Rustic Canyon

Mandilli, “silk handkerchiefs” from Liguria, is sauced with a fragrant pesto and Parmigiano. The restaurant’s chef, Evan Funke, is a local boy who spent some time in Bologna learning to make pasta.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Sweet corn is paired with agnolotti (“priest hats” in Italian). The seasonal menus are a big part of the pleasure of checking in at Rustic Canyon at least once a month.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

A juicy, fried soft-shell crab sits on a bed of sweet corn succotash. To accompany the meal, wine is sold by the glass or the bottle. There’s also a fine list of craft brews from around the world, and each month brings a new lineup of sparkling drinks based on Prosecco.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Thanks to the talents of pastry chef Zoe Nathan, the deserts at Rustic Canyon are phenomenal, including black and blue pie, which is filled with black and blue berries topped with Nathan’s own vanilla ice cream.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

A rustic little crumbly crostata comes with the dough wrapped over the filling of peaches.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

A waitress goes over the day’s menu at Rustic Canyon, the fresh-faced bistro-next-door in Santa Monica that has become a magnet for the neighborhood of pretty bungalows and ranch-style houses both north and south of Wilshire Boulevard.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Chef Evan Funke works his magic on an order of sweet corn and agnolotti. The Pacific Palisades native, who at one time worked in the Puck organization, also is known to whip up a delicious pasta dish of farfalle (butterflies) tossed with cherry tomatoes, wild arugula and prosciutto.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Grace Bush-Vineberg serves up breakfast at Rustic Canyon. Saturday mornings are the only time the restaurant is open for morning meal.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

The parade of baked goods is quite tempting as patrons line up to order their Saturday morning breakfasts. Pastry chef Zoe Nathan keeps the bar packed with goodies fresh from the oven.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Josie Hoeber, 3, digs into a breakfast pastry as her mom, Jennifer Leitzes, looks on. On Saturdays, early risers are treated to a parade of baked goods, everything from maple bacon biscuits and charming crostata and tarts to egg dishes and savory frittatas.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Oh, the choices. Alice Park serves breakfast pastries to happy customers. Come spring, Rustic Canyon will open its own bakery down the block.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

The breakfast menu features the maple bacon biscuit. Not to your fancy? There’s always the French doughnuts dusted with cinnamon sugar.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

The pastry-laden bar includes, from left, chocolate croissants, a mixed berry crostata, a plum crisp, a Kouighn Amman and a slice of apple gingerbread.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Rustic Canyon is the fresh-faced kid on the block in Santa Monica. With its low-key, updated coffee shop look, the restaurant and wine bar fits right in. And the crowd it attracts? Real people — likely a smattering of professors, graduate students, community organizers, artists, architects or Mr. Moms. Who knows? Probably the occasional actor and novelist too.  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)