Culver City meets Venice at Ciclavia this weekend. Here's 8 spots to eat, drink and refresh

CicLAvia touches down between Culver City and Venice this Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., meaning a 6.75-mile stretch of Washington and Venice boulevards will be car-free to take the pavement by bike, skateboard, or even rollerblades (no judgment).

But while feeling the wind run through your hair like the majestic creature you are is great, you’ll likely need to eat, drink and refuel along the way.

Our CicLAvia round-up last year proved very popular, so we’ve updated it with a few more spots worth your time.

You’ll find everything from a beloved Oaxacan spot to square pizza to fish and chips on the beach.

So lace up those sneakers, grab your bike helmet and let's hit the road. Our guide starts at Culver City and heads west till there’s nothing but sand and water.

(Also come and meet some LAist staff at our table next to Beethoven Street in Mar Vista. We'll be offering LAist swag and some much-needed shade!)

Helms Bakery Cafe

Longtime Angelenos will know the Helms Bakery, which delivered bread throughout the city from the '30s to '60s via its distinctive yellow and blue trucks. Its white Art Deco landmark buildings, now a home furnishings hub, stretch across multiple blocks of Venice Boulevard east of downtown Culver City.

Head to the recently renovated Helms Bakery Cafe, with its selection of grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, croissants and coffee, all with a suitably design-inflected vibe. The food is good quality, the prices are reasonable, and you can even buy an adorable toy Helms truck at the counter.

Little Dynamite

Some of our favorite pizza on the west side can be found at Little Dynamite, on Washington Place west of Culver City. The small pizzeria was among the first to fully embrace the square pie lifestyle now synonymous with the L.A. pizza scene.

The 10x10 pan pizza menu, including whole pies and a few stellar by-the-slice options, is served daily from noon to 3 p.m. Some of our favorite entire pies include the Bad Gurl, made with a milky fresh mozzarella, crushed tomato sauce, roasted garlic, pistachio pesto and lemon zest. Another is The Mom, (which ensures you get your vegetables), including green bell peppers, black olives, confit heirloom cherry tomatoes, and red onion. For slices, we suggest the tomato and pepperoni, but really, you can’t go wrong with anything they're serving that day.

Empanada's Place

The distinct shape and folds of each empanada at Empanada place makes for a unique eating experience.

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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Empanada's Place, a modest yet charming storefront on the corner of Sawtelle and Venice boulevards has been in business for nearly 40 years.

Favorites include the criollo, a fantastic combination of ground beef, hard-boiled egg, and raisins that's popular in Argentina. It will make you question why you don't eat more raisins.

If meat isn't your thing, try any of their vegetarian offerings. You can't go wrong with the berenjena (eggplant) or the picante made with poblano peppers and cheese.

Fatty Mart

There’s something genius about David Kuo's Fatty Mart on Venice Boulevard . The Taiwanese food emporium meets fast casual concept makes you feel like you can wander in and find anything you need.

Aside from the well-stocked shelves with plenty of items for an Asian pantry, there are also plenty of made-to-order and grab-and-go options perfect for munching between rides, so you don’t have to carry a bunch of stuff.

Pick from a variety of dishes from rice and noodle bowls to banh mi sandwiches. A favorite is their fatty folds. Essentially, it's scallion pancake tacos filled with your choice of orange chicken, mushrooms, tofu, and fried fish, topped with chili mayo, pickled mustard stems, green onions, cucumber, cilantro, and chili oil. There’s also excellent pizza slices for kids, or the less adventurous.

Quiadaiyn Restaurant

If there's good Oaxacan food to be had, then you better believe we are making a stop. Quiadaiyn (pronounced kia-dine), on the same block as Little Fatty, is a great place to enjoy food from one of Mexico's most beloved states. Moles range from their earthly red coloradito, containing sweet and spicy notes, to the herbaceous verde, with sweet notes and a masa-laden thick texture, served with green beans.

If you find yourself there with a group, the tlayuda mixta is the best option. The dish itself features a 12-inch, thin, crunchy, tortilla slathered with a thin layer of black bean sauce, shreds of quesillo cheese, (queso Oaxaca, similar to white string cheese), and cabbage, tomato and avocado drizzled with red salsa.

It's then piled high with a trio of proteins, including tasajo (a jerky-like dried beef with a smokey flavor), cecina (a slightly salty and chewier version of carne asada) and the small red round bundles of joy known as chorizo Oaxaqueno. This is the Oaxacan pizza of your dreams; there is plenty to share.

Gjelina Take Away

Congratulations, you've made it to Lincoln Boulevard. Cross over and make a left on famed Abbot Kinney. You'll soon encounter Gjelina and its next door Take Away Counter, with its boho, laid-back vibes, and upscale-adjacent feel. (It’s so Venice that it doesn’t need to declare its name; look for a brown building with large windows and scads of beautiful people waiting patiently outside).

Beat the crowds and arrive early for a turkey egg sandwich or breakfast burrito, with your choice of avocado, bacon, or chorizo. Or reward yourself after your ride with a pizza, like the one topped with savory mushrooms with melty fontina and truffle goat cheese, or, for meat eaters, cured chorizo and pomodoro.

Wash it all down with one of their seasonal sparkling limeades. This is what victory feels like.

Wee Chippy

Enjoy fish'n chips beach side prepared by a Scot in Venice at The Wee Chippy.

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Courtesy The Wee Chippy

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Have you ever wanted to try some fish and chips prepared by a Scot? Well, you're in luck because the Wee Chippy, some 10 steps from the beach, is just the place.

You can try the battered fish, shrimp or calamari, or all three as part of the Loch Ness Monster plate. There are even vegan options available.

As you gaze at your heap of perfect thick British chips, make sure to follow the game plan: choose salt seasonings to scatter over them, like black truffle salt, Bangkok ginger, and U.K. curry, then order two dipping sauces. We suggest the spicy ketchup and malt vinegar (the latter said by our British editor to be the only true way to eat chips) for supremely excellent fry dipping action.

El Huarique Venice

Just up the boardwalk from Wee Chippy is another great place for fish — this time not fried but raw. The truth is that we've always been a sucker for good Peruvian, especially one like El Huarique, which offers a sizable menu of bangers like tallarin saltados (Peruvian chow mein) and delicious Peruvian tacos.

But I always crave ceviche when I’m by the ocean, and El Huarique is very much where it's at. The ceviche mixto here features fresh fish and shrimp, along with an array of cubed cooked sweet potatoes, chulpe corn (a crunchy toasted Peruvian corn), and choclo (a large-kernel Peruvian corn), offering a substantial burst of sweetness.

All those ingredients sit upon a small pool of leche de tigre sauce, made from fish trimmings, onion, garlic, ginger, cilantro, and chili — and then topped with thin slivers of red onion. It perfectly combines heat-packed, citrus-kissed flavors and textures, and is a great reward to bestow upon yourself or to share with your crew after a long ride.