Room With a View

Good view or good food -- typically you get one or the other. Fortunately, there are exceptions.

The Restaurant at the Getty

The room is sleek and stylish, with vast windows affording a money view of the Santa Monica Mountains and, most days, the Pacific. At Sunday brunch the light seems especially magnificent, and the kitchen turns out a fine variation of eggs Benedict, with a rustic lamb and leek hash.

* Brunch appetizers, $8 to $18; entrees, $14 to $17; 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A.; (310) 440-6810.

Windows

High above downtown -- 32 floors to be exact -- with a nearly 360-degree view, this is a popular stop before sporting events and for romantic tete-a-tetes. The new chef, a veteran of Locanda Veneta, has added more pastas to the contemporary American menu. But many guests choose a steak. On chilly nights, the rich lobster bisque hits the spot.

* Appetizers, $9 to $11; entrees, $16 to $45; 1150 S. Olive St., downtown L.A.; (213) 746-1554.

Cafe del Rey

Indulge your maritime fantasies at this upscale waterfront restaurant. Recently redone, it’s sharper than ever. Live piano music most nights keeps things festive. What to order? Keep it simple with a Caesar salad to start, perhaps herb crusted king salmon or rack of lamb to follow.

* Appetizers, $7 to $16; entrees, $17 to $38; 4451 Admiralty Way; Marina del Rey; (310) 823-6395.

Studio at Montage

The service is impeccable, and chef James Boyce’s Cal-Med cuisine is inspired. Want the full experience? Try the tasting menu. Right now the seven-course extravaganza features Hudson Valley foie gras with peaches, almond financier and stone fruit chutney. A bonus: breathtaking views of the rocky coastline.

* Appetizers, $14 to $23; entrees, $37 to $65; tasting menu, $110; 30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach; (949) 715-6420.

The Lobster

Perched atop the Santa Monica Pier, with unparalleled views of Catalina Island and the Southern California coastline, this glass box of a restaurant is also celebrated for its stellar seafood. You can find calamari everywhere, but chef Allyson Thurber’s is light and crisp, served with good garlicky aioli. And while it’s in season, get the spiny lobster. Simply grilled, it’s sweet and full of flavor.

* Appetizers, $7.50 to $16; entrees, $17 to $45; spiny lobster, $29 per pound; 1602 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica; (310) 458-9294.