We have a couple of lunch spots in Santa Monica that we rotate around on Saturdays, and Thyme Cafe + Market is always at the top of our list. This cafe opened up a couple of years ago, and even in the thyme (heehee) that I was living on the East Coast, whenever I came home for a weekend or a week we always had to make thyme for Thyme. Well, lucky me since I’ve moved back to California and we can enjoy this wonderful neighborhood spot whenever I want! And now I’ll stop with the cringe-worthy pun overuse that I just ran with.
You order up at the counter next to their incredible dessert display, and we often “threaten” that one day we’ll just order a slice of the marzipan-almond cake for lunch. This pastry arrangement before choosing a kale salad is just. not. fair. Thankfully all of the savory foods are Thyme are really what have us coming back.
They have a fantastic spread of pre-made salads, and that’s often what my mom ends up ordering. On Saturday she chose the charred lemon broccoli as well as the cold shrimp salad, which comes in a non-mayo yogurt dressing. You can mix and match two or three, and these dishes change depending on what’s in season. One thyme (sorry, I slipped) I tried recreating their black bean and lime quinoa salad and it just wasn’t the same. When I get the recipe right, I will share with you all!
There are also large salads and sandwiches to choose from the large chalkboard menu. Me? I always do the tuna salad. No question. This time, Mount Olives came along with it. Thyme has created a very light tuna salad with currants, celery and red onion, and the mixed greens along with it are tossed in a tangy mustard dressing. Perfect.
We also sampled a new brand of kombucha - one that I had never seen before! Health-ade is based out of Los Angeles, and you can find them at a variety of shops and restaurants on the westside. I love the medicinal-style bottle, and the kombucha itself is extra bubbly. It even got a thumbs up from both my parents, who most certainly think that I just jump on every trendy food bandwagon. One day, I’ll do a post on all of the benefits I’ve found through upping my intake of probiotics.
Thyme isn’t just a cafe, it is also a marketplace. There is a huge refrigerator stocked with quarts of pre-made soups, different entrees you can heat up at home, grab and go salads, and little seasonal home trinkets to purchase as well. Shave off a little thyme in your kitchen and pick up some food to-go. Okay, that really was my last one.
There’s a reason why we keep coming back here - there really is something for everyone. My brother’s go-to order? The Gruyere grilled cheese on sourdough, add bacon and avocado. My mom and I lament - oh, to be young and have the metabolism of a twenty-year-old-boy! If you come into Thyme on a Saturday and see a 5’1” brunette taking pictures of her food, please embarrass me and come up to say hello!
Thanks for stopping by! 
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