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Ye Olde King’s Head (Map; 310-451-1402; 116 Santa Monica Blvd; mains $11-20; 10am-10pm Mon-Thu, 10am-midnight Fri & Sat, 8am-10pm Sun; ) This is the unofficial HQ of Santa Monica’s huge British expat population, and if you don’t mind the fusty odor of over 30-years’ worth of kitchen and Guinness fumes, you’ll feel quite Piccadilly here. They do English breakfast and afternoon tea, but it’s the King’s fish and chips ($13 to $16) that truly deserves our royal respects.

Father’s Office (Map; 310-393-2337; 1018 Montana Ave; tapas $3.50-5, burgers $12; 5pm-1am Mon-Thu, 4pm-2am Fri, noon-2am Sat, noon-midnight Sun) This elbow-to-elbow gastropub is definitely a candidate for ‘burger king’ in town. Theirs is a dry-aged-beef number dressed in smoky bacon, sweet caramelized onion and an ingenious combo of Gruyère and blue cheese. Pair it with fries served in a mini shopping cart and a mug of handcrafted brew chosen from the three-dozen on tap.

For industrial-weight omelettes and sandwiches, head to the always popular Omelette Parlor (Map; 310-399-7892; 2732 Main St; dishes under $7; 6am-2:30pm Mon-Fri, 6am-4pm Sat & Sun).

Santa Monica also has a branch of Swingers (Map; 310-393-9793; 802 Broadway), the happening diner near the Farmers Market (Click here for a full review).

MIDRANGE

Violet (Map; 310-453-9113; 3221 Pico Blvd; small plates $5-16; 11:30am-2pm Tue-Fri, 6-10pm Tue-Sun) With his skinny jeans, tattoos and jet-black hair, Jared Simons looks more like a rock star than LA’s latest hot, young chef. His smartly seductive – if incredibly noisy – neighborhood bistro is often packed to capacity. The draw is sophisticated farm-fresh spins of American and California favorites, served in grazer-friendly small portions. Before 7pm, you can pick from seven plates costing just $7.

Lares (Map; 310-829-4559; 2909 Pico Blvd; mains $7-23; 8am-1am; ) There’s nothing trendy about this family-run Mexican neighborhood favorite whose subdued Spanish Colonial furnishings make it feel more festive than fiesta. The slow-cooked carnitas – juicy and fall-apart pork – are a specialty, as are the sizzling fajitas. Just don’t OD on the smokey chipotle salsa. Good margaritas, too.

Hump (Map; 310-313-0977; 3221 Donald Douglas Lp S, 3rd fl; dishes $8-20; noon-2pm Mon-Fri, 6-10pm daily; ) Romance runs high behind the bamboo-accented windows at this tiny but superb rooftop sushi bar with stellar views of private planes soaring off to the great unknown. It’s at the Santa Monica airport and named for an aviator’s nickname for the Himalayas.

Library Alehouse (Map; 310-314-4855; 2911 Main St; mains $9-23; 11:30am-midnight) Locals gather for the food as much as the beer at this wood-paneled gastropub with a cozy outdoor patio in the back. Angus burgers, fish tacos and hearty salads sate the 30-something postwork regulars while 29 hand-crafted microbrews keep ’em hanging around till midnight.

Lobster (Map; 310-458-9294; 1602 Ocean Ave; mains $12-38; 11:30am-10pm Sun-Thu, 11:30am-11pm Fri & Sat; ) The ocean views impress as much as the food at this lively seafood shrine. It’s always packed to the gills thanks to dock-fresh ingredients and Allyson Thurber’s flawlessly crafted plates. Impress your server with your local knowledge by ordering a side-serve of the off-menu truffle parmesan fries and make sure you order the rich chocolate banana-bread pudding or the beautifully feathery panna cotta.

More options:

Caprice Fine French Pastries (Map; 310-453-1932; 3213 Pico Blvd; 7:30am-5:30pm Mon-Sat) For the most delectable and pretty cakes and desserts under the sun, ring the doorbell and buy ‘em right off the bakery tray.

Urth Caffé (Map; 310-314-7040; 2327 Main St; mains $7-13; 6am-11pm; ) Mini-chain famous for its organic coffees, teas and food. Click here for details.

TOP END

JiRaffe (Map; 310-917-6671; 502 Santa Monica Blvd; mains $26-38; dinner; ) Raphael Lunetta knows his waves and his kitchen. The avid surfer who studied cooking in France is a wizard when it comes to Cal-French