Fia Restaurant
Californian restaurant · Northeast ·
Cocktails, handmade pastas, seasonal fare in stylish space
Cocktails, handmade pastas, seasonal fare in stylish space
"There's a reason why the patio at Michael’s in Santa Monica has been a Westside staple for decades. Despite being fully walled-in, it has a distinct jungle-like feel—if you brought in white tablecloths and did away with all the bugs. Half the crowd has been coming here since they opened 35 years ago, and you might see the owner making the rounds before holding court at his regular table. The California-inspired menu isn’t going to change your life—the burger, roast chicken, pork chop, and vegetable sides are solid enough, though." - brant cox, arden shore, sylvio martins, cathy park
"When you enter Fia from the street, the first thing you’ll see is the patio. It’s gigantic. This incredible outdoor space in Santa Monica is cozy and romantic, filled with wooden furniture, aggressive string lighting, and enough pine trees to make you feel like you’re on the Mendocino coast. The Italian-ish food is just OK (we prefer what's being served inside, at their sister restaurant Fia Steak), but the burrata, raw bar, and pasta get the job done. Crowd-pleasing and easy on the eyes, Fia is on our shortlist for high-stakes dates and life celebrations." - brant cox, arden shore, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Not the craft store (though Happy Hour at a craft store would be a lot of fun). Michael’s is an American-ish restaurant that also happens to have one of the best patios on the Westside. And though a meal here can get pricey, their tremendous all-night Happy Hour is a great way to take the heat off of your wallet for a bit. Happy Hour: 4-6pm, Tues-Sat. $12 select cocktails, $5 select beer, $10 select wine, discounted menu items." - brant cox
"Fia in Santa Monica has one of the best patios on the Westside, making it a no-brainer for brunch. The California/Italian spot does an all-inclusive brunch menu for $64, which comes with a basket of pastries, an entree of your choice, and bottomless mimosas or margaritas. Deal: Bottomless mimosas, margaritas, or rose as part of an all-inclusive brunch menu for $67." - brant cox, nikko duren
"Fia is like a secret garden. Michael Greco, who I've known forever, conceived it based on the Amalfi Coast. So it feels like the California and Italian coastlines blended into one. It's mostly known for the brunch menu in their lush, "secret" garden. It's whimsical, it's sexy, and again, very Instagrammable. And because it was founded by this hospitality trailblazer, their attention to service is second to none. That's what I really like about it. I love it. They also have an amazing margarita. Their margarita, you know, definitely, definitely competes with with The Bungalow's." - brennan carley