Inn of the Seventh Ray

Topanga is a weird and wonderful place, and the Inn of the Seventh Ray is utterly transportive. Despite going on half a century, it remains one of the canyon's best-kept secrets for good reason. Dinner plays out like a fairytale: enter through a vine-covered archway, wind down brick pathways to your table, and dine beneath grand old sycamores and oaks draped in twinkling lights, alongside a flowing creek (rain-dependent) and chirping frogs (kiss the girl, anyone?). 

While the New Age haven now aims to attract a more mainstream clientele, it hasn't lost touch with its hippie roots—vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes happily coexist alongside grass-fed filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and black-vinegar-braised short ribs with BBQ-spiced carrots. The locally sourced, organic menu pairs nicely with a biodynamic wine list (which received a 2025 award of excellence from Wine Enthusiast), and dinner might also include crispy shrimp cakes, grilled octopus or a creamy black truffle risotto. Weekend brunch is great too, especially the whole-grain Belgian waffles. After a year and a quarter of intermittent closures due to the fires and landslides, Topanga Canyon Boulevard is finally fully open again, meaning there's no longer an excuse to skip this canyon gem. Don't skimp on the à la carte bread service either, featuring house-baked rustic bread with fennel butter.