The inaugural Ocean Way Festival will bring 15 Westside restaurants to Santa Monica Beach on Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27.
Goldenvoice, the concert promoter behind Coachella, built the food program around the neighborhood hosting the event, according to Food & Beverage Magazine. More than 25 Los Angeles restaurants will serve festivalgoers across the two-day run, and the Westside contingent includes several award-winning and Michelin-recognized concepts.
Border Grill, helmed by James Beard Award-winning chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, anchors the lineup alongside Michelin Bib Gourmand-rated Khan Saab, Sweetfin, Tacos 1986, Dave's Hot Chicken, Prince St. Pizza, Sidecar Doughnuts and Kogi BBQ. Cobi's, which holds Michelin recognition for its Southeast Asian cooking, rounds out the marquee names. Other Westside participants include Triple Beam Pizza, Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, Shrimp Daddy, Bun & Mi, New School Quality Grilled Cheese and Innamorata, the Santa Monica Sun reported.
Santa Monica's Offhand Wine Bar will curate a dedicated wine bar inside the festival grounds.
Food trucks from Kogi, Mac & Yease and Menotti's will roll directly onto the sand. Additional vendors include Gokoku, Saba Surf, Cena Vegan, Café La Vecindad and Odd One Out Tea.
A premium tier called the Proper Beach Club, a partnership with Proper Hotels, will feature a lounge by Kelly Wearstler Studio with all-day food and beverage from Calabra and Palma. Menu highlights include a Lamb Belly Taco, Lobster Corn Dog and the Proper Paloma cocktail.
The festival pairs the food program with headlining sets from The Killers and Jack White, plus Olivia Dean, Khruangbin, Sublime and more.
The city selected Goldenvoice through a competitive bidding process tied to Santa Monica's $60 million Realignment Plan, according to the Santa Monica Mirror. Mayor Caroline Torosis called the festival part of a broader push to welcome the world to the city's shores. The beachfront site falls within a newly designated zone called "The Sandbox on the Beach." The zone will host civic activations around the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the LA28 Olympic Games.
"Ocean Way Festival is our opportunity to celebrate that history while building something that feels authentically Santa Monica for years to come," Nic Adler, Goldenvoice's vice president of regional festivals, said in a July 17 statement when the festival was announced.
The festival's name nods to Ocean Way Recording, the studio audio engineer Allen Sides founded on a nearby Santa Monica street more than 40 years ago.
There is no on-site parking. Attendees must use the Metro E Line terminus, regional buses, bicycle valets or a complimentary shuttle from offsite lots. Beach parking in Lots 1–5 South will close during the event, though the pier, Ocean Front Walk and most beach areas will stay open with adjustments, according to a Patch report.
Single-day general admission passes start at $229. Two-day passes start at $399.
