fresh, seasonal fruit while wandering among stalls, the Santa Monica Farmers Market highlights the best of SoCal-grown food. Saturday’s market holds the crown for “Organic Market,” with the largest percentage of certified-organic growers in any market in Los Angeles. You’ll also find staples for Asian dishes, like taro and lemongrass, as well as choice selections from local restaurants. Go early and you could spot chefs sourcing what will make up the menu that evening, including Oceana’s Chef Ryan.

In Santa Monica, a sense of nourishment is as ubiquitous as the sunshine.

Nobu

Los Angeles
Visiting LA requires visiting one of the city’s top sushi restaurants — bonus points for when it doubles as one of the best restaurants in L.A. Nobu’s reputation precedes it for good reason. While its black cod with miso is one of its most renowned dishes, its menu can be customized for a lighter meal of fresh sashimi and a side of miso soup. Its Malibu location offers the perfect excuse to drive up the PCH and sneak in a Pacific sunset.

The Butcher’s Daughter

Venice
Don’t be fooled by the name — The Butcher’s Daughter is strictly plant-based, sourcing produce from organic, local farms for meals that taste better and are better for both you and the environment. Founder Heather Tierney has a background in juice bars and cocktails, reflected in the lengthy wellness drink menu: choices range from pineapple and jicama juices to Mexican cacao elixir. The menu changes daily, reflecting what’s in season, but expect recharge bowls with roasted vegetables and farro, a spicy kale caesar and mushroom calamari.

Oceana

Santa Monica
Maybe we’re a little biased, but we don’t think healthy oceanfront dining gets much better than at Sandpiper. Helmed by Chef Ryan, Oceana’s menu spotlights hyper-local produce with culinary artistry that celebrates and elevates SoCal cuisine. Fresh, healthy and inventive, meals range from savory mushroom frittatas for breakfast to our Seaside Caesar with Ora king salmon for dinner. Savor the view at Sandpiper, our intimate, ocean-view dining room, or al-fresco by the pool and fire pits. And because dinner is always better with wine, our Wine & Dine package complements a chef-driven menu with a curated wine list. At this time, Sandpiper is only open to on-site guests. Guests can book a reservation at Sandpiper at 1-800-777-0758.

At Oceana, we’d be delighted to help you find local restaurants that satisfy your palette and .
Please be respectful of social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines at each locale. Visit websites for more information.