Knees touch and hearts flutter at Interstellar. An all-day cafe down the block from Third Street Promenade, this is probably our favorite place in Santa Monica to share body warmth and breakfast linguine. The lighting is low, the tiny tables are perfect for low-key dates, and the plant-filled space is no larger than a studio apartment. Share a pork katsu sando or go all out with a breakfast burrito bigger than a baby dolphin.

There are plenty of reasons to visit Vicky’s All Day. For one, the charming dining room feels like a cross between a classic diner and a cozy French brasserie. Second, they serve some excellent shakshuka with a side of laffa bread all day. And really, the main draw is how they function like a true neighborhood diner. If you're looking for something casual, you can drop by for breakfast in your pajamas. But you can also grab a quick pita for lunch, or bring a dinner date for some pizza and wine.

Starting at 8am daily, Saffy’s Coffee and Tea serves a full Arabic breakfast spread. And even if you just spent all night at the studio, it’s the perfect place to nestle in for a sunny, mellow morning. You’ll get spicy shakshuka, brioche challah bread, clotted cream with honey, marinated olives, and a chopped salad for $24. And if you’re here with friends and looking to round out your spread, you can order some challah french toast or buttermilk biscuits with housemade jam.

Ryla in Hermosa Beach is located a short walk from the pier, but its inventive menu brings something different and exciting to this part of the South Bay. Expect fantastic dishes like fragrant black truffle fried rice, folded Taiwanese egg crepes, and a crispy katsu sando at brunch. The cave-like dining room features lots of dark wood and emerald green banquettes, and the candlelit atmosphere will keep your cortisol levels low.

Pine & Crane is the kind of all-day cafe where you won’t have to deal with long waits or mimosa-fueled brunch crowds—it's the perfect place to blend in and feel like a regular. The casual, open-air space feels like a supremely well-appointed artist’s workshop. You can stroll right up to the counter at 8am to order your Taiwanese small plates, and seat yourself inside the comfortable dining room or out on the covered patio.

Pann’s is a space age-style diner where Ladera Heights regulars, tourists, and old friends can be found eating waffles on a Wednesday morning. The 64-year-old institution is filled with red leather booths, a long line of bar stools overlooking the kitchen, and at least one waitress who will call you “honey.” You’ll instantly feel like you’re on the set of a music video as you eat your stack of hotcakes, fresh biscuits and gravy, or a tuna melt with a side of homemade onion rings.

Located in West Hollywood, one of Selena’s favorite neighborhoods in LA, Otus is an extremely pleasant and low-key Thai cafe that serves breakfast all day long. The menu is a mix of American and Thai breakfast options, so if you’re doing it right, you’ll end up with a table full of french toast, eggs, rice porridge with shitake mushrooms, and garlic chicken wings. Everything on the breakfast menu is great, and nothing costs more than $20.