A reader (Thanks Shawn L.!) has passed along information that EVO Kitchen has called it quits. Known for their vegan, vegetarian, organic, and gluten-free options, the restaurant has quietly vacated their home of nine years at 7950 Sunset Blvd. (corner of Hayworth) in LA. I’m not sure what happened, but you can read their gracious good-bye note below.
(Photo Courtesy Shawn L.)
In Santa Monica, where there’s a dearth of fast food choices, a drive-through restaurant closure stands out. On a tip from a reader (Thanks Joe!), I went to check out what was going on at the Carl’s Jr. at 2727 Santa Monica Blvd. The location is indeed closed, and the entire property has been fenced off. I’m not sure if this is permanent or a remodel, so I’ll keep watching…
Update: After much speculation, one reader has uncovered evidence that Carl’s Jr. is not gone, but rather remodeling. See for yourself here.
Sadly, after a valiant effort, Santa Monica’s French charmer Chou Chou Café has closed up shop. A gracious note taped to the front of the troubled space at 313 Wilshire Blvd. thanks patrons and promises a relocation soon. We wish them the best of luck. I’ll keep watching to see what develops.
What’s going on at Panera Bread? Recently, the (newish) Westwood branch abruptly closed up shop. On a tip from a reader (Thanks Shawn!), I went to check out the (also newish) Beverly Hills location at 239 S Beverly Dr. Sure enough, a note taped to the front door explains that they have “permanently closed”. Could this indicate trouble for the popular bakery/sandwich chain?
Comfort food expert Fork-In Aussie Pie Kitchen is closing its beach adjacent location at 2510 Main St. Suite B in Santa Monica. But no need to feel sorry for them. They are actually closing this location so they can focus on expanding the brand, including into retail according to a spokesperson. And what’s next for the prime space? I was informed by the Aussie Pie folks that a new French restaurant is moving in. An ABC application is posted, but no business name is listed. The applicant, Maison Thouvard LLC, has ties to Santa Barbara.
Could this indicate a slowdown in the build-your-own pizza trend? On a tip from a reader (Thanks Joey!), I went to check out what was going on at Pieology Pizzeria at 920 Broxton Ave.in Westwood Village. As it turns out, it has closed down. A note taped to the front door confirms it. I’m a bit surprised by this. Even in pizza saturated Westwood, it’s hard to comprehend why ever-popular Pieology, of all places, would pull up stakes. I’ll keep watching to see what may develop…
Sadly, after 23 years, beloved neighborhood institution Pradeep’s Indian Cuisine has closed up shop at 1405 Montana Ave. Check out their gracious goodbye note below. Wasting no time whatsoever, a new eatery appears to be moving in. While I don’t have any concrete information, I’m hearing whispers that it will be a Mexican restaurant. I’ll keep watching…
Well I didn’t see this coming… It appears that Santa Monica’s ever-popular branch of burrito specialist Baja Fresh has quietly disappeared from their anchor position on the corner of Wilshire and Lincoln in Santa Monica. Not sure what happened, but I’ll keep watching to see what develops.
Ever since the Westfield Century City Shopping Center’s glitzy and expensive makeover, restaurant news has been overshadowed by the big names (think Eataly). But, as they always have, things change very suddenly in this mercurial food scene. Here’s a what I observed recently… On the second floor near Eataly, a new Sichuan charmer promising “flashy surroundings & theatrical servers“, HaiDiLao Hot Pot, is on the way. Mezza Garden has closed up shop on the first floor. And one of the last empty spaces in the food court will soon be home to Shuck House, a seafood and oyster bar that plans on opening in December.
I recently noticed that long-standing local fave Japanese bolthole Musha Tokyo Cuisine has quit its Downtown Santa Monica location at 424 Wilshire Blvd. The windows are covered over and the restaurant appears to be undergoing renovation. I originally wondered if they were remodeling since there is no for lease sign on the front. But Yelp is reporting them closed and their website isn’t functioning, so I’m assuming the worst. Let me know if you have any information, but I’ll keep watching…
It was back in 2012 when I first noticed that a branch of Italian coffee specialists Spazio Caffe was on its way to 1511A Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. Having built a loyal local following, it’s a bit surprising to discover that they have abandoned the location. The space is completely gutted. I’m not sure what happened but I’ll keep watching to see what develops. 
Boba places are numerous in Westwood and competition must be fierce. One casualty appears to be Boba Loca at 10946 Weyburn Ave. I’ll keep watching to see what may move in…
On a tip from a reader (Thanks Steve), I went by to check out what was going on at Westwood’s branch of sandwich chain Panera Bread. A large space available sign on the front confirms that they have indeed vacated the location at 1145 Westwood Blvd. Not sure what happened, although I can’t help but wonder if stiff competition from their ever popular neighbor Ike’s had something to do with it. I’ll keep watching to see what may develop…
Still more signs of trouble for the consistently sputtering food scene in Santa Monica Place. It appears that another of the concessions on the third floor has disappeared. CrepeMaker has unceremoniously vacated its food court location. In other news… If you were hopeful that the failed The Market space might return with the promise of a new food venture, I’m afraid your hopes are about to be dashed on the rocks. In case you haven’t heard, the space is being converted into the Zimmer Children’s Museum, at least according to the new window displays. Perhaps the Dudes’ Brewing Company, currently under construction, will breathe new life into the third floor.
Bursting on the scene back in 2012, The Refinery specialized in brew-to-order drip coffee. Sadly, it appears that they have disappeared from their space at 413 Santa Monica Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. An impressive note on the door graciously says goodbye to many of their loyal customers, each listed by name.
A sad day for old school Santa Monica aficionados… Recently, after 30 years, Downtown Santa Monica staple Greek Cuisine Stop’n Café closed its iconic location at 1237 3rd Street Promenade. A gracious note posted on the front door offers gratitude to the community and explains that they have, “decided to pass on this beautiful location to the next generation of entrepreneurs.” And who might that entrepreneur be? An ABC application on the front of the space reveals that it is none other than a familiar purveyor of diminutive burgers that is bent on world domination… Burgerim.
On a tip from a reader (Thanks JP!), I went by to check out what was going on at Roast Deli & Market in Brentwood Village. The windows are papered over and the signs have been pulled from their space at 147 S. Barrington Ave. While their website is still up, Yelp is reporting them as closed, and so am I. I’ll watch to see what might move in.
This shouldn’t come as a terrible shock to too many people… Nestled among other neighborhood eateries in the quiet Yale Center strip mall, it appears that Chinese restaurant Dragon Palace has quietly disappeared from its space at 2832 Santa Monica Blvd. Their reviews were generally on the good side, so I’m not really sure what happened. I’ll keep watching to see what, if anything, decides to move into the unassuming location.
Update: According to readers Annie & Daisy (thanks!), this strip mall will soon be converted into a mixed use space. All the other restaurants will also be gone shortly…
The humble space at 705 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica has sure seen its share of trouble. It was only back in June of last year that I told you about the arrival of celeb fave Rawkin Juice to the spot that previously had been occupied by short-lived Orchard Flats Juicery. Last week, a note was taped to the front door saying that they had closed for “renovation” (frequently restaurant code for ” permanently closed”). This week the for lease sign went up on the space confirming the sad news that they have indeed closed. Is the honeymoon over for the pressed juice craze?
Brentwood’s branch of Big Catch Seafood House at 12009 Wilshire Blvd. appears to have gone off the deep end. They place appears gutted. There are still a few tables outside, otherwise the space is mostly empty. Yelp is not reporting it as closed yet, and the last review on was on April 16th, but the phone has been disconnected, there is no mention of this location on the company website, and when I went by last night after their usual opening hours to check things out, they were closed. I can’t report with any certainty that they are finished (or possibly restructuring), but things don’t look good… Let me know if anyone has more information.
Toddrickallen 