Layla Bagels

"This Ocean Park shop is the Courage Bagels rival the Westside has been waiting for: a lovely little counter service spot with great coffee and outrageously delicious bagels piled high with the freshest produce available. And while you can absolutely order crusty-on-the-outside, cushiony-on-the-inside loosies, you’d be missing out if you didn’t try some of the open-face bagel offerings. Toppings range from classics (cream cheese, tomatoes, herbs, smoked salmon, pickled onions) to less typical stuff (lemon zest, chili flakes, PB&J, avocado, hummus). The bagel with seasonal fruit—we got mandarin wedges—plus cream cheese and honey gives us goosebumps just thinking about it." - sylvio martins, arden shore, garrett snyder, cathy park

"Verdict: The Courage Bagels of the Westside (with way shorter lines). This Santa Monica bakery specializes in tangy sourdough bagels that crunch and smush like the best of 'em. Toppings range from classics (cream cheese, tomatoes, herbs, smoked fish, pickled onions, you name it) to less typical stuff (lemon zest, chili flakes, PB&J, avocado, hummus). Order a bagel sandwich—like the one topped with gloriously smooth cream cheese, juicy blood orange, and honey." - sylvio martins, brant cox, nicolas zhou

"Layla is a welcome addition to LA’s bagel boom (thanks for starting it, Gjusta and Courage). But this Ocean Park bagel shop isn’t just part of a trend, it’s a lovely counter-service spot with great coffee and outrageously good bagels piled with the freshest produce available. And while you can order crusty-on-the-outside, cushiony-on-the-inside loosies, you’d be missing out if you didn’t try their open-face bagel offerings. Toppings range from classics (cream cheese, tomatoes, smoked salmon) to less typical stuff (lemon zest, chili flakes, PB&J, avocado, hummus). The bagel with seasonal fruit plus cream cheese and honey gives us goosebumps just thinking about it." - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore, cathy park

"Opened by chefs Sammi Tarantino and Tartine and Gjusta alum Sergio Espana, Layla serves bagels that are a cross between Montreal and New York styles. Served open-faced, the bagels arrive loaded with toppings like cream cheese, farmers market vegetables, and cured salmon. With its sceney front patio, solid lattes, and sweet and savory bagel combinations, Layla has become the place for languid weekend hangouts in Santa Monica." - Matthew Kang, Mona Holmes, Rebecca Roland

"Layla has waterfront views and pretty spectacular food—a rare combination in Santa Monica. The Jordanian grill sits just off the lobby of a historic Art Deco hotel, right along that touristy stretch of Ocean Avenue. Between the glam, candlelit room and easy-to-share charcoal-grilled meats, smoky dips, and baklava mille-feuille, it's a great date spot. So book a table before word gets out. After dinner, you can ride the old-school elevator up to The Coco Club, a new rooftop bar with panoramic views of the California coastline. " - brant cox, arden shore, sylvio martins