Bar Fortuna Santa Monica: Dinner on Main Street and What to Wear

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Bar Fortuna Santa Monica is the sort of Main Street dinner I would dress for without making it a production. My photos from the table tell the story: ribbons of zucchini with pine nuts, then a passion fruit panna cotta. Fresh green, a little cream, something bright to finish. The outfit can follow the same idea.

Bar Fortuna Santa Monica: an Italian bar on Main Street

Chef Brian Bornemann, known for Crudo e Nudo, brings an Italian-bar point of view to 2917 Main Street. The opening menu centers on vegetables, handmade pasta and bar snacks, with cocktails and amaro part of the draw. It is a Santa Monica address to keep in mind when dinner should feel like a proper night out, rather than a formal occasion.

What to wear to Bar Fortuna

Start with an olive ruffle blouse and mulberry pull-on trousers. The ruffle gives the neckline some shape without needing a necklace; the cropped crepe trousers keep the silhouette neat. Add a green woven shoulder bag to bring texture into the mix. A dark cherry cord jacket makes the palette richer, and is the layer I would reach for when the evening turns cooler.

The blouse is cotton voile, so think about the layer underneath rather than assuming it is opaque. A little double sided fashion tape keeps a shifting neckline in place through dinner. Theory’s Treeca has a pull-on waist and a cropped length, which makes it a useful alternative to stiff tailoring for a seated dinner. A quick wrinkle release spray before you head out keeps the crepe looking pressed. The Boden jacket is a more structured choice, with a military-inspired front and cord texture; current sizes are limited, so check the size selector before building your outfit around it.

A softer dinner outfit, with a little color

If ruffles are not your thing, the black pointelle bateau top is the quieter starting point. Wear it with the same trousers and let the neckline stay simple. A brushed cashmere triangle scarf adds warmth without the bulk of a large wrap. For a more dressed-up finish, blush suede platform sandals bring a soft pink note to the olive and mulberry. The platform and block heel give this a different feel from a delicate evening shoe; it is a sandal choice, not a walking-shoe recommendation. Sizes are currently limited here too.

The gold vermeil pearl earrings are enough jewelry for either top. The design pairs a sculpted gold-vermeil form with a small pearl drop, so they bring movement without a long earring brushing the blouse. Choose them when you want the finishing detail close to your face rather than spread across the outfit.

Leave room for a bright finish

My second photo is the passion fruit panna cotta from the same meal. I like the contrast between the pale dessert and the sharp yellow topping. It is a useful reminder to leave room for dessert, but menus change: this photo records what was on my table, not a promise that the dish will be available when you go.

The finishing pieces for Main Street dinner

For a softer bag shape, take the soft leather evening clutch instead of the woven shoulder bag. The Oversized Cloud is the roomier, gathered option, rather than a rigid little box. It takes a phone, a lipstick and a mini perfume atomizer without losing its shape. Keep the rest spare with a sculptural gold ring. The Viviana has a substantial curved shape, so one is enough. A tortoiseshell hair claw is the practical final piece: useful for putting your hair up without adding another metal to the outfit.

Plan your Bar Fortuna visit

Bar Fortuna is at 2917 Main Street, Santa Monica. Check the restaurant’s current reservations for the service times on the day you want to go. The opening coverage is helpful for the idea behind the restaurant; the reservation page is the better place to confirm a particular dinner.

For me, the appeal is the combination of a neighborhood address and a meal that gives you a reason to get dressed. Nothing here calls for a complicated outfit. Pick one top, one trouser, one bag and a few finishing pieces, then let the table be the point.

More Los Angeles dinner ideas

• The Baltaire Brunch and What to Wear to the Brentwood Farmers Market
• The Brothers Sushi and What to Wear Shopping on Montana Avenue
• Sora Temaki Bar Lunch and What to Wear for a Workout Day in LA

Shop the Post

Shop the full collection: buy it here

• Alex Mill Chantilly Ruffle Shirt – Military Olive
• Theory Treeca Pull-On Pant – Deep Mulberry Admiral Crepe
• Clare V Petit Moyen – Evergreen Woven Zig-Zag
• Boden Hereford Military Cord Jacket – Dark Cherry
• LESET Pointelle Long Sleeve Bateau Top – Black
• LILYSILK Brushed Cashmere Triangle Scarf – Beige
• Aerosoles Cosmos Platform Sandal – Blush Suede
• Monica Vinader Nomade Pearl Small Earrings – Gold Vermeil
• Mansur Gavriel Oversized Cloud Clutch – Ebony
• Jenny Bird Viviana Ring – Gold
• Emi Jay Big Effing Clip – Tortoise