Helmed by baker-chef-owner Zoe Nathan, Huckleberry is charming, sunny new bakery and café in Santa Monica. Not only is it pretty much the perfect spot to grab a morning coffee or satisfy the odd pickle or brisket sandwich craving (both house-made, of course), it’s also a refreshing example of modern design. A collaboration between Montalbla Architects and Sarlan Builders, the space was a finalist in the Best Bar/Café category at this year’s L.A. AIA Restaurant Design Awards (it lost out to Kara’s Cupcakes). One of our favorite design elements is the artwork done by Nathan’s mother: old black and white family photos retouched with pop-arty splashes of color. But back to the food. The bakery is the sister restaurant to Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen and features market-driven items like wild arugula salad with figs and blue cheese, Niman Ranch maple-bacon biscuits and salted caramels. Those with an especially sweet tooth might opt for one of Nathan’s gooey-good pastries, or, soon, an ice cream cone. In January, Nathan and her husband-business partner Josh Loeb plan to open an as-yet-unnamed small-batch ice cream parlor at Brentwood Country mart.

Delicious maple bacon biscuit.

Jessica Mischner
Associate editor, Metropolitan Home