A new Korean grab & go concept has appeared out of nowhere in Westwood Village. Minari Express recently threw open their doors at 10912 Lindbrook Dr. Minari offers a wide range of prepared and prepackaged Korean staples (think Everytable) as well as snacks, banchan, drinks, and sweets. We wish them the best of luck.
Everyone’s favorite purveyor of gourmet gift baskets is coming to the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. There are small letters scralled on window paper promising that Harry & David will soon be taking up residency in a second floor space. Don’t know Harry & David? Where did you think those Holdiay pears came from?
Looks like something exciting is coming to The Golden Triangle. There’s new window paper up on the space at 9605 S. Santa Monica Blvd, most recently home to a branch of international gelato chain Amorino. With locations in Monrovia and Anaheim, and a Michelin nod, Luscious Dumplings will soon be bringing their celebrated dumplings, soup noodles, and snacks to the tony street.
This is a public service announcement: Finding a great weekend brunch spot in LA is essential, and also not easy. Freshly opened new neighborhood fave Diner Antonette, at 1215 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, will open with their inaugural brunch this Saturday and Sunday on their new back patio. You’re welcome.
Congratulations you lucky people of Westwood, epic sandwiches are on the way! With a nearby Montana Ave location that has constant lines, sandwich sensation Bread Head is opening a new location at 1136 Westwood Blvd in Westwood Village. Bread Head is the pet project of Alex Williams and Jordan Snyder, two chefs with Trois Mec pedigrees. They specialize in carefully crafted sandwiches on proprietary focaccia. They also have a new-ish Manhattan Beach location as well.
There’s window paper up on the space at 10601 Washington Blvd #103 (corner of Overland) announcing the impending arrival of Wildbird. Wildbird specializes in locally sourced free-range chicken that has been “raised right“. They then marinate it for 24 hours, slow cook it, and carve it to order. They have five other locations around LA.
This from my Inbox:
“On Friday, August 8, 2025 at 8:00am, Levain Bakery will celebrate its Beverly Hills grand opening – and third opening in the Los Angeles area – with a team ribbon cutting. The first 100 people in line will receive a custom Levain Bakery Beverly Hills tote bag filled with fun bakery swag celebrating the Beverly Hills community.
To further celebrate the opening of their Beverly Hills bakery, Levain will offer a brand new limited edition cookie flavor available exclusively at the new Beverly Hills bakery – Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip. This cookie, available for just one month, is a new twist on a classic, and a tribute to Levain’s original Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip cookie. All proceeds from Levain Bakery’s Beverly Hills opening day will support Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles, whose mission is to combat hunger by providing meals, love, unity and community. To that end, OBKLA mobilizes volunteers in Los Angeles to cook and package meals for those facing food insecurity.”
Levain Bakery is located at 130 S Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, and is open from 7:00am to 10:00pm daily (on opening day, we will open at 8am).
A sharp-eyed reader spotted new signage up at 10878 Kinross Ave in Westwood Village. Expanding ice cream brand Van Leeuwen appears to be settling into the historical building. Van Leeuwen, which started out in 2008 in New York as a food truck, will soon be bringing their signature artisan ice creams, vegan ice creams, sundaes, vegan chocolate chip cookies, and shakes to the neighborhood.
This landed in my inbox:
“Hidden gem New York Bagel Deli implements an international bakery and interior makeover by husband-and-wife team, Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri in Santa Monica. The store’s name has been ever so slightly changed to New York Bagel Deli & Bakery. The international and multicultural bakery includes chocolate dipped Danish Almond Horns, Italian Rainbow Cookies, French toast bagels and a gluten free Sprinkle Butter cookies. All bakery items are made in house daily. NYBD & Bakery also features the couples international baking book, “It’s a Sweet World, International Recipes Around The Globe“. For more information, visit their website: http://www.nybdbakery.com“
New York Bagel Deli & Bakery is located at 2216 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica. They are open from 5am to 3pm Monday through Thursday, and until 4pm Friday and Saturday. We wish them the best of luck.
It appears that Brentwood Gardens, at 11677 San Vicente Blvd in Brentwood, is continuing its transformation into a proper food destination. Along with Ospi, Sweetgreen, and the upcoming Pérse, and Cafe Landwer, we can add one more eatery to the mix. Their website confirms that Go Greek Yogurt is setting up housekeeping in the ground floor space #117. Go Greek Yogurt began in 2012 and has since opened locations across California, Florida, and the Middle East. They offer a made-to-order concept of European imported yogurt that honors the “traditions and values” of Greek culture.
(Thanks Maddie!)
There hasn’t been a proper fast sushi concept on Santa Monica’s tony Montana Ave for a while now (I’m not counting the markets). But that’s about to change. Paper is up on the space at 1307 Montana announcing the arrival of ROLLD Sushi. Promising an Australian minimalist approach to hand rolls, ROLLD will offer a convenient and solid menu of rolls such as salmon, prawn, veggie, and chicken katsu. They are aiming to open soon.
Italy’s beloved chocolatier Venchi is getting a storefront in The Westfield Century City Shopping Center. While Venchi already has a presence upstairs in Eataly, the new shop will be on the ground floor, surprisingly close to other chocolate brands See’s Candies and Läderach. Venchi boasts “250 chocolate recipes and 90 flavours of gelato“, and has been on the go since 1878 with over 180 locations in 70 countries.
Local “Texas Kitchen” chain HomeState is expanding to Santa Monica. There’s a banner up on the old Fresh Corn Grill space at 720 Wilshire Blvd. #101 announcing the news. HomeState has eight other locations around SoCal and is known for tacos, migas, queso, Frito pie, house-made flour tortillas, and margaritas.
Update: A recent sign is announcing that Home State will open on November 25.
Buzzy Beverly Grove charmer Florence Osteria is opening a Downtown Santa Monica branch. Their website confirms it, and signs have recently gone up on the space at 413 Santa Monica Blvd. Florence Osteria boasts “authentic flavors of Tuscany”, while the sign on the front promises a focus on “pizza & vino”. They appear close to opening, but until then, get more details here.
I’ve long known that Northern California’s legendary diner darling Gott’s Roadside was taking over the space at 401 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 140, most recently home to the short-lived Osteria Del Fornaio, but I only pass on information when I have concrete evidence. Now I do. A “notice of non-responsibility” recently went up on the front door naming the new tenant as Gott’s. Along with their other new location coming to The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax, this is their first push into SoCal. Gott’s Roadside began in Napa Valley and has since grown to eight current locations, offering an innovative “modern take on American roadside classics” that you can check out here. Looks like they’re aiming for a Spring 2026 opening.
The former bank building on the corner of Wilshire and Berkley in Santa Monica, now known as Berkley Street Market, has been transforming into a food destination. The Market, which can boast delicious egg tarts at Paderia, burgers at Palms N’ Patties, sando at Katsu Bar, and acai at Oakberry, is now adding another option. Window paper is letting us know that a new purveyor of pies named Pizza Fling is settling in at 1211 Berkley #1.
Sad news from Brentwood. A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks Nicole!) wrote to tell me that the neighborhood’s fave go-to for “Cali-Mex cuisine”, Casa de Campo, has closed up shop at 147 S Barrington Ave. Not sure what happened, but I’ll keep my eye on the space to see what may develop.
Update: It appears this location will soon be another location of beloved burger chain For The Win. (Thanks Corie!)
LA-based exclusive eyewear designer Jacques Mari Mage is known for cutting-edge limited-edition glasses. What they are not known for is dining… until now? There is an ABC application in the window of the build-out at 2297 Abbot Kinney in Venice listing the applicant of the new “general eating place” as none other than Jacques Marie Mage. The business name is not listed, but JMM has a boutique just across the street. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what develops.
Consistently rated as one of LA’s best burgers, For the Win has a very devoted fan base. With 10 locations across SoCal, it appears they are adding one more. A sharp-eyed reader noticed the small notices in the window of 1947 Westwood Blvd. (right next to Feast from the East) announcing the impending arrival of the celebrated burger joint.
(Thanks Stephen!)
Readers have been letting me know that The Drake on Sunset is moving into the old Hudson House address at 9255 W Sunset Blvd #100 in West Hollywood. This will be a new location of The Drake Laguna Beach and is expected to open in Winter of 2025. Until then, get the full skinny on the new self-described “New York style supper-club” at What Now Los Angeles.
(Thanks Les & others!)
Toddrickallen 