Great White

Venice's brunch anchor pairs Australian café sensibility with California produce, drawing a steady line for avocado toast done right.

The Rose Avenue patio fills early, sunlight cutting through the pepper trees as espresso machines hiss behind the counter. Corn fritters arrive golden and lacy-edged, avocado toast gets its cult status from a smear of whipped ricotta most places skip, and the coffee program holds its own against any specialty roaster in the city. It's the kind of place where a leisurely two-hour brunch feels less like indulgence than a Venice rite of passage.

Best for: Sun-drenched weekend brunch with friends before a walk to the boardwalk