Guidebook for Culver City
Food Scene
Helms Bakery was built in 1931 and operated as a bakery (naturally) for more than four decades. The cherished historic landmark has since been repurposed as a group of restaurants, shops and public spaces for locals to enjoy. The delicious burger joint Father's Office has a home here, as does the Patchwork craft fair when it comes into town. The bakery itself is slated to reopen—eventually—under the helm of pastry chef Sherry Yard.
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Helms Bakery District
8800 Venice Blvd.Helms Bakery was built in 1931 and operated as a bakery (naturally) for more than four decades. The cherished historic landmark has since been repurposed as a group of restaurants, shops and public spaces for locals to enjoy. The delicious burger joint Father's Office has a home here, as does the Patchwork craft fair when it comes into town. The bakery itself is slated to reopen—eventually—under the helm of pastry chef Sherry Yard.
Le Pain Quotidien
8607 Melrose AveBelgian restaurant.
Curries, noodles & traditional entrees plus vegetarian options in a dynamic, modern setting.
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Natalee
10101 Venice Blvd.Curries, noodles & traditional entrees plus vegetarian options in a dynamic, modern setting.
Sleek, stylish eatery for classic BBQ, upgraded sides & counter seats to watch chefs in action.
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Maple Block Meat Co.
3973 Sepulveda BlvdSleek, stylish eatery for classic BBQ, upgraded sides & counter seats to watch chefs in action.
Petit, informal eatery for familiar French specialties, weekly specials & a Sunday champagne brunch.
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Meet in Paris French Bistro
9727 Culver BlvdPetit, informal eatery for familiar French specialties, weekly specials & a Sunday champagne brunch.
Artsy industrial joint serving panini & sourdough pizzas cooked in a brick oven built in Italy.
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Wildcraft Culver City
9725 Culver BlvdArtsy industrial joint serving panini & sourdough pizzas cooked in a brick oven built in Italy.
Vegan outlet featuring a range of original entrees, burgers & desserts along with a beer garden.
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Sage Plant Based Bistro West
5668 Sepulveda BlvdVegan outlet featuring a range of original entrees, burgers & desserts along with a beer garden.
Cafe Vida
9755 Culver BlvdSandwhiches, Cafes and Burgers.
Awesome Happy Hour & Dinner. Wine Wednesdays: 50% off every bottle of wine.
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AKASHA
9543 Culver BlvdAwesome Happy Hour & Dinner. Wine Wednesdays: 50% off every bottle of wine.
Culver City Farmers Market
Main StreetEvery Tuesday, 2pm-7pm. Fresh local produce.
Father's Office
1018 Montana AveBest burger in LA!
Samosa House
11510 Washington BlvdSmall spot with lots of variety and spice.
A landmark. It's like stepping back in time. Huge hot fresh delicious pastrami sandwiches. Order the small size pastrami sandwich for 1 and large for 2 people.
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Johnnie's Pastrami
4017 Sepulveda BlvdA landmark. It's like stepping back in time. Huge hot fresh delicious pastrami sandwiches. Order the small size pastrami sandwich for 1 and large for 2 people.
Tender Greens
6290 Sunset BlvdGreat healthy food option.
Great pastries and coffee. Excellent for lunch or breakfast. Nice atmosphere. Quintessential French.
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La Dijonaise
8703 Washington BlvdGreat pastries and coffee. Excellent for lunch or breakfast. Nice atmosphere. Quintessential French.
Great American fare. Reasonable price and nice portions. Good people watching and lots of unique beer on tap.
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Public School 310
9411 Culver BlvdGreat American fare. Reasonable price and nice portions. Good people watching and lots of unique beer on tap.
Great outdoor garden patio. Very quaint French ambiance and excellent crepes. Violinist on weekend brunch.
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Cafe Laurent
12034 Overland AveGreat outdoor garden patio. Very quaint French ambiance and excellent crepes. Violinist on weekend brunch.
A bustling, no-frills eatery known for crispy tacos, served at the counter or to carry out.
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Tito’s Tacos
11222 Washington PlA bustling, no-frills eatery known for crispy tacos, served at the counter or to carry out.
Drinks & Nightlife
Historic hotel. Great night life option on weekends. Live band.
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The Culver Hotel
9400 Culver BlvdHistoric hotel. Great night life option on weekends. Live band.
Parks & Nature
Griffith may get all of the attention, but Kenneth Hahn is impressive in both size and topography for a park in the middle of the Westside. On top of the usual list of amenities, the Culver City-adjacent park contains a lotus pond, fishing lake and sand volleyball court. But the urban oasis really establishes itself with more than seven miles of walking and hiking trails through the Baldwin Hills, with views of almost every corner of the LA Basin—from the South Bay and the Pacific Ocean to Downtown and the San Gabriel Mountains.
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Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
4100 S La Cienega BlvdGriffith may get all of the attention, but Kenneth Hahn is impressive in both size and topography for a park in the middle of the Westside. On top of the usual list of amenities, the Culver City-adjacent park contains a lotus pond, fishing lake and sand volleyball court. But the urban oasis really establishes itself with more than seven miles of walking and hiking trails through the Baldwin Hills, with views of almost every corner of the LA Basin—from the South Bay and the Pacific Ocean to Downtown and the San Gabriel Mountains.
It's 282 steep, concrete stairs to the top of this Westside lookout, with a windy, paved walk down. On weekends and weekdays after work, the wide stairs are jam-packed with young locals, couples and groups of friends working out together. Having a lazy day? Take a shortcut and drive up to the top of the hill and park in the many empty spaces ($6). Once you reach the summit, sit at the long park bench and take in the 360-degree city views.
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Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
6300 Hetzler RdIt's 282 steep, concrete stairs to the top of this Westside lookout, with a windy, paved walk down. On weekends and weekdays after work, the wide stairs are jam-packed with young locals, couples and groups of friends working out together. Having a lazy day? Take a shortcut and drive up to the top of the hill and park in the many empty spaces ($6). Once you reach the summit, sit at the long park bench and take in the 360-degree city views.
Arts & Culture
Part wildlife rescue center, part educational facility, this very family-friendly enterprise practices what it preaches in terms of environmental awareness—it was even built from recycled materials. Staff provides care for unwanted exotic animals, many of which have either been donated by the public or were confiscated by governmental agencies. Families are welcome to pet an alligator or stroke a snake as they learn about endangered species, environmental concerns and how kids can make a change. A number of other exhibits add further context; call or check online for details of special events.
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Star Eco Station
10101 Jefferson BlvdPart wildlife rescue center, part educational facility, this very family-friendly enterprise practices what it preaches in terms of environmental awareness—it was even built from recycled materials. Staff provides care for unwanted exotic animals, many of which have either been donated by the public or were confiscated by governmental agencies. Families are welcome to pet an alligator or stroke a snake as they learn about endangered species, environmental concerns and how kids can make a change. A number of other exhibits add further context; call or check online for details of special events.
Committed to the promotion of emerging talent, this intimate and welcoming gallery distinguishes itself from the pack with its intriguing pop-artist exhibitions and jam-packed gallery openings. Thinkspace Art Gallery is committed to showcasing work that spans popular culture, graphic art, design and street art. Past exhibitions have featured creations by Karla Ortiz, Elliot Brown, Seamus Conley, Henrik AA. Uldalen and dozens more.
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Thinkspace Gallery
4217 W Jefferson BlvdCommitted to the promotion of emerging talent, this intimate and welcoming gallery distinguishes itself from the pack with its intriguing pop-artist exhibitions and jam-packed gallery openings. Thinkspace Art Gallery is committed to showcasing work that spans popular culture, graphic art, design and street art. Past exhibitions have featured creations by Karla Ortiz, Elliot Brown, Seamus Conley, Henrik AA. Uldalen and dozens more.
Tim Robbins remains in charge of the Actors' Gang, the theater company he co-founded in the '80s. Productions remain hard-edged and presentational, and often rely on politically charged material. Performances take place in a century-old electricity substation.
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The Actors' Gang
9070 Venice Blvd.Tim Robbins remains in charge of the Actors' Gang, the theater company he co-founded in the '80s. Productions remain hard-edged and presentational, and often rely on politically charged material. Performances take place in a century-old electricity substation.
The Westside branch of the Center Theatre Group offers the company's most adventurous fare, along with intermittent collaborations with some of LA's smaller troupes. The theater itself was originally built as a cinema and retains its iconic old neon sign out front.
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Kirk Douglas Theatre
9820 Washington BlvdThe Westside branch of the Center Theatre Group offers the company's most adventurous fare, along with intermittent collaborations with some of LA's smaller troupes. The theater itself was originally built as a cinema and retains its iconic old neon sign out front.
Don't be fooled by the name, this is not some kind of Spielbergian dinosaurland. It's far more interesting than that. Hidden behind an unassuming, windowless storefront, David Wilson's Museum of Jurassic Technology presents itself as a repository of curiosities, scientific wonders and artistic miracles. Which exhibits, if any, are bona fide? Which, if any, are satirical? A subversive, witty and brilliant enterprise, the museum challenges the very nature of what a museum is or should be, while also taking its place as one of the most fascinating attractions in the entire city.
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Museum of Jurassic Technology
9341 Venice Blvd.Don't be fooled by the name, this is not some kind of Spielbergian dinosaurland. It's far more interesting than that. Hidden behind an unassuming, windowless storefront, David Wilson's Museum of Jurassic Technology presents itself as a repository of curiosities, scientific wonders and artistic miracles. Which exhibits, if any, are bona fide? Which, if any, are satirical? A subversive, witty and brilliant enterprise, the museum challenges the very nature of what a museum is or should be, while also taking its place as one of the most fascinating attractions in the entire city.
An earnest exhibition compiled by a young, Cold War–obsessed academic, this small collection is somewhat appropriately located in an anonymous office park, making it feel like an undercover operation. There are Stasi artifacts here, along with propaganda posters, remnants of the East German counterculture and segments of the Berlin Wall. So why is it in LA? According to founder Justinian Jampol, the geographic remove lends critical distance. Case in point: the Wende’s acquisition of East German ruler Erich Honecker’s personal papers, which Honecker requested be housed in a non-German institution.
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The Wende Museum of the Cold War
10808 Culver BlvdAn earnest exhibition compiled by a young, Cold War–obsessed academic, this small collection is somewhat appropriately located in an anonymous office park, making it feel like an undercover operation. There are Stasi artifacts here, along with propaganda posters, remnants of the East German counterculture and segments of the Berlin Wall. So why is it in LA? According to founder Justinian Jampol, the geographic remove lends critical distance. Case in point: the Wende’s acquisition of East German ruler Erich Honecker’s personal papers, which Honecker requested be housed in a non-German institution.
Shopping
This luxury shopping complex has brought nearly 20 high-end eateries and shops to Culver City, with outposts of Blue Bottle Coffee and Van Leeuwen, as well as mindful-living staples like Sweetgreen and SoulCycle, and the meat-centric butcher/restaurant the Cannibal. The colorful complex sits just across the street from the Culver City Metro stop, making it both a convenient stop on the way to Santa Monica and a destination in its own right.
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Platform LA
8850 Washington BlvdThis luxury shopping complex has brought nearly 20 high-end eateries and shops to Culver City, with outposts of Blue Bottle Coffee and Van Leeuwen, as well as mindful-living staples like Sweetgreen and SoulCycle, and the meat-centric butcher/restaurant the Cannibal. The colorful complex sits just across the street from the Culver City Metro stop, making it both a convenient stop on the way to Santa Monica and a destination in its own right.
Trader Joe's is a neighborhood grocery store with amazing food and drink from around the globe and around the corner.
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Trader Joe's
6150 Slauson AveTrader Joe's is a neighborhood grocery store with amazing food and drink from around the globe and around the corner.
Best Buy
1015 N La Brea AveElectronics Store
Essentials
Rite Aid
888 Lincoln BlvdDrug store. Pharmacy.
Ralphs
910 Lincoln BlvdNearby grocery store.
LA Fitness
1914 S Bundy DrGym & Fitness
Entertainment & Activities
As you pass through the studio gates on this leisurely walking tour, you’re immediately greeted by Tony Tasset’s arching Rainbow sculpture—a nod to the studio’s past as the home of The Wizard of Oz. The lot’s footprint has been significantly downsized since then, when it was known as the iconic MGM Studios, but the magnolia tree-lined sidewalks and clean, white Art Deco facades provide a pleasant backdrop for a trip through Tinseltown's past and present.
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Sony Pictures Entertainment
10202 Washington BlvdAs you pass through the studio gates on this leisurely walking tour, you’re immediately greeted by Tony Tasset’s arching Rainbow sculpture—a nod to the studio’s past as the home of The Wizard of Oz. The lot’s footprint has been significantly downsized since then, when it was known as the iconic MGM Studios, but the magnolia tree-lined sidewalks and clean, white Art Deco facades provide a pleasant backdrop for a trip through Tinseltown's past and present.
ArcLight
9500 Culver BlvdMovie theater.