things to do in santa monica near our shop? we love our neighbors. start with coffee or matcha at couplet on santa monica boulevard, then give yourself a reason to stay out. these are places our owner actually sends people, from the bakery counter to dinner. some are an easy downtown stop; others are worth a short trip across santa monica. this is a list to wander through, not a claim that everything is on the same block.
bread + butter, for the pastry case. head to main street for baked goods from this small-batch bakery with tasmanian roots. go for a croissant if you catch one. the infatuation describes a bakery the size of a shoebox turning out crackly croissants, coconut cakes and daily specials, with a wraparound sidewalk patio. pastry availability changes, which is half the fun of looking in the case. 2645 main st (https://www.breadandbutterbakes.com/).
petitgrain boulangerie, our owner's favorite bakery of all time. the team and the things they put out are absolutely stellar. their bakery takes the santa monica farmers market seriously: fruit becomes jam, seasonal produce lands in the pastry case, and locally milled grains find their way into croissants and bread. a pastry from here feels like someone really paid attention. 1209 wilshire blvd (https://www.petitgrainboulangerie.com/partners).
xuntos, for an evening that turns into dinner. another favorite of our owner's, and almost next door to us. xuntos means "together" in galician, and the room does its part: a 1926 art deco building with mezzanines looking over the bar. order pintxos or tapas and ask about the spanish wines. it's the kind of place you go when you want to stay a while. 516 santa monica blvd (https://www.barxuntos.com/).
crimson, for lunch. our owner calls its chicken some of the best in la. the broadway location does mediterranean plates, including chicken kabob and shawarma with rice, sides, pita and sauce. go hungry, pick your sides, and make lunch the plan rather than an afterthought. 606 broadway, suite 101 (https://www.crimsonla.com/location/crimson-cookhouse-broadway/).
bread head, for a real sandwich. some of the best sandwiches around, according to our owner, and the bread is not just a wrapper. the team bakes its own airy, crusty focaccia-ciabatta-style loaf and builds sandwiches from a ham-and-butter to a muffaletta and a mozzarella with avocado and za'atar. bring someone to split one with, or don't. 1518 montana ave (https://www.breadheadla.com/locations/).
our santa monica home base is 525 santa monica blvd (https://coupletcoffee.com/pages/locations). take your drink out into the neighborhood, and tell us which stop became your favorite.