John’s Garden has been serving up freshness since 1975.
By Kim Devore / Staff Writer
Malibuites may have their top pizza place or differ on the best sushi bar, but when it comes to the swingers at the Malibu Country Mart playground, nothing beats John’s Garden.
This unpretentious lunch spot and snack shop is big with busy moms and dads who can grab a freshly made veggie burger and keep a close eye on their little ones shoveling sand at the same time. Casually clad customers line up beneath the colorful chalkboards, place their orders and enjoy an al fresco lunch at the Country Mart’s outdoor picnic tables.
The Garden’s roots go back to 1955 when John Musante brought his fresh produce delivery truck to Malibu. John served an appreciative clientele until 1975 when fashionable Fred Segal asked him, along with his two sons, Jim and John, to open a fruit stand in the new Malibu Country Mart. The rest is history.
Yes, they still have bananas, but today John’s menu offers a whole lot more. The well-stocked shelves offer a cornucopia of healthy treats from soup to nuts. There are made-to-order beverages packed with assorted fresh fruit, protein powder, lecithin, Brewer’s yeast and yogurt, thirst-quenching fruit smoothies and a dynamite date shake.
But the big draw at John’s is the delicious selection of signature sandwiches. They come with names like The Pier, Pacific and Atlantic. There’s even an English Channel, a smashing combination of egg salad, cucumber, watercress and Dijon mustard.
Surfers who’ve worked up an appetite riding the waves might go for the Woody comprised of hot corned beef, Swiss Cheese and Thousand Island Dressing or the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Zuma Sub made with ham, salami, provolone, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and Italian dressing.
But whether it’s a lighter fare like The Pier (tuna salad, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, sprouts and tomato) or the rich Cordon Bleu Club (turkey, ham, Swiss and blue cheese), every sandwich is substantial. Piled high, it’s a meal in itself.
Salads include the popular San Pedro dressed up with two scoops of chicken, tuna, avocado or egg salad, the tangy Korean topped with chow mein noodles, sesame seeds and Asian dressing, and the classic Italian with artichoke hearts, provolone cheese, salami, roasted red pepper and garbanzos.
So the next time you’re in the mood for a super sandwich or some glorious greens, stop by the Garden, you’ll see why John’s has been jumping for more than 30 years.