Basix Cafe, a gay-friendly eatery on Santa Monica Boulevard

A favorite breakfast spot in West Hollywood that also serves tasty lunch and dinner fare (try the grilled polenta Florentine in the morning or Chinese chicken salad at lunch), Basix Cafe (8333 Santa Monica Blvd., 323-848-2460) sits along a sunny stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard and is one of the city's top gay-friendly eateries. The same owners operate the excellent Marix Tex Mex Cafe, next door, which is known for its tangy and potent margaritas (Marix also has a branch in Santa Monica), and such tempting Mexican dishes as seared ahi tuna tacos (this and many other dishes here are more Cal-Mex than Tex-Mex, but delicious just the same).