Cafe At The Getty Villa - Malibu

I love this place. A beautiful environment. Food is surprisingly good. No ordinary museum dinner!

Lovely architectural surroundings. My mom and I shared the cheese and fruit tray for two. The cheese was amazing, the fruit was different and the cinnamon, raisin, pecan toasettes were absolutely yummy. We even had toasted almonds and walnuts to go with this delectable plate. There were two things I was disappointed in: 1) no refills on our iced tea or Diet Coke and, 2) we needed more crackers or toastettes for the yummy cheese we ate. I just wish the service was more attentive. But at least we got a guide on the cheese we ate. Otherwise, what I thought was brie, really wasn't. After wandering around a Roman Villa, you get a bit hungry and are looking for a snack that will appease your growing appetite. The cafe has a good selection of treats and meals to try. If you're looking for that espresso or cappuccino, then best look to the snack cart outside.

Great museum, worth a visit. Eating here is expensive, so bring your own lunch with you.

We ordered spaghetti with meat balls and burger and fries. The pasta was cooked just right, the sauce NOT over powered by garlic. The onions in the burger are deep friend onion rings. The waiters who delivered our food and picked up our trays were happy and polite. Since the food is paid for cafeteria style (in advance), the wait staff must be well paid and well trained. The villa is a nice, large open building, together with the patio, it is a restful and lavish environment for lunch. Lavish because I can imagine it being a previous home for entertaining friends. 20 minutes from Santa Monica, it is worth paying the parking fee just to eat here rather than struggling to find parking in Santa Monica.

While this place is a little pricey, most entrees are easily shareable. The patio was quiet, clean and scenic. Highly recommend stopping here if you have a chance to visit the Getty Villa