Culver City has a rich, storied history as a moviemaking hub, but nowadays, it’s better known as one of the city’s hottest culinary destinations, rising among the ranks of other Westside fine dining meccas like Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica. That’s due in large part to an increased demand for local, worthwhile dining options from an influx of digital media and tech workers who now frequent the area.
“Since the restaurant was founded in 1959, Tito’s Tacos has witnessed firsthand how the city has evolved from a sleepy neighborhood community where the fictional town of Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show was shot to now developing into one of the fastest-growing digital entertainment hubs on the planet,” says Lynne Davidson, co-owner of Culver City landmark Tito’s Tacos and granddaughter of founder Benjamin Davidson.
As tons of tech and media companies—Amazon, Apple, HBO, and TikTok, to name a few—move into the area, new restaurants are opening to serve the appetites of their employees. “What’s exciting about Culver City is that it’s seeing an influx of residents moving in from the entertainment and tech industries, who tend to lean towards different and unique dining experiences,” says Piccalilli co-owner and executive chef Macks Collins. Now, fine-dining institutions live alongside fast-casual eateries, giving this once-sleepy suburb a variety of phenomenal options to keep your taste buds from ever getting bored.
From boom to bust to boom again, Culver City’s dining scene continues to grow and develop. Whether you want a decadent brunch or classic steakhouse fare, old-school tacos or new-school tacos, here are the 21 best places to gorge yourself in Culver City.