Bower Surf Club

What is it: A laid-back, Aussie, surf-inspired, daytime cafe in Santa Monica with standout all-day breakfast and Amigo Roasters coffee and matcha, plus an open-door policy for laptops.

Why we love it: There aren’t many easy-breezy, beautiful lunch spots on the Westside that actually want you to stay awhile. Tucked into the Colorado Center office complex, Bower has become a de facto coworking space for the laptop crowd, and nobody’s going to rush you out. The Wi-Fi is as strong as the matcha (get the Sky matcha with honey and a coconut cloud), and the seating is ample, indoors and out—and plush, especially the booths. What’s more, chef Robert Song (Mina Group, Girl & the Goat) has built a menu that’s approachable and seriously craveable. Don’t be surprised if you wake up thinking about the breakfast burrito. Or the coconut mochi pancakes, fluffy like pancakes should be but with the springy chew of mochi—it’s a texture best experienced firsthand. If you want to secure a stack, show up before noon or it’s a roll of the dice. Beyond breakfast, the menu runs the gamut from decadent focaccia with ricotta, pistachio, olive oil and red chile to market-catch ceviche with corn tostadas and lettuce cups, plus a lineup of salads, bowls, wraps and sandwiches that hit every mark. For those getting work done, there’s plenty to sip: house-made sodas, horchata lattes, smoothies and a caffeine-free mesquite “coffee” latte with vanilla cold foam and sea salt. There are also cocktails and organic wines. And if you’d rather celebrate the end of the day, happy hour from 4 to 6pm brings $4 beers, $9 wines and a $10 burger with fries. In other words, you can get lunch, happy hour, dinner and a full workday for around $50—unheard of in L.A.  

Time Out tip: Parking in the area can be a nightmare, but fret not: The Colorado Center garage is free for up to three hours with validation from Bower.