Venice
Establishment
neighborhood
Jacques Marie Mage
2324 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice
Jacques Marie Mage makes supremely cool sunglasses and eyeglasses, which are handmade in Japan.
The Unlikely Florist
715 Hampton Dr., Venice
Florist Spencer Falls puts together gorgeous, unexpected arrangements—often leafy and prickly-looking, with uncommon varieties of flowers.
Gjusta Flower Shop
1511 Park Row, Venice
The Gjelina family of restaurants has grown in all directions, now encompassing a grocery store, home goods store, rentable apartment, and flower shop down the street from Gjusta. It’s a beautiful space to pick up arrangements for events, for hostess gifts, or for your kitchen counter.
Market Venice
72 Market St., Venice
The pasta at Market Venice is great, and you should book a dinner reservation to dig into a bowl of cheesy, peppery bucatini. But the main event comes after the tables are cleared: The place stays open late as one of the best bars in this part of Venice. Make the last dinner reservation of the night and stay for espresso martinis and people-watching.
Winston House
23 Windward Ave., Venice
Winston House is the best spot in Venice to catch live music. They showcase emerging artists on Thursday nights (and they have a reputation for booking talent that hits it big later). Their house band plays on Friday nights and their DJs go late. If you snag the last dinner reservation of the night (order duck tacos and fries), you’ll skip the line that forms outside around 10—that’s when the dancing starts.
Venice Beach Wines
529 Rose Ave., Venice
Back when Venice Beach Wines popped up on Rose in 2006, it was barely more than a bodega. Now, it’s a built-out wine bar with solid brunch and dinner menus, a great happy hour, and both indoor and sidewalk seating. They also do takeaway charcuterie boards—grab one of those and a bottle of vino, and take off to the beach to catch sunset.
Gin Rummy
822 Washington Blvd., Venice
Gin Rummy is not quite a tiki bar, but you can expect to drink something slushy, made with rum, and topped with a pineapple slice. If you need something to soak up the booze, there’s a smallish food menu with coconut shrimp and burgers and fries.
The Little Friend
822 Washington Blvd., Venice
The Little Friend is one of the few spots on the west side where you can hit a good dance floor (its big sister, the Friend, is in Silver Lake).
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
64 Windward Ave., Venice
LA has a stellar ice cream scene, and Jeni’s is among the best. If you’re opting dairy-free, go for the lemon bar ice cream. Dairy-full? It’s all about the brown butter almond brittle and the gooey butter cake.
Open
57 Market St., Venice
Open is best known for their digital mindfulness platform and roster of all-star teachers. But a visit to their Venice studio inspires a bit of real-life magic: Flow through a yoga class, sink into a sound bath, or blast off with breathwork.