The 20 Best Restaurants In Santa Monica - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Din Tai Fung needs no introduction, but the dumpling chain’s newest location on the third floor of Santa Monica Place offers something special—the opportunity to eat xiao long bao with an ocean view. That alone is enough reason to visit after hitting the mall, but the food is reliably great, too: expertly pleated soup dumplings, garlicky string beans, and spicy wontons with chili oil that you’ll want to put on everything. The spacious turf-lined patio, bamboo steamer-shaped booths, and see-through dumpling window into the kitchen? Added bonuses. There’s even a giant abacus by the front, in case you want to calculate the tip the old-fashioned way." - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore, cathy park