Rustic Canyon Family

Founder Josh Loeb hosted an intimate series of dinners at his tree house-like home nestled in Rustic Canyon. He’d shop at the nearby Santa Monica Farmers’ Market for the best produce and come up with different themes for each night. Lovers of quality food and wine would gather around a long, candlelit table to share the joy of a meal created with thought and passion. New friends were made, stories were told and favorite wines were discovered. This is what inspired the idea behind Rustic Canyon, which opened in December 2006. Soon after, Zoe Nathan, also a Santa Monica native, joined the team as Pastry Chef. With their friend Colby Goff, Josh and Zoe began organically opening more restaurants in the neighborhood that filled a missing niche, such as a farmers’ market-driven ice cream shop, pizza parlor or beachside Mexican restaurant.

Our Rustic Canyon Family includes a variety of dining destinations, all in partnership with some of our favorite people and incredibly, talented chefs. We embrace seasonality and make as much as possible in-house using classic craftsmanship and technique, while sourcing the highest-quality ingredients from local farmers and vendors with sustainable practices. We believe in creating welcoming spaces for everyone, and really take “family” to heart, by ensuring our employees and all who walk through our doors feel at home.

Rustic Canyon – Helmed by James Beard-nominated Chef/Partner Jeremy Fox and Executive Chef Zarah Khan, this hyper-seasonal, critically-acclaimed restaurant embodies a slow food ethos and is constantly inspired by the beautiful ingredients that come from the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market—located just blocks away. We make everything from scratch here (even the sea salt) and the vegetable and seafood-centric menu draws influences from the Levant, Morocco and Pakistan as a celebration of Zarah’s cultural upbringing. Our award-winning wine list, curated by Rustic Canyon Family Wine Director Kathryn Coker, runs 300+ bottles deep, while longtime Bar Manager Justin Dicken’s inventive cocktails share the kitchen’s zero-waste philosophy.

Huckleberry Bakery & Café – What started off as a series of weekend breakfast pop-ups at Rustic Canyon turned into this Santa Monica Farmers’ Market-inspired bakery, cafe and marketplace that debuted in February 2009. Pastry Chef/Partner Laurel Almerinda keeps the pastry case overflowing with biscuits, tarts and doughnuts, Executive Chef D’Lynn Bickers whips up an all-day menu of egg dishes, salads, sandwiches and dinner-friendly take & bake items, while the marketplace contains the best, organic fruits and vegetables from the nearby farmers’ market, alongside artisan foods, baking mixes and more. Zoe, Josh and Laurel also published a cookbook in 2014 called Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets and Recipes from our Kitchen. It features over 115 simple recipes for our signature pastries and sweet/savory breakfast dishes.

Sweet Rose Creamery – As one of the few homegrown Los Angeles ice cream shops, Sweet Rose was born out of Josh, Zoe, Colby and Founding Chef Shiho Yoshikawa’s desire to create delicious ice cream in a nostalgic setting. The first shop opened in 2010 at the Brentwood Country Mart and we have another charming shop on Santa Monica’s Main Street. Our small batches of organic ice cream feature ingredients from the farmers’ market and are handcrafted daily, with flavors ranging from comforting classics to more whimsical, seasonal offerings.

Milo + Olive – This neighborhood bakery and pizzeria debuted in winter 2011, and it’s also the bread-baking hub for our group. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, pop in early for one of Head Baker Andrea Shirey’s bagels, rustic tarts or a fresh loaf of bread to-go. Later in the day, dig into our classic and seasonal wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, farmers’ market vegetable dishes, Italian-inspired proteins, plus more. Don’t forget the Garlic Knot—it’s a local favorite!

Cassia – This critically-acclaimed, James Beard-nominated Southeast Asian brasserie opened in June 2015 as a partnership with Chef Bryant Ng and his wife Kim Luu-Ng. Taking its roots from Bryant and Kim’s culinary heritage and experiences, it celebrates the fresh, vibrant flavors of Southeast Asia, while striking a unique balance of soulful, ancestral cuisine and a California sensibility, utilizing the best quality ingredients from local farmers. General Manager & Sommelier Marianna Caldwell’s comprehensive wine list encompasses an intriguing, global selection of small production, planet-friendly wines, while Bar Manager Jiayu Liu’s fun cocktails incorporate Southeast Asian flavors and seasonal ingredients.

Esters Wine Shop & Bar – Right across the hall from Cassia is this chic wine bar and shop that opened in July 2015. Co-owned by Rustic Canyon Family Wine Director Kathryn Coker and her husband Tug, you can come for a glass of champagne and a meal, buy a special bottle for a friend, stock your wine cellar and attend weekly Sunday tastings. There are 250+ wines to choose from curated by Kathryn and Sommelier Randall Middleton, alongside seasonal cocktails and mocktails from Bar Manager Jonah Atkins. The all-day menu by Chef de Cuisine Sheyna McCallister pulls influences from the team’s favorite French and Spanish wine bars, with a variety of seasonal composed plates, snacks and charcuterie & cheese.

Tallula’s – Just steps from the beach, this casual, neighborhood Mexican restaurant and bar debuted in May 2017 and is helmed by Cuernavaca native and Executive Chef Juan Robles. Josh and Zoe both grew up going to this location in its former incarnation as a Tex Mex restaurant, and it continues to be a beloved gathering place and watering hole for the canyon community. Beach-goers linger in the huge, outdoor “Beer Garden” for happy hour margaritas, tropical cocktails and great music, while tequila and mezcal aficionados hang out in the colorful “Felix’s Bar” and sip through one of the largest collections of small-batch agave spirits on the Westside. During dinner and weekend brunch, friends and family gather around heaps of cheesy nachos, stunning platters of fresh, local fish, beautiful vegetables from the nearby farmers’ market, and incredible tacos featuring the team’s acclaimed, housemade masa.

Birdie G’s – Tucked away within Santa Monica’s historic Bergamot Station, this fun, neighborhood restaurant opened in late June 2019 from Jeremy Fox. It takes inspiration from Jeremy’s Eastern European roots and California’s abundant produce, and imbues a sense of nostalgia, no matter when and where you grew up. He and Executive Chef Matthew Schaler’s comforting menu features a variety of California wood-grilled meats and fish, beautiful seasonal vegetable dishes and salads, handmade pastas and whimsical mashups like the “World Famous” Rose Petal Pie. The 250+ wine list also features over 90 half bottle options, and the bar (aka “The Bird’s Nest”) is the perfect spot to post up for one of Bar Manager Stephanie Reading’s wildly creative cocktails or a classic Martini.

The Dutchess – This all-day bakery, café and Burmese-Californian restaurant is in the heart of downtown Ojai, and housed in an historic building on the site of the town’s first bakery. It’s an “everything place” that captures the spirit of Ojai’s farmers and artisans, and is a fun eclectic collaboration amongst friends and family—Zoe, Josh, Baker Kelsey Brito and Chef Saw Naing. Daytime features great coffee and tea from local purveyors, rustic breads and pastries, comforting egg dishes, fresh salads and seasonal sandwiches. Nighttime shifts into an energetic restaurant featuring Burmese fare, as a celebration of Saw’s heritage. Sommelier Emily Johnston curates a list of small production wines focused on grapes farmed in an ecologically-responsible way, alongside the team’s farmers’ market-driven classic cocktails and mocktails, and regional craft beers. Everything is crafted from beautiful ingredients, with the majority coming from within 50 miles, including Zoe and Josh’s 50/50 Farms and other farms focused on soil health.