A couple of times a month, I meet some of my girlfriends that live in the Sherman Oaks area for a long lunch to catch up on the goings on in our busy lives. Over the last several months, our latest spot for lunching has been Sweet Butter on the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Matilija Avenue. Since we have been regular patrons, I cannot imaging there NOT being a Sweet Butter. In fact, I really don’t quite know how I got along without it’s existence before we started going there.

Leslie Danelian and husband Rick Berge have really outdone themselves since opening Sweet Butter in November of 2010. If you’re either from the area originally, or if you’ve lived here for a number of years, you’ll probably remember Leslie’s Sweet Somethings Catering Company in Sherman Oaks. If you don’t, or haven’t lived here long enough to remember it, don’t worry, because Leslie has taken her twenty years of culinary and planning experience and created Sweet Butter! (Thank you, Leslie)! Having become the hot spot to lunch with friends, enjoy Brunch and Breakfast, or a bottle of wine from home with a 6 PM early dinner, Sweet Butter is THE place to relax, enjoy and just indulge in what Leslie and her staff have to offer.

Designed by talented creative artist, Carrie Vose, the eatery offers seating outside along the front of it’s light-yellow-with-chocolate-brown-accents exterior on Ventura Boulevard and continues around the corner along the side of the building on Matilija Avenue. Complete with heaters for chilly evenings and built-in misters for warmer days, I don’t think the owners of Sweet Butter could have put more thought into the comfort of their customers. With sizable bistro tables surrounding the restaurant’s perimeter and a cozy courtyard for additional dining, Sweet Butter offers even more surprises when you walk into their market to place your order.

As you enter the main entrance through a beautifully crafted wrought iron gate with the letters “SB” conveniently positioned on them, you feel as thought you are entering a quaint indoor garden. There are fresh herbs growing from unique hanging baskets, encouraging statement signs everywhere you look, little notes written on small chalkboards with inspiring messages, an enormous chandelier hanging from the rafters over the interior courtyard made of fastened branches with tiny white lights, and all of the walls… exterior and interior…are all a calming light yellow hue…the same color of sweet butter.

There’s so much fun inside the Sweet Butter market! The menu inside the Sweet Butter market is handwritten in chalk and posted on one wall, their hand-selected artisan items, themed pastas, books, candies, Sweet Butter logo tote bags, bottled soda, and other little tidbits will make you smile along the way, or make someone else’s day when you present them with a Sweet Butter gift carefully wrapped by the staff!

The massive framed chalk-written menu board hangs on a wall inviting customers to ponder what they are in the mood for, while individual laminated menus are also available in the courtyard foyer as well as in a holder on the wall beside the chalk menu. Selections include such delectables as sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, pastries, muffins, incredible savory breads, and so much more. Most items are served all day, then some only until 10:30 AM. Only the freshest ingredients are used when preparing meals for customers at Sweet Butter, so sometimes, some of the standard fare won’t be available every day. But most of the time, they are. Sweet Butter’s Breakfast menu offers such delicious selections as omlettes, scrambles, breakfast burritos, and parfaits. Starting at 11 AM, the eatery serves Lunch, which includes fare such as their crispy fried chicken, sliders, grilled chicken, and afternoon snacks for kids (and adults, too)! There are even boxed lunches available for twelve dollars! Take-out orders are convenient, and the team at Sweet Butter is available for catering jobs as well (that’s not a surprise with Leslie at the helm)! And there’s a Weekday Menu as well as a Weekend Menu. Oh no…no more Meatloaf Sandwiches??? Hopefully they’ll return after the summer. Until then, you can satisfy your cravings with any of the below items I’ve personally experienced, or any of the other delicious items on the Sweet Butter menu…

The Grilled Turkey and Fig Jam sandwich is dressed with St. Agur Bleu Cheese and Mozzerella on Rustic Country Bread served with an Arugula Salad on the side. The Sweet Butter Kale Chopped Salad comes with Sopresatta Salami or Roasted Chicken, Provolone, Garbanzos, Roasted Red Peppers, Celery, Red Onion and pepperoncini over Kale with their Italian vinaigrette. I chose to get half salami and half roasted chicken on this delectable and beautiful salad! The Half-A-Sandwich with a Cup of the Soup of the Day was filling and healthy. My friend chose a half of the Sweet Butter BLT and a cup of the Kale & White Bean Soup. The Turkey & Guacamole Sandwich with Pepper Jack Cheese and Tomato on Ciabatta Bread is accompanied by Sweet Butter’s house-made Lime Tortilla Chips. How brilliant is that…GUACAMOLE ON A SANDWICH! The Turkey & Grafton Cheese Sandwich (Heirloom Tomatoes, Little Gems Lettuce and Dijon Aioli on Country White Bread with a Mixed Baby Greens Salad was splendid! I always get Sweet Butter’s iced tea when I visit. Refills are complimentary, and the tea is refreshing, cold and wonderful on a warm afternoon.

Don’t forget Sweet Butter also offers a solution to your sweet tooth as well. Have your pick from their amazing array of options like their scones, cookies, layer cakes, candies and other delectables! And if you love Afternoon Tea, Sweet Butter offers Afternoon Tea Time between 2 PM and 6 PM by reservation.

The attention to detail at Sweet Butter is obvious. Simple napkins and dining utensils are held by steel cut oatmeal cans (I always thought those were such beautiful tins myself), and instead of just giving patrons a “number” to put on their table for servers to locate them when their food is sent from the kitchen, Sweet Butter hands customers a spice, or an herb, or a vegetable. They’ve just thought of everything here down to the very last detail!

If you haven’t yet been to Sweet Butter and experienced the level of unmatched customer service, friendly neighborhood vibe and incredible edible offerings, it’s definitely time to do so. You’ll be happy that you did. And maybe you’ll leave with a little something special for yourself or for someone else from the Sweet Butter market!

ESTABLISHMENT / DECOR: Professionally designed by artistic consultant, Carrie Vose, Sweet Butter has the essence of the perfect neighborhood bakery, eatery and marketplace. Calming yellows, rich chocolate brown highlights and intricate wrought iron and other details enhance the already near-perfect establishment. Charming and fun, you won’t be disappointed with what you find here.

FOOD / DRINK: Simply exceptional! Our group hasn’t has a meal we haven’t liked since our first time at this establishment. We don’t know how they do it! Wonderful refreshing iced tea with complimentary refills in addition! Give the staff at Sweet Butter a call to learn about their daily specials!

LOCATION: Sweet Butter is located at 13824 Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.

HOURS: Sweet Butter is open 8 AM to 7 PM seven days a week (summer hours), unless otherwise stated. Be sure to give them a call before you stop by in the event of early closings for special events or private parties.

SERVICE / STAFF: Friendly, genuinely happy, helpful and professional staff at Sweet Butter. Very impressive no matter what day of the week we visit…always consistent!

PRICE / VALUE: Incredible ambiance, terrific friendly neighborhood vibe and amazing gourmet cuisine at this quaint cozy establishment. Very happy to be a regular here!

CORKAGE: NO CORKAGE CHARGE at Sweet Butter any time of day! We were so delighted to find this out! Bring your wine from home or your wine locker and Sweet Butter will welcome your libations either inside their courtyard area or at any of their sidewalk tables!

CONTACT INFO: Phone: (818)-788-2832, Website: www.sweetbutterkitchen.com

TOTAL BILL: There’s nothing on the Sweet Butter menu over $13.95, and most of the entrees are well below that cost. The sandwiches and salads are large enough to share. I usually end up taking half of my sandwich or salad home with me. Great portions, loaded sandwiches and delicious iced tea with free refills!