United States

15 Best Restaurants in Culver City, CA

Blake Walsh

Sep 26, 2022 • 12 min read

Ganna Tokolova / shutterstock.com

Culver City is a diverse city brimming with exciting restaurants, with some establishments dating back more than a century.

From Metro Café to n/naka, there’s no shortage of bold flavors for local and visiting foodies to try around Culver City.

If you’re ready to take a culinary tour guided by your tastebuds, check out this list of the best restaurants in Culver City, California!

Metro Cafe

Metro Cafe is a one-of-a-kind eatery where the chefs prepare only the finest foods, which are all locally and sustainably sourced in and around Culver City.

This spot is known for its vibrant and welcoming atmosphere, where people come together to enjoy the best New American comfort food the city offers—and large portions of it, too.

This restaurant is conveniently located in the Travelodge Culver City Hotel, between Disneyland and Universal Studios.

It is the epitome of SoCal comfort and convenience.

First established by Sasa Stankovic in June 2004, Metro Cafe and its robust flavors have found a place in the hearts of Culver Citizens over the last two decades.

Whether you’re having breakfast or dinner, you can expect excellent service, tasty comfort food, and gorgeous views of the surrounding city!

Metro Cafe is more than a restaurant; it’s a Culver City landmark.

Johnnie’s Pastrami

Johnnie’s Pastrami is one of the oldest family businesses in Culver City.

It attributes its success to believing the customer is always right and that employees should be treated like family members.

As part of a buzzing neighborhood populated with bars and bowling alleys, Johnnie’s Pastrami is known for catering to late-night customers craving the finest sandwiches the city offers.

This classic eatery is located on Sepulveda Boulevard, where the original neon sign still shines brightly as table-top jukeboxes bring the beats.

Johnnie’s Pastrami started as a family business in 1952 and quickly became an iconic Culver City landmark.

If you want to become part of Johnnie’s enduring legacy—which even predates the Internet—you need to head down and try the mouth-watering sandwiches for yourself.

Sage Plant Based Bistro & Brewery

Sage Plant Based Bistro & Brewery is frequently featured on lists of the best things to do in Culver City, which is impressive when you consider all the city has to offer.

This all-vegan eatery is well-regarded for elevating LA’s vegan and vegetarian offerings—those who have tried the cauliflower buffalo wings can attest to this.

It is conveniently located at the Culver City Crossroads, where people from across the city go to meet and catch up.

The restaurant was founded in 2011 by Mollie Englehart, an executive chef with a tasty vegan vision.

By supporting Sage Plant Based Bistro & Brewery, you’ll be doing more than enjoying great food—you’ll also be supporting local organic farmers and regenerative agriculture.

Meet in Paris

If you’re looking for the most delicious French delicacies in Culver City, look no further than Meet in Paris, an informal eatery offering a unique dining experience.

This Parisian eatery is known for its weekly bottomless brunch deals, where guests can enjoy the best fusion of contemporary and classic French cuisine—with all-you-can-drink cocktails.

This beloved restaurant is located on Culver Boulevard, right in the heart of Downtown Culver.

Meet in Paris was founded in 2009 by Sebastien and Cecile Cornic, French immigrants passionate about classic Parisian food.

If you’re a seafoodie, you won’t be able to resist the mussel bar, which features a whopping 16 unique flavors.

Tender Greens

Tender Greens is the passion project of two chefs with a vision to change the way people eat for the better.

This vibrant eatery is known for its energetic atmosphere, where the chefs aren’t afraid to explore different pairings and flavor combinations.

Located on Culver Boulevard, Tender Greens is always there when you’re looking for a place to hang with friends while enjoying a lovingly prepared meal.

The Tender Greens food revolution began in 2006 and has been going strong ever since, with an increasing number of Culverites eating for the better.

Akasha

Akasha is a buzzing restaurant in Culver City that naturally evolved into a marketplace where loved ones meet to enjoy good food—and even take some of it home with them.

This eatery is known for its sprawling menu, which features New American and California classics.

The menu also draws inspiration from the chef’s travels around the world.

Akasha can be found in downtown Culver City, housed in the historic Hull Building, which once served as the city’s first hospital.

Alan Schulman and Akasha Richmond—the restaurant’s namesake and head chef—founded Akasha in 2008.

With its seasonally updated menu that reflects local and sustainable ingredients, you should head to Akasha before you miss out on any seasonal delicacies.

Rush Street

Inspired by the infamous Chicago strip of the same name, Rust Street is a vibrant and modern meet-up spot in downtown Culver City.

Culver Citizens fondly know Rush Street as the best bottomless drinks spot in Lose Angeles.

This restaurant perfectly embraces and balances the city’s culinary and cultural landscapes.

Located on Washington Boulevard, Rush Street is the perfect place to escape the buzzing city and enjoy comfort food, cocktails, and soothing tunes.

This two-level restaurant was founded in 2008 and features three exclusive upstairs venues, including the Rush Lounge.

With weekly happenings and promotions, you should head down to Rush Street to explore all this restaurant offers!

Cafe Vida

Cafe Vida provides a one-of-a-kind dining experience that truly honors the diversity of California.

This restaurant is known for its expert fusion of Latin and Californian cuisine, which truly celebrates the unique and delicious flavors that define these regions.

Cafe Vida can be found near the intersection of Washington and Culver Boulevards, right in the heart of downtown Culver.

This eatery was founded in 2002 and has continued providing patrons with the best low-fat Latin and Californian dishes for over two decades.

If you’re craving food that leaves you feeling your best, head to Cafe Vida and live your best life.

Public School 310

Class is always in session at Public School 310, one of the most exciting gastropubs in Culver City, boasting an eclectic menu, school-inspired décor, and a well-stocked bar.

Also known as PS310, it is known for its chef-driven approach to serving the most extraordinary food and drinks, truly elevating the cuisine to an art form.

To avoid getting attention, you want to ensure you make it to school on time—luckily, Public School 310 is conveniently located on Culver Boulevard.

The original Public School branch launched in 2011, with the Culver City branch opening a year later.

PS310 is the perfect venue if you want to learn a valuable lesson in taste, stellar flavor combinations, and good times.

The Culver Hotel

The Culver Hotel is more than one of Culver City’s finest dining establishments; it’s a legendary and timeless landmark celebrating artistic culinary exploration.

This Culver monument has a rich and illustrious history, from its legendary ownership to memorable patrons throughout the years.

The four-star restaurant and hotel, which Henry Culver built, is located on Culver Boulevard.

Established in 1924, The Culver Hotel has remained a steadfast Culver City landmark for over a century!

You should head down to this historic Culver City landmark to learn more about The Culver Hotel’s compelling history, including secret passageways and high-stake poker games.

Lukshon

Lukshon is a modern Asian restaurant that celebrates and honors the diversity of Culver City and the eatery’s Southeast Asian roots, perfectly fusing traditional and creative flavors.

This restaurant is known for its expansive bar with a fantastic view of the open kitchen and outdoor seating, allowing for an intimate dining experience in an elegant booth.

Lukshon is located on Helms Avenue, which famously housed the Helms Bakery until 1969.

Luckily, there’s still plenty of great food on Helms Avenue.

Since 2011, Lukshon has been dedicated to a fusion of contemporary and traditional Southeast Asian flavors, all passionately curated by one of Los Angeles’ most celebrated chefs.

If you’re craving bold flavors that are lovingly curated, you’ll love your luxury Lukshon dining experience, where everything from the dishes to the furnishings is impeccably curated.

Vespertine

Vespertine is more than a sleek upscale dining venture; it’s a gastronomical experience that wants to disrupt everything dining guests think they know about modern dining.

This restaurant is acclaimed for its multi-sensory approach to dining, perfectly balancing food, art, music, culture, and architecture in an immersive dining experience.

Vespertine is located on Hayden Avenue and, with two Michelin stars, is worth a detour while visiting Culver City.

This restaurant was founded by chef Jordan Kahn in 2013, who had a vision for a restaurant built on the principle of artistic collaboration.

With this venture, Kahn wants to reimagine the modern restaurant experience.

If you want to treat all of your senses, this is the perfect dining experience for you to try in Culver City!

Craft Los Angeles

Craft Lost Angeles is a farm-to-table restaurant widely regarded as one of the best in Los Angeles.

This restaurant is well known for its “What’s Local Is Best” philosophy, fully embracing locally sourced produce to prepare the freshest meals

Craft Los Angeles is located on Constellation Boulevard, home to Constellation Place, an iconic skyscraper in the Century City community.

After six successful years in New York, chef Tom Colicchio decided to take his pioneering approach to fine dining to the country’s West Coast—much to the delight of Culver citizens.

If you’re craving seasonal dining and warm hospitality, you’ll love everything Craft Los Angeles offers for lunch and dinner.

Tut’s Grill

Tut’s Grill knows that life is all about variety and fun, so the chefs created a space where loved ones can come together to embrace the finer things in life.

If you’re a Culverite foodie looking to discover bold new flavors from a different continent, you’ll love what the diverse menu has to offer.

Tut’s Grill can be found on Washington Boulevard for those looking to discover the finest Egyptian cuisine Culver City offers.

Tut’s Grill, founded by the same visionaries behind Rutt’s Hawaiian Café, has been providing SoCal residents with signature Egyptian dishes and flavors since 2017.

There are always fantastic deals for patrons at this down-to-earth eatery in the heart of Culver City.

n/naka

Inspired by traditional Japanese culinary arts, n/naka is a restaurant that fully embraces the ever-changing rhythms of the earth.

The chefs at this restaurant use only the freshest ingredients, presenting them in their most natural states.

This eatery was founded on a philosophy that the whole meal is as important as the sum of its parts, which is why the n/naka team provides one of the best dining experiences in Culver City.

This upscale Japanese restaurant is located on Overland Avenue, in the historic Blanco-Culver Crest neighborhood of Culver City.

It was established in 2011 by head chef Niki Nakayama, a native of Los Angeles, who strives to strike a balance between traditional and modern dining.

If you want to live in the moment and celebrate seasonal offerings, n/naka is a restaurant that should be on your culinary radar.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a local or simply visiting the city, plenty of culinary adventures await you.

From upscale fine dining spots to casual and historical-themed eateries, there’s something for everyone on this list of the best restaurants in Culver City, California!

💌

Spotted a mistake, have some feedback, or just want to chat with our editorial team? Click here to get in touch.

✍️

Find out more about Travel Lens and read our editorial guidelines here.