Reviewing Society Kitchen: All-day brunch, lunch, and dinner cafe in Santa Monica.
In honor of Women’s History Month, I decided to find a new restaurant to try that is woman-owned. During my research, I came across several amazing options, but Society Kitchen caught my attention due to their exceptional ratings and because I had previously heard of the spot from a fellow foodie friend. Society Kitchen is owned by two sisters of Persian background. While much of their menu is American, there is definitely a Persian inspiration to the presentation of the dishes.
We found a metered parking spot right around the corner from the restaurant. Upon walking up, the outdoor seating was packed. It looked like someone was having their birthday brunch. We got a booth inside and examined the menu. We noticed how organized it was, with a “pick-up and takeout” side of the restaurant and a “dine-in” counter. The shelf of pastries was quite empty, so we knew we had missed out on some scrumptious baked goods. The hanging plants are really cute decor, and everything was extremely chic and clean-looking.
While the whole menu looked appetizing and had our mouths watering, we finally decided what we wanted to order. I had the iced matcha latte and my friend got the chocolate bourbon latte. Both drinks were served with a cute floral garnish on top. The iced matcha was quite chalky, meaning the matcha powder wasn’t dissolved well. It also was not sweet enough for my liking. Matcha definitely isn’t their specialty here. The chocolate bourbon latte was pretty tasty. It wasn’t too sweet and had just the right amount of chocolate flavor. The espresso was smooth, and the oat milk was a nice touch.
To eat, we wanted one item from the breakfast menu and one from the lunch menu, so we ordered the burrata toast with seasonal jam and the blackberry grilled cheese.
The toast was plated beautifully and tasted yummy too. The bread was perfectly toasted — not too hard, and not soggy from the burrata. The burrata could’ve used a bit of flavoring of either salt or oil, while the jam was delicious and fresh. The pistachio garnish was a nice touch and provided some texture to the softer toppings. Like the drinks, the toast was topped with a floral garnish.
The blackberry grilled cheese was the most unique thing on the menu, so we had to try it. We were not disappointed! The flavor was exceptional, and like the burrata-jam toast, the bread was perfectly toasted. The sweet and spicy contrast between the blackberry jam and the jalapeño peppers created fireworks in my mouth. Now, for the star of the show: the sweet potato fries. The three sauces that the fries came with were ranch, ketchup, and garlic aioli. The fries were good plain, but when dipped in the garlic aioli sauce, they were excellent. I highly recommend getting the sweet potato fries when coming to Society Kitchen.
The staff here is so accommodating and friendly. The ambiance is great and ideal for a brunch with friends, a breakfast or lunch date, or even a work meet-up. I already got some phenomenal recommendations for my next visit, and can’t wait to go back to try them. Items include the ube latte, breakfast burrito, fried rice bowl, lemon ricotta pancakes, kale salad, and regular fries. Also, check out their happy hour because they have great deals and specials.