Sunny Blue

Once the only standalone onigiri spot on the Westside (they’ve since opened a Culver City location), this tiny but mighty Japanese omusubi shop on Santa Monica’s Main Street is the perfect place for a light lunch or afternoon snack. Sunny Blue’s free barley tea and perfectly shaped triangles of nori, rice, and meat, seafood and vegetarian fillings have made it Time Out L.A.’s favorite Santa Monica lunchtime spot. With each onigiri around $5, they’re also budget-friendly. To upgrade your order from snack to meal at Sunny Blue, order some of their thoughtfully executed side dishes, like kinpira gobo (burdock roots and carrots) and daikon salad with ponzu dressing. It’s also worthwhile to check their daily chalkboard for seasonal flavors of onigiri and Japanese soups.