Experience the Flavors of Santa Monica With Distinct Culinary
Experiences This Fall

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — 340 days of sunshine, al fresco dining with ocean views, an award-winning Farmers Market and a laid-back California beach lifestyle make Santa Monica an international dining destination that attracts innovative chefs from around the world. It’s no wonder Zagat Survey has named Santa Monica the best neighborhood for dining in all of Southern California for two consecutive years. This fall, ocean breezes, beachfront views and spectacular sunsets will complement various culinary experiences and events throughout the city.

From October 2-7 and October 9-14, over 45 Santa Monica restaurants will participate in the Fall 2011 dineLA Restaurant Week which will be available in three price categories for a pre-fixe menu: Deluxe Dining is $16 for lunch and $26 for dinner; Premier Dining is $22 for lunch and $34 for dinner, and Fine Dining is $28 for lunch and $44 for dinner (beverages, tax and gratuity are not included; participating meal periods vary by restaurant).  For a complete list of participating Santa Monica restaurants, please visit www.santamonica.com/dine-la.

And the Fall feast continues, Santa Monica is excited to play host to a number of luxurious and exciting culinary experiences as part of the Los Angeles Food And Wine event happening October 13^th through 16^th.  Celebrity Chef Tom Colicchio will host a Clambake at the Jonathan Club on Friday, October 14^th featuring unique takes on coastal cuisine and beach friendly, wine, beer, and spirits and on Saturday, October 15, Food Network Chef Guy Fieri will host a Brew B Que on the world famous Santa Monica Pier. Exclusive lunches showcasing local talent will take place at Melisse with Chef Josiah Citrin and FIG with Chef Ray Garcia.

Santa Monica hotels are offering distinct culinary packages designed to showcase the varying flavors and distinct attractions in Santa Monica this fall.

Locals and visitors alike can surf with Chef Bowlin at Hotel Casa del Mar by booking a Surf with Chef package that includes an overnight stay, surf lessons with chef and a private instructor, capped off with a market fresh lunch.  Chef Bowlin also invites locals to join him for a day of surfing and a market fresh lunch he’ll prepare for two at Catch restaurant at the hotel.

At Shutters on the Beach, guests are invited to peruse the award-winning Wednesday Santa Monica Farmer’s Market with Chef Michael Reardon only to enjoy those ingredients picked from select purveyors as showcased in that night’s Market Dinner at Coast Beach Café & Bar.  Guests will also receive a copy of The Summertime Anytime Cookbook: Recipes from Shutters on the Beach, by Shutter's Co-Owner and celebrated chef Dana Slatkin to recreate Shutters' meals at home.

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is also offering a Santa Monica Foodie package this fall which includes a two-night stay in deluxe or higher accommodations and a chef’s welcome amenity featuring house made cape gooseberry preserves, Redwood Hill Farm goat cheese, a bottle of local wine and other tastes of the region (items change seasonally), reservations for two to Gourmandise, an innovative culinary school located in The Market at Santa Monica Place mall, where guests can learn to prepare everything from puff pastries and summer tarts to French macaroons and Japanese Izakaya, a four-course wine dinner for two in the hotel’s oceanfront Ocean & Vine restaurant featuring the farmers’ market fare that makes California famous and a copy of the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market cookbook by Amelia Saltsman.

Hotel Oceana is offering a healthy and eco-friendly way to enjoy the Santa Monica dining scene with their Fall Harvest Package, which includes a welcome basket with the Santa Monica Farmers Market cookbook, a daily seasonal amenity fresh from the farmers market, a glass of Prosecco or Ritual Cleanse juice upon arrival, Oceana re-useable water bottles and bags and complimentary use of Oceana beach cruisers to explore Santa Monica restaurants without using a car.

Guests can enjoy a tailor-made beach picnic crafted by the Chefs at Hotel Shangri-La with organic ingredients fresh from the farmers’ market. Afterwards, they invite you to the rooftop bar/lounge, Suite 700, for world-class mixology and a stunning sunset. Package Includes, 1 Bedroom Suite with Gourmet Kitchen & Ocean Views, 2 Cocktails of your choosing to sip while enjoying the sunset from Suite 700, Beach Picnic Lunch for 2 and Complimentary Valet Parking.

About Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau

Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For travel and accommodation information or a free copy of the Official Visitors Guide, the public can write to the Santa Monica Visitor Center, 1920 Main Street Suite B, Santa Monica, CA 90405; call (800) 544-5319 or (310) 393-7593; visit http://www.santamonica.com; or email info@santamonica.com. Follow SMCVB on Twitter @GoSantaMonica or become a FaceBook fan at http://www.facebook.com/visitsantamonica.