One of Santa Monica’s most iconic hotels is giving itself an 80th birthday present in the form of a rooftop restaurant. Hotel Shangri-La, a 1939 art deco hotel on the corner of Ocean and Arizona avenues, opened a full-service restaurant last month called Terrace at Onyx that overlooks the ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains.
The menu from chef Jessica Bedolla focuses on pizzas made in a wood-fired oven on the roof. Bedolla has created a pizza topped with prosciutto and citrus arugula salad, a shredded pork belly pizza with hoisin sauce, caramelized shallots and a fried egg, and a pizza with a cauliflower crust, marinara sauce, vegan cheese and basil.
Diners can also choose from a variety of vegetarian pizzas and customize their pizzas with gluten-free, vegan and paleo crusts.
“A lot of the ingredients are sourced from the Santa Monica Farmers Market, which is right next to us on Arizona Avenue,” said sales director Dustin Hess. “Santa Monica is known for its sustainability and farm-to-table dining, so we felt that approach encompasses the lifestyle here.”
Appetizers include roasted vegetable dip and short rib fries, while entrées besides pizza include fish such as branzino and red snapper, as well as steak, burgers and sandwiches. The restaurant also offers a wide range of desserts, such as sundaes, dessert pizza, bread pudding and cheesecake.
The restaurant also offers live Brazilian jazz on Friday and Saturday evenings from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
“We have a two-piece band that walks around the tables and takes song requests,” said general manager Armond Khosrovyan.
The portion of the rooftop now occupied by Terrace at Onyx was previously used as event space, Hess said.
“We felt we could utilize the space a lot more and have something really creative up there,” he said.
Hess said the design of the restaurant follows the art deco style of the hotel, showcasing tulip-shaped tables and chairs and a white and gold tiled wood-fired oven.
“We wanted to come up with something new on the 80th anniversary that plays homage to art deco and the golden age of Hollywood,” he said.
Offering lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Terrace at Onyx is open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and for weekend brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling 855-649-4400 or online at Opentable.com.
madeleine@smdp.com
