Shopping List: Santa Monica's Montana Avenue

October 16, 2006 at 4:28 PM | by juliana | Comments (0)

Visitors to Santa Monica often hit up the Third Street promenade which is kinda like the South Street Seaport in NYC except with cooler stores, more homeless people and more crazy street acts. While the Promenade has the average chain stores you can find in your hometown mall and a couple of cool restaurants nearby on Ocean, the less touristy shopping spot to hit up is Montana Avenue.

From 7th to about 18th Street, Montana Ave is where the local Santa Monicans shop. There's no Gap or Anthropologie here but there's Planet Blue (other location in Malibu is where Pam Anderson and Paris Hilton go for their publicity shopping trips), hi-end boutique shop Morgan Le Fay and the pricey Jill Roberts. Also on the street is Kiehl's, Dermalogica and Rachel Ashwell's famous Shabby Chic store (Britney Spears is a fan.)

But this place isn't like another Rodeo Drive. Nope, there's even a laundromat on Montana Ave so you can do your laundry while you shop and eat.

Pets can also shop here at the Wagging Tail. And since LA is a very dog-friendly city, most shops allow your pets inside and provide water bowls outside.

Yet for some reason, there's also a lot of kids stores and Mommy-to-Be stores like Kids Bizz, Crankypants, BabyStyle, and Mom's the Word.

More on the shops and stores that don't involve procreation after the jump.

As for restaurants, the western end has more Italian while the eastern end has cafe/restaurants like Cafe Montana, 17th St. Cafe and Blue Plate.

Father's Office located on 11th and Montana however might be the most famous restaurant on the street. Voted the best burger in LA by numerous publications from CitySearch to Los Angeles magazine, this place serves up gourmet burgers that have blue cheese and onions mixed into the patties. They are served with french fries (sweet potato or regular) and your choice of ranch or blue cheese dressing. There's no substitutes and there's really no menu except burgers, wine and a haute beer selection. And don't even think of asking for ketchup cuz they don't got it.

Also on the western end (and we mean closer to the ocean) are a few good brunch spots like Marmalade Cafe and Babalu. Marmalade has great food but very little seating. Babalu also has excellent food and more places to sit but slow-ass service. If you do Marmalade, order the Huevos Rancheros. At Babalu, order the their cinnamon crunch waffles.

Insider Tip: Beware of eating at prime dinner hours on the weekend at Father's Office. Since the seating is first come first serve, it's extremely hard and annoying to get a table for more than four. Also people tend to hover over your table asking you when you think you will be finished. On the plus side, you may spot Jessica Biel dining there like we did once.

Related Stories:
· Father's Office reviews [CitySearch]

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