There is window paper up on one of the storefronts in the North Village shopping center at 150 S Pacific Coast Highway in El Segundo, previously home to Valentino’s Pizza, announcing a new branch of Prime Pizza. Prime Pizza has been in expansion mode with newish locations in Santa Monica, West LA, as well as other locations. They promise “authentic NY style Pizza”.
A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks John!) noticed that beloved local institution Bud’s Deli has closed up shop at 2727 Ocean Park Blvd. The hole-in-the-wall breakfast and sandwich shop had been on the go for 35 years. The unassuming space is currently being gutted and there is a hand-written sign in the window thanking fans for years of patronage and blaming “issues with the lease” for the closure. I’ll watch the location to see what may develop.
I noticed brightly colored window paper and an ABC application at 1836 Sawtelle Blvd. It appears that hand-crafted California-brewed alcoholic beverage company Sawtelle Sake is opening a storefront at the location. The license is a “02-Winegrower” type which means they produce their own wines but doesn’t give a clue about what may be on offer here. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
The space at 1315 Third St Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica has had a turbulent history. A while ago, it was The Gallery Food Hall. That cleared off to make room for mega ghost kitchen Kitchen United MIX, which as recently as July was promising new food options. I’m not sure what’s going on, but while the Kitchen United signs are still up, the place is closed and gutted with construction underway. And last week, a new ABC application went up on the front announcing that Santa Monica’s very own Santa Monica Brew Works is moving in. As you know, Santa Monica Brew Works is that crazy-busy complex on the corner of 20th and Colorado with proprietary brews and famous square pizza. I don’t have more info than this at this time, but I’ll keep digging…
Signs have recently gone up confirming that Alfred Coffee is indeed coming to The Boardwalk Shops at 4635 Admiralty Way in Marina del Rey. The third-wave purveyor of caffeinated drinks will be joining eateries HiHo Cheeseburger, KazuNori, and UOVO in the sleek new waterside shopping center. I’m not sure what is taking everything so long to open, but it looks like they’re close to throwing open their doors…
It appears that the Westfield Century City Shopping Center is getting a healthy new dining option. True Food Kitchen is moving into the ground floor space at the back of the mall and most recently occupied by The Crack Shack. With locations across the US, TFK offers a healthy menu based on the principles of natural health guru Dr. Andrew Weil and designed to increase longevity.
A popular Mediterranean dining option has vacated its location in the shopping center at 400 N Sepulveda Blvd in El Segundo. Sabra Beirut Mix has closed, and the space is currently being gutted. Not sure what happened, but as you know, El Segundo is an important lunch dining scene for the local aerospace and military workers so I’ll keep my eye on the address to see what may develop,
It looks like a new java joint is heading to the Del Rey neighborhood of LA. Signs are already up in the new multi-use complex at 11612 Culver Blvd. announcing a branch of Commissary. Commissary has been on the go for 10 years and has a smattering of locations across LA serving fair-trade, single origin coffee as well as teas, pastries, and selected food.
It looks like something new is coming to 109 Santa Monica Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica, formerly home to Little Ruby. Construction is underway, and there is a small piece of paper taped to a front window that exposes the new eatery as Bar Monette. There’s not much information out there on Bar Monette, just an under-construction website that lists the new establishment as a pizzeria & wine bar. The website says they are aiming for a January 2023 opening.
The Kebab Shop is taking over the one of the spaces at 460 N PCH in El Segundo. Expect the fast/casual Mediterranean eatery to offer a menu of “seasoned kebabs hand-carved from a vertical rotisserie or grilled over an open flame”, falafel, salads, and sides. The rapidly expanding chain has locations across California, Texas, and Florida, and is also opening new local restaurants in Atwater Village, Northridge, and Seal Beach.
I’ve been hearing from shocked readers that after 25 years, under-the-radar Brentwood powerhouse Vincenti Restorante has closed up shop at 11930 San Vicente Blvd. Vincenti dazzled The Westside for 25 years with its combination of inventive Italian food created by Chef Nicolo Mastronardi and its sophisticated setting. The hard-working woman behind Vincenti, Maureen Vincenti, would greet you with a hug at the door and inquire about your life as she led you into the elegantly appointed dining room studded with old-school Hollywood A-listers and industry execs. And while the luster may have dulled a tad recently, it’s easy to forget that Maureen’s late husband, Muaro Vincenti, along with Piero Salvaggio and others, revolutionized the way Los Angeles and America experienced Italian food. Its closure feels like the end of an era of classic Italian fine dining. Read Maureen’s and Chef Mastronardi’s parting message here.
Wasting no time whatsoever, it appears that Telefèric Barcelona will be throwing their hat into the ring of the recent tapas craze by taking over the space. Telefèric Barcelona hails from Spain and has a smattering of locations in NoCal. They offer a “truly authentic Spanish Tapas concept and experience”. Check out their menu here.
Erratum: This story was originally published with the misspelling of Vicenti instead of the correct Vincenti. My apologies.
If you’re travelling South on Lincoln through Westchester, you might have noticed a large banner hanging on the wall of the former location of Chicago For Ribs at 8311 Lincoln Blvd. The banner lets us know that The Nook Breakfast Spot is taking over the space. The Nook Breakfast Spot has one location in Lomita and promises “homemade meals from scratch”. Check out their Lomita location’s menu here.
I’ve been hearing from startled readers who have noticed that one of the last local branches of former pizza darling 800° Woodfired Kitchen has been taken off life support at 120 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. Signs have been pulled down and the cavernous space has been gutted. 800° burst onto the scene a few years back wowing people with their innovative design-your-own assembly line approach using quality ingredients that produced a charred-crust pie that seemed like a revelation at the time. I’ll keep my eye on the tricky address to see what may move in.
While no one was looking, a new Japanese restaurant quietly slipped into the space most recently occupied by innovative noodle shop Rakkan Ramen. Sushi Gozen is now open at the hidden location at 1705 Ocean Ave. #111. Sushi Gozen is the sister restaurant to West Hollywood’s Gozen Japanese Sake Bistro and promises a “laid-back seaside vibe” with fresh seafood, sushi pizza, chicken, and other offerings.
The hard-working folks in the aerospace industry in Hawthorne will soon have another choice for lunch. Signs are already up announcing that a branch of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is close to opening (if not already open by the time you read this) in the strip mall location at 12730E Hawthorne Blvd. Dickey’s is the Dallas-based chain that since its founding in 1941, has gone on to become the “largest barbecue franchise in the US“. They offer a solid menu of ribs, brisket, wings, pulled pork, chicken, kielbasa, and many other meaty bits that you can check out here.
I must confess, I never entirely understood the concept of Pudu Pudu, the pudding specialists brought to you by German megabrand Dr. Oetker. Apparently, I wasn’t alone. After opening only in February of this year, they have thrown in the towel at their second-floor location inside the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. And that’s not all. They have closed all of their LA locations, as indicated by this sad good-bye notice on their website.
Everytable is continuing its second-wave expansion… Everytable is the nobly inspired concept chain aiming to bring fresh, nutritious, made-from-scratch meals to a fast-food world at price points based on what a community could afford. There’s now a banner up on the space at 10912 Lindbrook, formerly home to a juice bar, announcing its impending arrival.
Back in February I reported that something called Alligot Sandwich was taking over the old Kaido space at 1049 Gayley in Westwood. That sign is still in the window, but a new banner now hangs over the storefront letting us all know that self-described “Egg Sandwich & Coffee Concept” Egg Tuck is moving in. Egg Tuck has two other LA locations and specializes in Korean “tucked in” style breakfast sandwiches served on brioche that look nothing short of amazing. Check them out for yourself here.
A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks again Andrew!) noticed some window paper up on one of the spaces on the studio side of The Culver Steps. The paper promises this to be the future home of Yunomi Handroll. Yunomi has a location in The Arts District and is known for traditional and innovative handrolls and sashimi.
Ever since Pizzicotto and Kreation moved out of their respective spaces at 11758 and 11754 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood, people have been contacting me demanding answers. Thanks to the clever investigative work of a reader (Thanks Eric!), I may have an answer. Eric discovered that the two spaces will be joined and become the home to Planta. (Their website does confirm a Brentwood location, but doesn’t give an address, so I don’t have confirmation on this.) Planta restaurant group has locations across America and Canada and promotes a celebration of ‘the power of plants” with a 100% plant-based dining concept. It looks like another location is coming to Marina del Rey as well.
Toddrickallen 