Downtown Santa Monica is a flurry of restaurant activity right now: Wally’s is on the way, as is a new North Italia, and Carlo’s Bake Shop. Add to that list a new “All Day Eatery” going into a defunct jewelry shop at 331 Wilshire Blvd. There’s not much out there yet on The Gables, just an undeveloped website and Facebook page. It looks like they’re shooting for a Fall opening.
Update: The Gables opens Wednesday, August 22. Read Eater’s story here.
I only just noticed that there’s an ABC application posted on the front of the space at 2821 Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica announcing that Vietnamese restaurant Blossom is intending to move in. But since the application was apparently posted late last year, absolutely nothing has been touched on the space. I’m not sure what the hold up is (I’m looking at you City of Santa Monica), or if they’ve changed their minds, but until we know more, you can locate their three other locations and try to figure out their inscrutable website here.
It looks like change is afoot at sushi bar Tkyo House at 2901 Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica. A goodbye letter posted on the door states that they have closed as of yesterday. But the notice also promises that a restaurant with new management will reopen later in the week. And the bill of fare? Apparently ramen. I’ll keep watching…
This food scene on this formerly bleak little stretch of Lincoln is really taking off… Paper is up in the window of the space at 324 Lincoln Blvd.in Venice announcing that sweet and savory pastry specialist The Pie Hole is digging in, right next to the recently opened Cava Grill. Looks like they’re shooting for a Spring opening.
This is a bit surprising… Even though you’d think that they had a captive audience from the Best Western Hotel, the International House of Pancakes, or IHOP, has flipped its last pancake on the corner of 20th and Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica. No word on what may replace it, but I’ll keep watching.
Like so many of you who keep checking this blog for updates, I too am excited and anxious to see what the new Westfield Century City Shopping Center is going to look like. Recently, a new wing of the glam mall opened, albeit with few stores open yet. Although much of this has been reported, here’s a look at what’s coming to the food scene…
Back in March of last year, I noticed a small pending development permit taped to the front of the old Hennessy+Ingalls bookshop at 214 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. The permit listed the applicant as Santa Monica Farmhouse. Recently a teaser ad went up on the front the space taunting us with, “You will never guess what’s coming soon.” Last week, the ABC applications were on display spilling the beans. The future occupant will be another branch of the ridiculously popular oenophile paradise Wally’s Wine and Spirits. Wally’s expansion into Santa Monica came onto Eater’s radar back in late March, but no details were revealed. Because there are two applications, one for ‘on sale’ and one for ‘off sale’, I think its safe to assume that this Wally’s will be similar in design to the one in Beverly Hills.
Construction is fast and furious on a new ice cream and juice bar coming to 11813 W. Santa Monica Blvd. in LA. The banner on the front informs us that Helados La Michoacana will soon be moving in. Not sure when they’ll open, but it looks like they don’t have that far to go…
Back in 2015, I noticed that a new pizza concept, originally billed as Daniele Pizza, was taking over the old Adoteca space at 11712 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood. Later, we learned that the new restaurant was associated with the people behind Sprinkles Cupcakes, and we learned that the name was going to be Pizzana. Since then, a great many of you have been carefully checking for updates, so here you go… According to a spokesperson, Pizzana will officially throw open its doors on April 21. 
Recently, I saw that there was a notice of pending design review taped to the inside of the window of the erstwhile Santa Monica Electric Co. at 2428 Main St. in Santa Monica. Immediately, long-time LA restaurateur Josiah Citrin’s (Melisse, Charcoal) name stood out. Upon closer inspection, the notice’s artist’s rendering lets us know that this humble building will soon be the home of a branch of hotdog specialists Dave’s Doghouse. The ABC application confirms it.
LA continues its love affair with raw fish… Recently “molecular creamery” Ice-Cream Lab closed its chilly doors at 9461 S. Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills. And wasting no time, signs are now up to let us know that expanding Hawaiian restaurant North Shore Poke Co. will soon be moving in. To read more and view an unnervingly close photo of their product, click here.
A while ago, cult shoe store Kicks LA closed down at 1603 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. Wasting little time, it appears that the wildly popular Montana fixture Bardonna has expanded into the next door location. They’ve knocked out the wall between the two shops and installed a new dining room complete with a large communal table.
It was about four years ago when I noticed that “fresh & healthy Mediterranean” restaurant Z Garden had opened a second branch at 313 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. I’m not sure what happened, but it appears that they have vacated this location. And wasting no time whatsoever, a hastily hung banner announces that Chou Chou French Pastries & Cafe have quietly slipped in. I’m not certain who’s behind this and there’s not a lot of information out there yet. If you’re missing Z Garden, their other location is still open on Pico.
Update: Read the comment below for more information…
I’ve known for a while now that something was moving into the old Poquito Mas space at 2025 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica: The for lease sign came down a while ago. But now we know what it is… It looks like the former Mexican restaurant will be taken over by another, Chipotle Mexican Grill.
The dramatic renovation of the Manhattan Village on the corner of Rosecrans and Sepulveda in Manhattan Beach has a new casualty. Self described “true mediterranean” restaurant Sesame Moe’s has pulled up stakes. Not sure what happened, but you can read their goodbye message here.
Manhattan Beach’s popular purveyor of “New Zealand’s coffee culture” is continuing to expand. Signs are up on the space at 321 Main St. in El Segundo that used to be the home of Steve’s Burgers announcing that Two Guns Kitchen will soon be plying the locals and captive industry folks with flat whites. I’m not sure when they will be opening, but it looks like they’re not too far off…
The mystery continues… Back in June of 2015 renovation began on the shabby old food court The Gallery at 1315 Third St. Promenade in Santa Monica. Excitement heightened when it reopened and restaurants started trickling in. And then something went wrong. The restaurants that had opened moved out and The Gallery sat empty. Then, last week, the windows were papered over and a required construction sign has appeared in the window. If anyone has any information, let me know as this story has been keenly followed by a great number of you…
The signs are up on the space at 5263 Rosecrans Blvd. in Hawthorne announcing that soon a new frozen treat shop will be throwing open its doors. According to the window paper, Swirl Soft Serve will be specializing in hand swirled dairy, non-diary, and vegan ice cream and sundaes. It looks like they’re shooting for a mid-April opening.
It looks like artisanal coffee purveyor Caffe Luxxe is expanding. I just noticed their signs are up on an empty space in the freshly remodeled shopping center at 22335 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Their website also promises a new location in the Montecito Country Mart in Montecito as well.
Sadly, it looks like retail shoe store Lorin is going out of business at 1354 3rd St. Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. Why am I telling you this? Because if you look at the storefront carefully, you’ll see a notice of pending design review in the lower right corner. The notice informs us that “a new bakery” will be taking over. If we look closely at the artist’s rendering, the name of the new bakery will be Carlo’s Bake Shop. Apparently Carlo’s Bake Shop is another name for none other than New Jersey’s Carlo’s Bakery of TLC’s Cake Boss fame. This would be the chain’s first West Coast location.
Toddrickallen 