A beloved neighborhood lunch spot, tucked away just off Ocean Park Blvd. appears to have shuttered. A reader wrote to tell me that he noticed Mrs. Winston’s at 3150 Ocean Park had closed. Mrs. Winston’s has been a beloved part of the neighborhood for quite a while and was well known for their popular salad and juice bar. But don’t worry, you can still get “LA’s Best Salad Bar” at their Century City and Santa Monica Water Garden locations.
A longtime provider of healthy juices to the yoga crowd in Downtown Santa Monica has mysteriously closed its doors. There’s a note on the front of Nekter Juice Bar, at 1422 2nd St. that says they are “currently not open to the public”, whatever that means. But don’t worry, Nekter has a number of other locations across SoCal, and the US.
I had been worried about The Works Shopping Center, tucked in behind it’s big box store neighbor Plaza El Segundo. Just a short while ago, many of the original tenants had fled the quiet destination. But hope springs eternal. The Works, at 700 S Allied Way, has been transforming into a food destination. Along with Veggie Grill and Duff’s Cake Mix, newer tenants include Northern Cafe, Goop Kitchen, and Pinkberry. And you can add one more: Oath Pizza. Oath Pizza has locations mostly on the East Coast and offers customizable pies with crusts that are hand-tossed, grilled and seared in avocado oil with handmade sauces and humane meats. This appears to be SoCal’s first.
People go crazy for the luscious gelato at Bacio di Latte in The Westfield Century City Shopping Center. Now fans in Brentwood won’t have to drive so far. Window paper is up on the space that was the home of Yogurtland, at 11706 San Vicente, proclaiming the triumphant news that Bacio di Latte is moving in. You’re welcome.
Good news Marina del Rey! All you can eat sushi has arrived! There is now a branch of Santa Monica’s Non Stop Sushi & Sake Bar up and running at 4025 Del Rey Ave., in the shopping center on the corner of Washington and Lincoln. (Incidentally, part of the roof awning caved in during one of the storms earlier in the week at their popular Santa Monica location at 2645 Lincoln Blvd.)
An eagle-eyed reader (Thanks Deryck!) wrote to tell me about a new ABC application on the cavernous build-out at 433 N Camden in Beverly Hills (corner of S Santa Monica). While the plywood prevents us from seeing what is going on inside, the application lists the name of the new eatery as Gravitas. I don’t have any more information than that, but I’m sensing a big story here. Let me know if you have any answers…
On a tip from a reader, I went by the old Deja Brew/Billboard Bar + Taproom space at 10928 W Pico Blvd. to see what was going on. Sure enough, new signage alerts us to the news that The Boil Daddy is moving in. The Boil Daddy is a rapidly expanding chain with locations in California and Texas that offers a menu focused on Cajun seafood. (Thanks Blake!)
Another lunch choice is coming to the hungry aerospace crowd in El Segundo. The new Nash Street Exchange shopping center is currently home to a popular Raising Cane’s, a future Panera Bread, and soon a new contender. A banner over the space at 2150 El Segundo Blvd. is announcing a branch of “American Chinese” mega chain Panda Express.
The new development at 1947 Sawtelle has be seeing a lot of activity. 10 Speed Coffee recently opened in Suite B, and quickly became a hit. And I only told you last week about a branch of CURRY HOUSE CoCoICHIBANYA sliding into Suite D. Now there’s new signage and a lot of construction in Suite C foretelling the arrival of Dong Ting Noodle. Other than the name, I don’t have a lot of information about this business, so if you know more, let me know…
The former bank building at 3032 Wilshire, on the corner of Berkeley and Wilshire in Santa Monica, continues its transformation into a food destination. There are the delightful Portuguese egg tarts from Paderia at the back of the building, and in the front, you can get your acai at Oakberry. Soon you can add one more choice. Signs recently went up on Suite B4, on the Berkeley side of the building, announcing a new “curry & sando” spot: Katsu Bar. Katsu Bar has a smattering of locations throughout SoCal and offers a menu of appetizers, salads, chicken or pork katsu sandwiches and sandos, and curry bowls.
Curry specialists CURRY HOUSE CoCoICHIBANYA opened their first shop in Japan in 1978. They have since spread to over 1,400 locations around the world, including a handful in SoCal. They’re about to add one more to that collection. There is a notice in the window of 1947 Sawtelle Blvd Unit D announcing that CURRY HOUSE CoCoICHIBANYA is settling in and will soon be dishing their proprietary curries, salads, and omelets.
San Diego’s Parakeet Cafe continues its push into LA County. Last year, I told you about the health-focused chain taking over the old Chin Chin space in Beverly Hills. Recently, window paper went up at 13050 San Vicente Blvd. suite 112, most recently home to a mysterious branch of Umami Burger ghost kitchen, announcing that a new branch of Parakeet Cafe is settling in at this address as well. Check out another location’s menu here to get an idea of what may be coming…
Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader, I went by the new Boardwalk MDR shopping center at 4625 Admiralty Way in Marina del Rey to see what was going on. A small notice of nonresponsibility posted on one of the vacant shop fronts spills the beans that mercurial dessert specialist Winston Pies is moving in. And right next door, in a commodious space in the same shopping center, work is fast and furious on a massive Planta Cocina. Planta Cocina is a concept from the rapidly expanding plant-based eatery Planta with a menu of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and ensaladas. (Thanks Trevor!)
Winston Pies' new location
Planta Cocina
The Westwood Village restaurant scene took a serious hit when once-popular Napa Valley Grille closed a few years back. The cavernous space at 1100 Glendon Ave. has sat empty ever since, but that’s (possibly) about to change. Thank you to all the readers who wrote to tell me about a new “general eating place” ABC application on the front door that says STK is taking over the address. You may recall that STK Steakhouse moved into The W Hotel, just up the street in 2015. I’ve contacted both The W and STK and neither claimed to know anything about this application. On the contrary, I was assured by both that they knew of no plans to move STK out of The W Hotel. Therefore, at the time of this writing, I don’t have any information on whether this is a move, a duplicate, a subsidiary company, or something else entirely. Let me know if you have any info, otherwise, I guess we’ll have to wait and see…
At the beginning of the year, I told you about New York pie joint Prince St. Pizza moving into the old Honeybee Burger space at 326 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice. Wasting no time whatsoever, they are currently in a soft opening with evening hours only. But tomorrow, March 9th, they throw open their doors with a Grand Opening that they’re describing as a “Lincoln Blvd Block Party“. They will be handing out free pizza, with vendors and “festivities” in the back parking lot. Grab your free slice and check out the fun from 6pm to 10pm.
(Thanks Jeff!)
In a recent post about Mid-City, I opined about the plethora of empty storefronts along Wilshire Blvd. One plucky contender appears to be bucking the trend and is moving into a space along the storied stretch of boulevard. There’s a banner up at 6254 Wilshire (formerly home to Pita Kitchen) announcing the impending arrival of Laki Ramen.
It was only back in December when I told you about the disappearance of lunch spot Kye’s from its location at 1518 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. Recently, window paper went up on the space announcing the arrival of something called Bread Head. As it turns out, Bread Head has had a presence as a pop up since 2021 and is the project of Alex Williams and Jordan Snyder, two chefs from Trois Mec. They specialize in carefully crafted sandwiches on homemade bread. Read the full story on their website here. Definitely a welcome addition to the expanding and unexpectantly exciting Montana Ave. food scene.
The window paper at 1447 Lincoln Blvd. (corner of Broadway) in Santa Monica is announcing that a branch of Health Nut is taking over the space. Not sure what that is? Check with your friends who live in The Valley or The Southbay. Odds are, they’re huge fans of the celebrity fave that began as a vitamin store in 1988. They are known for their fresh, healthy sandwiches and salads with proprietary dressings that people go gaga for. Apparently, Culver City will soon be getting a branch as well at 8900 Venice Blvd #108.
Beverly Hills is about to get a whole lot sweeter… There’s a small notice in the window of the space at 255 1/2 S Beverly Dr. (previously home to Chokolatta) announcing the impending arrival of Beverly Hills Cookies. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because they’ve had a presence at many of LA’s top events for years. I had a chance to talk to company rep Barry, who gave me the skinny on the new brick-and-mortar. Beverly Hills Cookies specializes in proprietary artisan gourmet cookies, but this store will have a whole lot more on offer. They will also have new and unique “soft-serve gelato” cups and milkshakes in flavors such as Beverly Hills Chocolate Chunk and Tripple Chocolate. There will also be rich European-style hot chocolate and coffee drinks that I’m guaranteed will be completely different from other shops in the area. Expect an opening in a few weeks, and I’m told they’re also looking to expand as well. We wish them the best of luck.
A concerned reader (Thanks Lisa!) took the time to let me know about some recent blows to the Mid-City food scene. Korean eatery Genki Grill is now closed at 6355 Wilshire. A little farther East, gastropub Spare Tire Kitchen & Tavern has completely disappeared from its erstwhile location at 5370 Wilshire. I’m not sure what this portends, but there do seem to be an awful lot of empty storefronts along Wilshire Blvd.
Toddrickallen 