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.
I just noticed that Abbot Kinney’s popular coffee truck Niche has landed a cozy neighborhood brick-and-mortar. Their new awning is up at 712 Washington in MDR, formerly home to a realty company. It appears that they are ready to open with “coffee, matcha, tea, milkshakes & superfood smoothies” as well as breakfast and baked goods on offer.
This from the folks at Levain Bakery, at 1161 Abbot Kinney Blvd:
Levain Bakery on Abbot Kinney will open Friday, April 4th!
“And as a special flavor… we will be offering our Black & White Chocolate Chip Cookie ONLY at the Venice bakery, for a limited time
Our co-founders, Connie McDonald & Pam Weekes will be here for the occasion
We’re doing a ribbon cutting at 8am
The first 100 people in line will get a free Levain tote bag!
ALL proceeds from our opening day will be donated to St Joseph Center in Venice.”
It appears that a new eatery is taking over the former Plant Food and Wine space at 1009 Abbot Kinney in Venice. Window paper and a new ABC application are declaring that Alisa Greek Restaurant is setting up housekeeping at the address. While the website is still being developed, What Now Los Angeles has more details here.
New York’s crazy/popular purveyor of baked goods is opening a second LA location. There’s window paper up on the old Lemonade space at 1661 Abbot Kinney announcing the arrival of Levain Bakery. Levain Bakery began in NYC in 1995 and has since grown to a smattering of locations around New York and other locations including Larchmont Village. They are famous for ridiculously good handmade cookies that they describe as, “crispy, chewy, soft and melty”.
(Thanks Robert!)
Sadly it appears that after about a year, local fave Blossom Vietnamese has quietly slipped out of the space at 1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. There’s no official statement, but the space is dark and gutted. A local was passing by and, noticing my interest, explained to me that this location is notoriously tricky for restaurants because it’s not easily seen from the street. Previously the space had been home to 3 Square Cafe. Whatever the reason, you can still visit Blossom’s Santa Monica location at 2821 Ocean Park Blvd. for their signature noodles.
There’s a new ABC license application on the space at 1522 Abbot Kinney in Venice, formerly home to a matcha cafe. The app lists the new business as a “small beer manufacturer” with the name of Honest Abe Cidery. Honest Abe produces cider, mead, brandy, and sangria using “fresh and Local ingredients”, and shares a production facility with SoCal Vibes Co., which operates a brewery and restaurant in Carson that serves 40 different house beers, ciders, and meads, and offers a menu consisting of burgers, sandwiches, and small bites. I’m not sure if the concept here will resemble that or not, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
The local collapse of German pudding concept Pudu Pudu left some gaping holes in prominent locations in the Southland, including the location at 1432 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. But that’s about to change. Wasting no time, window paper has quickly put up announcing that a branch of acai expert Oakberry is setting up housekeeping at this address. Oakberry prides itself on bowls and smoothies based on acai that is 100% natural with no food coloring, artificial preservatives, or guarana syrup. They hail from Brazil and claim to have “more than 500 units” across the world.
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.
I must confess that I’m a just a little unclear on the concept here. Apparently pudding is on offer at the newly-opened Pudu Pudu, on the second floor of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. For some reason, it took almost a year to open, but you can now step inside a “pudding gallery” brought to you by German megabrand Dr. Oetker to sample pudding that is made with “high-quality ingredients, health-boosting superfoods and toppings so incredible they could be works of art.” They also have a branch on Abbot Kinney in Venice.
If you’ve been wondering about that neon pink cow-like creature covering the window at 1432 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice, it appears that your wait is about to be over. Pudu Pudu looks like they’re close to opening and is promising us a “flavor adventure to transform pudding into edible art” using “locally sourced organic milk and health-boosting superfoods”. Yes, pudding… But wait, this pudding comes with a pedigree. Pudu Pudu is a project of the Dr. Oetker Hospitality Group. Does the name Dr. Oetker sound familiar? Dr. Oetker is the German megabrand that is on those baked goods mixes in Cost Plus World Market, as well as other stores. It has been supplying bakers since the late 19th Century, so there are some serious dessert bona fides here. We wish them the best of luck.
Sushi experts Wabi-Sabi have certainly survived their fair share of challenges. And now there’s a prominent “available” space hanging over the front. Does this mean the end?
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I recently noticed that a new frozen treat store is landing at 1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. Self-described ice cream shop Boca De Agua is looking to open on the über-hip high street. Apparently, they had hoped to open as of last month, but it looks like they’re running a bit behind…
When Govind Armstrong’s southern-inflected hot spot Willie Jane disappeared at 1031 Abbot Kinney in Venice, it caused a great deal of hoopla. Known for its popular biscuits, it closed up shop abruptly back in December. But something new is coming to the space. And according to the recently posted ABC change of ownership application, the new restaurant is named as Willie Jane as well, although this doesn’t necessarily indicate the final name of the new eatery. A name listed on the application is one long associated with Abbot Kinney, Dan Abrams. I don’t have much information on this, but if you’re curious, here’s a place to start looking…
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…
Toddrickallen 