"The people behind Gnarwhal Coffee, the Santa Monica cafe with a cute smiley whale as its logo, have expanded with an all-day cafe in Venice. Companion offers more than coffee and pastries though, including chicken parm sandwiches, creative drinks like cereal milk matcha lattes, and an Italian dinner menu from a Quarter Sheets vet. At night, expect wine by the bottle or glass, fresh pasta, and pizzas that are a hybrid of Neapolitan and NY-style." - sylvio martins