A few sandy steps from the shoreline, Marelle has quietly taken its place as a go-to dining destination in Santa Monica. Helmed by renowned Culinary Director Raphael Lunetta, the restaurant is a love letter to the flavors of Coastal California, seasoned with global curiosity and deepened by a reverence for local, seasonal ingredients.
Drawing on more than three decades of culinary artistry for this newest venture, Lunetta starts a new chapter for the celebrated chef. Named after the French word for “Star of the Sea,” the restaurant captures the romance of the ocean and the land that borders it, all through a lens of laid-back luxury. Located down two flights of stairs, nearly level with the beach just steps away, the restaurant is the main dining establishment in the Sandbourne Santa Monica, Autograph Collection.
The menu reads like a passport of Lunetta’s inspirations with dishes rooted with the rhythm (and seasonal produce) of California’s coast. Highlights of the summer menu include a silky hamachi crudo dressed with jalapeño-kefir lime ponzu, a sun-kissed farmers market fruit cocktail, and a rich duck confit with fresh cherries and toasted almonds. Other specials include the Jidori chicken, served over creamy stone-ground polenta with summer peaches while the daily fish specials speak to the kitchen’s nimble creativity.
A spirited companion to the food, Marelle’s cocktail program is both playful and purposeful with a lineup that toasts to joy in all its forms. Signature sips like “La Vie En Rose,” a rosé-hued twist on the classic paloma, arrive in handmade clay cups, inviting guests to quite literally see the world through rose-colored glasses. Their “Star of the Sea” cocktail comes served in a seashell-shaped martini glass, a nod to Marelle’s namesake and a fitting symbol of its coastal soul.
Marelle’s atmosphere is just as considered as its cuisine and cocktail program. Designed by Icelandic visionary Gulla Jónsdóttir, the space unfolds in textures of sun-bleached wood, handwoven fibers and earthy ceramic tones that mirror the beach just beyond its doors. Custom pendant lamps (crafted in Oaxaca in collaboration with Laviva Home) cast a warm glow and it features a serene patio and two private dining rooms.
Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Marelle is an inviting gathering place where the flavors of California shine.