The sun glittered on the Pacific like spilled champagne as food lovers, beachgoers, and bon vivants gathered for Off the Hook—Santa Monica’s annual seafood celebration benefiting Heal the Bay. Equal parts ocean advocacy and indulgence, this year’s festival didn’t just showcase the city’s vibrant culinary scene—it proved that sustainability can be downright delicious.

Set against the postcard-perfect backdrop of the Santa Monica Pier, with the Ferris wheel spinning lazily behind a live band playing sun-kissed pop hits, the festival was pure California joie de vivre. But amid the breezy good vibes, the message was serious: this was a 100% single-use-plastic-free event, a shimmering example of how to feast responsibly while protecting the waters that feed us.

The lineup of participating restaurants read like a who’s who of coastal cuisine—Edgemar, Wife and the Somm, Sushi Roku, Mastro’s Ocean Club, and Santa Monica Seafood, to name a few. From briny oysters and delicate crudo to Fitoor’s cheeky Indian-spiced fish and chips, every bite was an homage to the ocean’s bounty. To wash it all down, guests could sip Duvel beer, savor a dram of Balvenie Scotch, toast the waves with Dulce Vida tequila, or indulge in a Bloody Mary with Bloody Gerry’s premium mix. For the wellness-minded, Simply Pop, a probiotic soda that’s both fizzy and guilt-free, offered the perfect palate refresher.

Those with VIP passes enjoyed early entry and access to a private area featuring exclusive bites and sips—a little extra luxury for the eco-minded elite. By mid-afternoon, the pier had become a dance floor of sun-dappled revelers swaying between bites, raising their glasses to good food, clean oceans, and that ineffable Santa Monica magic.

And behind all that sun-splashed indulgence was, of course, the serious cause — Heal the Bay, the powerhouse nonprofit keeping L.A.’s beaches and oceans clean. From organizing community beach cleanups to fighting plastic pollution and publishing the city’s famous Beach Report Card, the organization continues to prove that activism can be as local—and as refreshing—as a dip in the Pacific.

— G. Dhalla

For more information on Off the Hook, please visit https://offthehookseafoodfest.com/ and on Heal the Bay https://healthebay.org/