Santa Monica/Brentwood

Bay Cities Italian Deli
1517 Lincoln Blvd - (310) 395-8279
The godmother is one of L.A.'s most important sandwiches, containing a panoply of Italian sandwich meats that cannot fail to satisfy. No wonder it's a legend.

Cha Cha Chicken
1906 Ocean Way - (310) 581-1684
Caribbean style chicken in Santa Monica. Nice little shack.

El Texate
316 Pico Blvd - (310) 399-1115
Oaxacan in Santa Monica. I liked mole coloradito.

Reddi-Chick
225 26th St, 310 393-5238
Roast chicken in Brentwood, it's really tasty.

Tommy's (Santa Monica)
1900 Lincoln Blvd. (310) 392-4820
I love Tommy's. Chiliburgers that represent L.A. as truly as any other single dish.

Port Royal Cafe
1412 Broadway - (310) 458-4147
Jamaican in Santa Monica? Yep, it's even quite good. Escoveitch fish is tasty.

Warszawa
1414 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica (310) 393-8831
Excellent and hearty fare that's fancier than the Polish stereotype might dictate. I got a half/half combo of bigos (hunter's stew) and stuffed cabbage; both were great. Steak tartare is full of mini tastes by virtue of multiple mix-ins, it's all good. Bisongrass vodka for the adventurous.

Father's Office
1018 Montana Avenue Santa Monica Phone: 310 - 393 - 2337
If you can take the seething crowd of yuppies (not so bad on weekdays), the much-lauded Father's Office burger belongs on anyone's best of LA list. Not strictly comparable with say, the Apple Pan, it's gourmet blue cheese, bacon compote and aged beef are extremely fine. My friends love the Quebecois beer Fin du Monde as an accompaniment.

marginally relevant, but there is a taco truck in Palisades...