Milo and Olive

I swear by their mushroom pizza with an egg on it– it has a bit of lemon zest on it that just pulls it all together so perfectly.
Service is great, parking can be a bit rough, prices are fair, and menu has great options. Have been with others who have not enjoyed their pizzas as much as I did, and after trying bites, must admit that not all combinations are awesome– tasty, but not awesome.
If you are a group going– all parties must be here before they will seat you, a fair rule, but good to know!

Tried wood-​fired chicken Parmesan, it was Ok; same as the fresh taliarini bolognas. But the New York steak (for share) is really good. The steak is very tasty and it comes with creamy smash corn is sweet and smooth. That is the dish I like the most!

A review for the curbside delivery.
Honestly, this felt like a pampered drive-​thru experience. I called in an order for the arugula salad (dressing on the side) and cauliflower bisque. 15 min later, I rolled up and parked right outside their front door, and handsome host/​server (Johnny?) delivers the goods.
Now as far as those two items go, WOW. Excellent, simple salad with all the right salty notes with the capers and Parmigiano Reggiano. Then, a really delightful texture and color on the bisque.
I’d recommend, and I’ll definitely come back for dining room experience. Gimme gimme pizza.

This place is amazing! It’s really on the pricey side though.
The best part about this place is their coffee!!! $ 3.25 a cup. It’s the best coffee I have ever had!
Wish I could afford this place all the time. I’ll just save it for special occasions for now.

I was really blown away by their dinner menu, but their weekend brunch/​lunch was just meh.
Dinner winners:
— Whole Branzino (Can’t wait to go back!)
— Mushroom pizza
— Chicken Meatballs
— New York Steak (8oz starter)
The brunch menu was just less inspiring and most of us just thought our dishes were mediocre. I LOVE farro and the warm farro just did not hit the spot — it was too salty for me. the other «most popular» item is the creamy polenta and poached egg which was pretty good but not sure I could get through the entire bowl myself. If I were to come again for brunch I’d tried the breakfast pizza and the dutch baby pancake for sweet and savory, but not in a rush. my meal preference here is dinner!

It’s been on my list for a little while. So we decided to check it out for a late lunch! Super cute. We sat down at the bar. We got few salads to share (they were a good size!) Everything was really tasty and the place is adorable! Definitely will return to try some pizza next time!
*MILO CHOPPED pepperoni, pickled chili, tomato, olive, onion, fresh mozzarella, garbanzo, red wine vinaigrette
*ARUGULA & RADICCHIO fried caper, shaved fennel, Parmesan, lemon anchovy dressing
*BRAISED ORGANIC CHICKEN MEATBALLS tomato sauce, arugula, red onion

Tried a few of their daily brunch specials. Polenta was a winner
Yoghurt was ok
Coffee here is good too
Good service

Came here on a weekday for lunch. LOVED the over-​the-​top garlic knot. A must-​get item. It takes 20 minutes to prepare so it ended up coming out after our entrée. But it is worth the wait — piping hot fresh bread stuffed with melting soft caramelized garlic cloves.
Also had the bolognese, which was ok — not the best, but not the worst.
The highlight was the pastry case — I wanted one of everything — but held back and just got the fresh stone fruit tart. Crispy layers of puff pastry with vanilla custard and ripe apricots. Tasted like summer.

I went there with my friends to have a lunch on Sunday. There was about 30 minutes wait for a table for 3. The ambient was OK, just as their food. I heard that they were famous for their pizza though it was nothing special (I had better ones elsewhere). A slice of merengue lemon pie was the best part of the meal. I might stop by to buy some bread or sweets in the future though not for their pizza.

Oh so desperate and hungry… didn’t have a taste for sushi or tacos for once… decided to hit Unilocal for some pasta… I ended up here because of the photos.
Met my friend for dinner at 7:00. We had roughly a 20 minute wait. Unless you like waiting longer than that, may be best to get in before 7.
Got some wine to pass the time. If my memory serves me correct, (this was just last night, sad I know) we started off with Wagner Stempel. Super tasty.
We sat with a couple of ladies and their girls and quickly bonded (you can also sit at the bar or wait for your own table). Everything was delicious. Milo Chopped salad, GARLIC MF KNOT, Tagliarini Bolognese, and the pound cake for dessert. All in all, probably the best non-​taco dinner I’ve had in LA. I have a lot of places to have dinner yet, but you get the idea.
New fave. Go there. Good service. Valet, Über, or good luck parking. Garlic knot.

Milo and Olive is an absolute dream. I’ve been thinking about the Garlic Knot every since I left.
I went to Milo and Olive on a Thursday night and was seated at the bar fairly quickly (even if you have to wait I swear it’s worth it). I was with a friend and we ordered the Handcut Fettuccine. This dish comes with marinated wild shrimp and is covered in the most delicious and perfectly seasoned lemon butter/​white wine sauce. The chili adds such a great hint of fire to the dish too. I read another review that said the sauce was too tart. Don’t listen to them. I thought it had just the right amount of zest. I highly recommend this dish and would order it again and again and again.
We also had the Cacio e Pepe Risotto, which was on the specials board. This dish was a little underwhelming. Risotto can be a very heavy dish but I thought this one was good because it did not leave me feeling like a complete sloth. Would I order it again? Probably not. It could’ve used a bit more seasoning but that could easily be fixed by adding more freshly ground pepper. I guess when it comes to a pepper-​based dish I’d rather have it be under seasoned than over seasoned.
To end the meal, I had the vanilla pound cake. It comes with beurre de barrate and marmalade. It was absolutely delicious. Highly highly recommend. I had it with an Americano and could not have been happier.
But wait, there’s more. The Garlic Knot is the best thing this restaurant has to offer. It is made fresh and cooked to perfection. It is slightly crunchy on the outside and hot and doughy on the inside. It’s also baked with fresh garlic cloves on the inside and seasoned with olive oil and salt. Apparently you can order a side of marinara sauce. Will definitely be doing that next time I’m there.
So while the risotto fell a little flat I had to give Milo and Olive a full five stars. The atmosphere, staff and the Garlic Knot all make this place great. I’m looking forward to trying more things off their menu!

Went here for the bread. Nothing else, so this review is limited to that. I bought four loaves from them and I have to say that their whole wheat country bread is absolutely superior. By far their best bread, and definitely one of the best breads on the planet. Awesome. It is a big loaf too — not some small little loaf — you can buy a half or a portion if you want. I didn’t. I bought the whole thing. I knew that if I didn’t gobble it up myself I had a son who inhales good bread and it just could not be too big. Nice leaven tang to the bread — in the French style, not sour like San Francisco sourdough, but sweeter and less acidic. Naturally leavened bread is the best. Awesome crust, nicely done so chewy and tearable, with the inside moist and flavorful. Their regular country and rye are very good. Excellent breads.
Their fruit and nut loaf looks like a small, silly thing, but packs a wallop of flavor. Lots of raisins and fruit — really heavy for such a small loaf. Has sugary crystals on the outside that I did not care for much, but the bread itself is so good you hardly notice. Slice that loaf thinly.
Prices are high, but you certainly get what you pay for. You pay for someone who really knows what they are doing in the bakery. You wait in line. Sometimes a long line. But people wait because they get it. If you wait with them, you’ll get it too. And it is worth it.

The garlic knot. That’s all you need yo know. It is confit whole garlic cloves wrapped in pizza dough. And then baked in oven and finished with olive oil. It is delicious. I usually get it with a side of marinara sauce to dip it in. It is one of the best snacks you can have. It is the perfect size. When it says garlic it means garlic. It’s literally filled with whole garlic cloves. Its just have a raw garlic tastes. They are caramelized and soft. Its sooooo goood.
I go here just for that. You can’t beat especially since it’s only $ 8 not including the side of marinara sauce, which is I think $ 2 extra.
The restaurant itself is small. They have a few seats inside, but its a little cramped. They have a communal table where you sit with other people. Its not that comfortable because you are so close to the other person. It feels like they are on top of you.
The service is fast and friendly. No complaints there.
The parking, on the other hand, is tough. Not to many spots available.
If you like garlic i highly recommend giving the garlic knot a try. You wont be disappointed.

つº oº つ RAISE YOUR CUTLERY つº oº つ
Quick Bite:
Though the small dining room can make for long waits, the fantastic pizza and great interior make Milo and Olive very memorable.
Full Course:
LA, you’ve done it again. I can finally add another entry to the ever-​growing list of quality pizza joints in Los Angeles. I drive by Milo and Olive plenty in my day-​to-​day sojourns and travels, and there’s almost always a crowd outside. My pizza-​seeking compatriot and I didn’t have to wait for a table when we went, and for that I count myself fortunate since I hear that the waits can be rather long.
The inside ambiance and floor plan is great, the kitchen is totally open and features prominently within the dining room (which isn’t terribly large, probably explains the crowds outside), giving customers a glimpse into the goings-​on of food preparation. I love being able to watch the bustle of the kitchen, to me it’s like watching a magician reveal the big trick even though in reality it’s totally innocuous. The staff looked genuinely content just making pizza and the various other offerings on the menu, I guess making pizza kinda lends itself to this kind of floor design.
After drinks we ordered two pizzas, the Margherita and Burrata & Prosciutto di Parma. The tomato sauce and crust are SO SO important and Milo and Olive make both outstandingly. As I sunk my teeth into my first slice, Lana Del Rey’s «West Coast» played over the speaker, which was a perfectly sultry accompaniment to the excellent pizza. There’s something so satisfying about chewy, delicious crust. Pizza just seems to be so perfect when forged at a high level.
Give them your money, it’s some damn good pizza.
— The Gourmand League

The food tastes great but I hate the wait and the cramped space. I guess one would call it intimate but I’m not a fan of the environment. Yes they have tapas and family style is encouraged but mmmm idk about table sharing with another party for dinner.
I was actually beyond starving by the time we were seated. My review may be a bit skewed… The pastas and pizzas were yummy. It’s cooked well with a good balance of flavors. The menu has a bunch of seasonal veggies and fresh ingredients. I’m a fan of the pork belly sausage and kale pizza and the bolognese. Our group included a vegetarian and she enjoyed her food as well.
With that said, although I liked the food. I’m not likely to return due to the wait and I live too far to do the whole to-​go thing.

I just love, love, love it here. It’s casual and relaxed. It’s the epitome of a Westside establishment done right — great food, great atmosphere, and great seasonal specials.
If I come for lunch, I always get the same thing because it just works — whatever soup is on the menu and a salad. The soup is usually made from whatever vegetables are in season whether it be a vegetable soup, some kind of pureed soup, etc.
For dinner, I almost always order whatever is on the specials menu plus something from the veggies list. On the most recent visit, we ordered the fire roasted Brussels sprouts with burrata. OMG, it was so good. Nothing can create such a flavor in Brussels sprouts unless heated in the way they were. We also had the broccoli and pickled chili pizza that was so tasty. The crust was delicious and the toppings just perfectly balanced with a really nice marinara. The chicken confit ravioli was really special. It reminded me of something I have had before that’s comforting and nostalgic but I can’t put my finger one what it was! We ended the night with their vanilla pound cake with beurre de barrate, orange blossom honey and whipped cream. I thought we’d died and gone to heaven because as simple as it looked, it was amazing.
They can get really packed on a weeknight and I’ve never attempted to come on a weekend but I imagine it’s even busier then. Our waitress was so kind to not rush us as we were talking and eating slow while there were so many parties of people just waiting by the door. Thumbs up for her. We did feel bad as we walked out past the people who were so excited we were vacating our seats.

Great restaurant to carb load! Love the vibe and open kitchen concept. Did not disappoint. Came on a Wednesday at 7pm and got a table for 2 in about 10 minutes. Was pretty busy for a weekday! That’s how you know it’s worth it :)
FOOD:
Garlic knot (4 stars): Biggest garlic knot I’ve ever seen, share it. that way everyone at the table has the same garlic breath ;) Stuffed with roasted garlic and soaked in olive oil. Good but needed a little something, maybe rock salt to bring out more flavor. The bread was really good though.
Pork Belly Sausage and Kale Pizza (5 stars): The tomato cream sauce on it is so good! And that sausage is delicious! I read a review about the sausage tasting weird so I was scared to order this (so glad I ordered it anyway). If you like Italian sausage you’ll love this! The dough was really good. Thin on the bottom with thick crust.
DESSERT:
Ginger cake with egg nog ice cream (5 stars): This cake was so moist and flavorful! If you like ginger you must get this! Came with a butterscotch glaze, mmmmm so good (I definitely scraped that glaze off the plate). Egg nog ice cream was good with it, but I wish they gave more… ask for an extra scoop to get the right cake to ice cream ratio in each bite :)
SERVICE:
Great service. They bring dishes out of the kitchen as they are ready. Our server gave great recommendations, wish I got her name :(but thank you for making my belly happy.
ATMOSPHERE:
Few small tables with larger communal tables. Cool rustic/​hipster vibe, with chalk board writing and an open kitchen. They sell fresh bread and little desserts shown in the front too. They also have a countertop bar area along the open kitchen which would be cool to sit at to watch them cook.
PARKING:
I did street parking, wasn’t hard to find on a weekday.

Got there at 6pm on a Saturday, but didn’t get seated until about 7pm. You will likely get seated faster if you don’t mind sharing a table with other people.
We ordered the burrata pizza (prosciutto and arugula), garlic knot and brussel sprouts with pine nuts. One pizza is enough to share with one or two others.
Super impressed with the pizza, especially since the dough underneath is thin but the outer crust is thick. I’d definitely come back to try the other pizzas (butternut squash is next on my list).
You MUST come here to try the GARLIC KNOT. I ended up eating more than half of it because it was so good. It has whole garlic cloves (careful if you’re on a date!) and it’s wrapped with a thin rope. Very cute presentation and picture perfect!

Milo and Olive has been on my list of «to-​try» for some time now and I am very excited to try it finally while catching up with my friends. Everything we shared was carbalicious and the wine selection ranges from reasonable to very expensive for all wallet sizes to enjoy. Seating is limited to small tables, communal tables, and counter tops with a view of the open kitchen.
The garlic knots are a sight to see! What an impressive piece of bread this is, get your camera phones ready. It comes to your table hot out of the oven and has a cluster of garlic cloves in the center piping hot. The ball of bread is crispy on the outside and lightly salted. It is served in a bowl of olive oil. A must order! Share with your S.O. or BFF.
We also ordered the chicken meatballs to share too. So soft and juicy. Not at all hard or rubbery like some can come out.
For pizzas we shared the Margarita pizza and the Mushroom pizza. The Margarita is a classic that went well with our wine and garlic knots. The mushroom is earthy and rich. For the mushroom lovers indeed.
Beware: the wait is pretty long for larger parties at peak dinner time. Groups of 2 were moving much faster than our group of 4. Thankfully you can keep track of your progress on their waiting time website. They text you the site and your approximate wait time when you put your name on the list and they text again when your table is ready.

Rating: ⁸⁷⁄₁₀₀ pts
Santa Monica has no shortage of restaurants providing high quality food and artisan preparation if you’re willing to fork out the $$ for it. Milo and Olive is one such place, offering a delightful, culinarily cutting-​edge menu.
They have artisan pastries brought over from Huckleberry (a fabulous restaurant/​pastry maker also here in Santa Monica) and nice variety of both brunch and lunch options. But one thing that immediately struck my eye was that they have a wood-​fire oven for baking pizza. This was crucial for me, because try as I might, I’ve yet to find a truly recommendable pizza spot in Los Angeles.
For my first time here, I tried one pizza and a poached egg & rice dish, and was greatly satisfied with both.
Pizza — Burrata: a forest of arugula hides splodges of creamy burrata cheese that droops out once exposed, thinly sliced prosciutto, and peppers. Everything atop the pie was superb. The crust is thin like Neapolitan pizza, but I’d say too crispy to call truly Neapolitan. Delicious, but to me its only imperfection is the dough being not quite as delicate as other artisan pizza I’ve had.
Poached Eggs and Feta with Rice — The brown rice had a great rustic flavor. The eggs were cooked flawlessly. The combination of flavors was exquisite. Not oily in the least, a fault many mixed rice dishes commonly fall into. I loved this one.
Service at the bar was not as good as the food. The dishes came out quick, but one of our coffees took much longer than the other, and I had to ask for water twice before they brought any. The exposed kitchen is visibly hectic, and the staff are constantly buzzing around, which was slightly jarring, but not to the point of spoiling the meal.
Real food, professional preparation, interesting variety, justifiable prices, and lest we forget what are likely some of the best pizzas in Los Angeles. Milo and Olive is highly recommended in my book.

Gutes Essen aber die Paste Gerichte sind von der Menge ein schlechter Scherz viel viel zu wenig