Westwood Village has a notoriously capricious food scene. Only the bravest make a stand here, and not always with the best results. Sadly, Garlo’s Aussie Pie Shop has thrown in the towel at 1010 Glendon Ave. as evidenced by the for lease sign on the front. All may not be lost though: A message on their website states that they are “on the move” and promises big news soon…
Signs are up in the window of the building on the corner of Abbot Kinney and Venice Blvd. (1645 Abbot Kinney Blvd., the same building that houses Lemonade) indicating that a branch of popular and prolific cold-pressed juice folks Pressed Juicery are soon moving in. If their window paper is to be trusted, this location will be serving their proprietary frozen treat Freeze, which they describe as “soft-serve made from 100% whole fruits, nuts & vegetables”. No word on an opening date, but I’ll keep watching…
Recently I told you about the move of Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse from its location in the Manhattan Village Shopping Center to Downtown El Segundo. A reader was quick to let me know that the move was necessary to make room for the upcoming expansion of the mall. One other casualty was the popular Eastern European restaurant Doma Kitchen (the name means “home” in Slavic), that sat just to the right of Johnny Memphis’. But the plucky little eatery isn’t done yet… They have indeed pulled up stakes in Manhattan Beach, but they’ve landed in a brand new location. Doma Kitchen is now open in Marina del Rey in the Villa Marina Marketplace at 4325 Glencoe Ave. #8.
For some reason that I don’t entirely comprehend, a great many of you are BIG fans of Chik-fil-A. Well then, here’s some welcome news for those of you that count yourselves in that group: Signs recently went up on the old defunct Del Taco at 4050 Lincoln Blvd. (just south of Washington) announcing that the structure is being converted into a branch of the popular poultry purveyor. No word on an opening date yet, so y’all will just have to wait…
I recently noticed that after a long run at 1442 2nd St., Santa Monica’s branch of the kitschy old school Italian chain Buca di Beppo has finally pulled up stakes. I didn’t see this coming and I’m not sure what happened. I’ll keep my eye on the space to see what the future holds, and in the mean time, if you find yourself craving ginormous portions of red sauce pasta, you can locate one of their other branches here.
Ocean Park Boulevard’s popular sandwich shop is about to up its game. An ABC license posted in the window informs us that Carvery Kitchen is looking to add beer and wine to their repertory of drinks. Hopefully, the libations will begin flowing soon…
Popular neighborhood restaurant Spumoni, at 713 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica, ran into a spot of trouble a little over a year ago when a car crashed into the next door Café de Paris and sparked a fire that shut the Italian eatery down. Rising from the ashes, Spumoni threw open its doors last night (Tuesday) for the first time since the fire. Having taken over the Café de Paris space, the plucky always-crowded café is now larger with an extensive remodel. The feel is still cozy and friendly, with a dining room bedecked in warm wood paneling. You’ll continue to find many of the classics on the menu, but if you haven’t thought about Spumoni as a destination in a while, it might be time to reconsider. They built a spiffy wood-fired pizza oven brought from Napoli and flew in a pizza expert, Pizzaiolo Massimo Caso to serve some the crispest (perhaps best) Neapolitan-style pies anywhere in this neck of the woods. We wish them the best of luck.
Back in February, I told you about the closure of all the branches of Orchard Flats Juicery. It appears that their erstwhile location at 7970 Melrose Ave. has found a new tenant. Papered-over windows and a notice on the door informs us that the space will soon be an outlet of Hollywood’s fave online delivery expert Sugar Mama’s Gourmet Cupcakes. It looks like Chef Elizabeth Gousse will start churning out the sugary treats sometime this November.
I just noticed plywood covering the corner space in the Brentwood Gardens, at 11677 San Vicente, that informs us that a branch of healthy bowl expert Sweetgreen is soon heading that way. The notices only just went up, so I imagine they’ve a way to go. Until then, check out their menu here.
It was only about a month ago that I told you about the closure of Barbacoa Mexican Grill at 1030 Glendon Ave. in Westwood. Wasting no time whatsoever, a branch of Pinches Tacos is quickly moving in. Look for the “real Mexican food” to start rolling out in about a week. We wish them the best of luck.
As we all wait with bated breath for the new Westfield Century City Shopping Center to emerge from the dust of construction, thereby gracing us with an outpost of mythic Eataly and 15 promised new restaurants, the troubled food court continues to lose inhabitants. Recently, the short-lived branch of quirky Korean pizza giant Mr. Pizza disappeared, as did Fatburger just to its left. By my count, that leaves 5 vacancies…
The poke frenzy continues… With a location in LA and Glendale, it appears that Mainland Poke Shop is moving about as far west as you can go. The windows are papered over in the tiny shop just to the left of Kreation in the Waterside Shopping Center at 4700 Admiralty Way in Marina Del Rey announcing the impending arrival. Looks like they’ll start dishing raw fish sometime this Fall.
Recently, I noticed a pending conditional use permit pasted on the front of Santa Monica’s branch of Stout Burgers & Beers at 111 N Santa Monica Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. An employee confirmed that they are looking to add a full bar to their selection of beers and wine. Hopefully the cocktails will begin pouring soon…
With one location in the Manhattan Village Shopping Center (right behind Macy’s), it looks like Johnny Memphis’ Smokehouse is expanding with another branch in Downtown El Segundo. A banner is up over the old Mandy’s Café space at 241 Main St. announcing the upcoming arrival. No word on when the grills will be fired up, but I’ll keep watching…
I’ve long heard whispers that a change was coming to secret celeb hideaway Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano, that has inhabited the small space at 714 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. Apparently, hard-working and gregarious Chef Vincenzo Nicoletta has decided it’s time to move on. Recently plywood has covered the front, and a change of ownership ABC license application is letting us know that the name of the new restaurant will be Osteria Bigoli. Tortano LLC and the name on the application indicate that perhaps Osteria Bigoli will have some relationship with a restaurant in Covina called Osteria Pane e Vino. In the mean time, Vincenzo remains open. I’ll keep following this for more details.
A great many of you have been carefully watching the space that used to house St. Urbain Street Bagels at 451 North Beverly Dr. in Beverly Hills. Well, now we know what’s taking over. A small notice of non-responsibility taped to the front door indicates that a new branch of “never conventional” expanding juice company Juice Served Here is moving in.
I recently noticed an ABC license application posted in the window of 204 Main St. in El Segundo, just across the street from newish popular Sausal, requesting to sell beer and wine in their “eating place”. The name listed on the application is The Brewport Market. I can’t find much information on the new restaurant, but a name on the application gives us a clue that it may have some association with the El Segundo Brewing Company.
Le Bon Dieu of heavenly French patisserie continues to shower confectionary benevolence upon the good people of LA… I’ve been starry-eyed ever since Eater told us about the upcoming arrival of Paris’ legendary pastry shop and restaurant Ladurée to The Grove. But guess what happy surprise I stumbled upon on the corner of Beverly and Dayton in Beverly Hills: It appears that Ladurée is taking over the space that used to house Vosges Haut-Chocolat at 311 N. Beverly Dr. Plywood covers the front, obscuring the diminutive shop and kitchen as it transforms into the jewel box that is their signature style, but I’m confident it’ll be magnifique and I personally can’t wait. Quelle Bonne Chance!
Asian-fusion standard Chaya Venice has long held down the corner of Navy and Main in Venice. And it looks like it’s about time for a little revamp. The place is gutted, and a notice in the window lets us know that they have closed for a remodel. They’re promising to throw the doors back open by late September with their shiny new look.
It was back in December of last year that I noticed printing on the door of the diminutive space next to upcoming Espresso Cielo at 1431 B 2nd St. in Downtown Santa Monica informing us that something called KC Chocolatier was moving in. A little digging revealed that KC Chocolatier has a flagship store in Chicago, and is an offshoot of Kim’s Chocolates from Tienen, Belgium, that according to their website is the “number 1 chocolate exporter to Canada and the United States”. Then the space sat idle for months, with no activity. Finally, a flurry of construction and a flashy new sign confirm that KC is indeed coming soon, and that they will be bringing with them “fresh Belgian chocolate”, ice cream, and hot chocolate. We with them the best of luck.
Toddrickallen 