Eat Like An Aussie at This Sunny, Summery Café in Santa Monica

Food & Drinks

by Julie Pointer-Adams

Needing your Aussie fix but can’t quite make it to über-cool Bondi Beach for the day? This new Australian-inspired café in Santa Monica (by way of New York City) has got your back. Little Ruby is a charming spinoff of Ruby's Café in NYC that first put down roots in 2003, and has finally made its way west onto the shores of Los Angeles. This light-filled space (thanks to a glass garage door which fully opens up onto Santa Monica Boulevard) serves up the best in healthy-with-a-dose-of-down-home eats—Aussie-style, that is—which includes everything from salads and muesli to fried chicken burgers and truffle fries. If you’re hungry for something fresh and local with a touch of Down Under, Little Ruby will quickly become your go-to all-day eatery.

Surf, Sun and Salads

The summery, clean-but-playful look Little Ruby has going on is a winner in our book, with a view of buzzy Santa Monica Boulevard and a genuine laid-back ambiance—true to Aussie form. With cuter-than-cute cursive branding, whitewashed walls, ceramic dishware in pretty, milky pastels and the requisite indoor plant-life, we’re all about this little charmer. Heather blue upholstery cozies up the wall-length bench seating, while sun-lovers can opt for the generous-sized patio space, conveniently separated from sidewalk strollers by a beautiful waist-high wall filled with succulents. Mostly decked out in two-seater tables (which can easily be pushed together), Little Ruby is perfect for a first date, brunch with buds or dinner with your mom.

Photography: Jakob N. Layman

Brekkie All Day (Almost)

What we love about the menu here is there’s something for everyone—from your burger-loving brother to your vegan gaggle of girlfriends—and nothing falls short of delicious. Whether you’re craving a true Aussie brekkie of Vegemite toast, a big plate of ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb butter (um, yum) or a health-wise breakfast bowl with squash and wild mushrooms, Little Ruby has it all—and “breakfast” is served until 4pm. Let’s not forget about the wide range of salads, bowls, pasta and burgers, either. This place is serving up seriously mouthwatering options that won’t break the bank, with most dishes ranging from about $9 (simpler breakfast options) to a high end of $15 for protein-rich pasta dishes (like lamb ragu and shrimp pasta).

Photography: Little Ruby

Drinks All Around

Of course, we can’t forget about the bountiful beverage offerings as well, which includes everything from beer to wine to coffee to oh-so-tasty juices—pineapple and mint, anyone?—to smoothies to a small handful of mixed drinks. And naturally they thought of everything, so you can hit up the petite back bar if you’re just picking up coffee or need a refill on your rosé.

Photography: Little Ruby