Malibu’s 10 Best Restaurants: Ocean Views and Gourmet Eats

Malibu is one of Southern California’s most upscale beach communities; as one of the places where the rich and famous meet to eat (and live, too), it boasts some of Los Angeles’ best restaurants. The best of the best are here, from the elegant Nobu Malibu and Mastro’s Ocean Club Malibu to classic fish shacks like the Reel Inn, where locals gather for fresh fish served in an ultra-casual spot. Longtime favorites including Paradise Cove Beach Cafe, where families have flocked for generations, are also included in this definitive list of the 10 Best Restaurants in Malibu.

Malibu’s culinary scene often focuses on local ingredients sourced from farms in the Malibu area. “Organic,” “farm to table” and “locally sourced” are all common terms you’ll see on menus at most of Malibu’s best restaurants. Some of the best dining spots in Malibu are the ones that are perched right on the ocean, either cliffside above the beach or right down in the sand. The best oceanfront restaurants in Malibu have open-air terraces – those are always the first tables to get nabbed. However, that’s not to say that the lovely indoor dining areas don’t provide an excellent atmosphere as well; most restaurants have large windows that face the ocean so indoor diners can still enjoy views of the vast water beyond the Malibu shores.