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I was reminded yesterday of why I love Huckleberry. For those who haven’t been yet, Huckleberry is a bakery, cafe, and caterer all in one. As soon as you walk in, you’ll see a line formed around the counter, usually so long that the end is near the back door. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it gives you a chance to ogle over the blackboard menu and display cases (there are three of them, so I dare you not to be tempted). I always walk into Huckleberry knowing exactly what I want and end up getting something completely different by the time it’s my turn to place my order.

One thing I always get is coffee. I do switch it up and choose from a mocha ($4.50), vanilla latte ($4.25), and caramel latte ($4.50). I don’t usually drink any of these at restaurants or coffee shops, but Huckleberry actually makes the chocolate syrup, vanilla syrup, and caramel. It really makes a difference in the taste of these drinks. Yesterday, I picked vanilla latte and showed my friends my cup after I was finished. They were impressed to see lots vanilla bean specks inside. Huckleberry offers other hot and cold beverage choices, but quite honestly, the lattes and mocha are the only drinks I ever order from here.

I’m not a morning person, so it’s rare (though not impossible) for me to make it to Huckleberry for breakfast. My favorite at Huckleberry is the very hearty Niman Ranch brisket. The brisket is fairly lean meat cubed and stewed until tender in a tomato-based sauce. It’s a little heavy, but the flavor is quite exceptional. The portion is quite generous, so I usually don’t finish and end up with leftovers, which I take home and mix with some pasta. Since I did get to Huckleberry early enough to make it for breakfast yesterday, I got to have the Niman Ranch brisket hash ($12.25). It’s not too different from the plate I usually get except there are slices of their roasted market potatoes mixed in and two eggs served on top. Another thing I like about Huckleberry is the service. My friends decided to share an order of the brisket hash, but one person likes a runny yolk and the other doesn’t. One of the staff members overheard their conversation and offered to ask the kitchen to cook one of the eggs a little longer to accommodate them both. We also got an English muffin with blueberry jelly ($3). What I love about the jelly is that it was really more like blueberry compote. You can see the clumps of blueberries that were mashed to make the jelly. On top of that, you can still taste a bit of the blueberry tartness because Huckleberry did not over-sweeten it.

Huckleberry isn’t the cheapest of casual food cafes, but if you think about the quality of ingredients that they use, the amount that they give you, plus how much other restaurants charge for similar items, the prices come out fairly comparable. My wallet can’t support a daily visit to Huckleberry, but it is definitely a favorite spot to visit semi-regularly.

Miscellaneous Notes:
Huckleberry has free parking in the back, which is great because if you enter from the back door, you can get right in line. Do not be too turned off by the long line. It goes by pretty quickly. If waiting in line really bothers you, call in a to-go order. They have a pick up counter, and I have never seen more than one or two people wait in that line. You’re supposed to find a table after you order and pay. If you don’t see anything available, ask the staff for help. Other must try items at Huckleberry include green eggs and ham ($12.25), maple-bacon biscuits ($3.75), and chocolate croissant ($3.50).

Huckleberry
1014 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (310) 451-2311
Fax: (310) 451-1322
Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 8am-7pm; Saturday-Sunday, 8am-5pm

By Pauline (see more of her posts).