Sana’a Cafe Bringing Yemeni Coffee To Westwood Village

Posted on January 5, 2026 by toddrickallen

An interesting new concept is taking over the former longtime home of BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse at 938 Broxton Ave. in Westwood Village. Apparently, according to the website, Yemen has a strong tradition of coffee, where it has been cultivated for over 500 years. The new resident, Sana’a Cafe, will honor this heritage by “sourcing the finest organic beans from Yemeni highlands”. Sana’a Cafe has 8 other locations across California and offers an extensive menu of Yemeni specialty drinks, espresso drinks, and teas.

Chill Since ’93 Coming To Westwood Village

Posted on November 12, 2025 by toddrickallen

There’s plywood and a poster up on the front of 923 Broxton Ave, formerly home to Habibi Cafe. The poster is promising a new pie joint, Chill Since ’93 Pizza. Chill Since ’93 has a location in The Grove, as well as Lugano and London. They promise super crispy pizza, and sandwiches made with the bread of the moment, “crisp, house-made focaccia bread”.

Milksha Bringing Taiwanese Bubble Tea To Westwood Village

Posted on August 30, 2025 by toddrickallen

A bit of digging by a dedicated reader (Thanks!) appears to confirm that a major Taiwanese brand is moving into the former electronic device shop at 1009 S Broxton Ave. in Westwood Village. Milksha started in Tainan, Taiwan in 2004 and has since spread to over 500 stores worldwide. It looks like this is their first US location. Milksha is passionate about bubble tea made with the highest quality ingredients and techniques.

Erratum: A reader informed me that this is not their first US location. They have two other locations, in Milpitas and in Seattle.

BJ’s Bids Bye-Bye To Westwood Village

Posted on July 30, 2024 by toddrickallen

I’m hearing from shocked readers that popular local party spot BJ”s Restaurant & Brewhouse has served their last pizza after a 28-year run at 938 Broxton Ave. in Westwood Village. A gracious notice in the window announces the sad news and directs fans to their other locations in Culver City, Glendale, and Burbank. BJ’s closure leaves one sole business left on the west side of this once busy block, Falafel, Inc.

Hibachi Papi Quietly Slips Into Pieology’s Old Location In Westwood

Posted on November 17, 2021 by toddrickallen

Pieology Pizzeria ceased operations at 920 Broxton in Westwood Village back in 2018. The space has sat vacant ever since but that recently changed. Operating as a food truck in DTLA, Hibachi Papi recently opened a brick-and-mortar at this address. Look for a menu of bowls, plates, and fried rice all prepared with their signature “modern, up-scale Hibachi style”.

Prince Of Venice Brings Royal Pizza Al Taglio To Westwood Village

Posted on December 20, 2020 by toddrickallen

And while we’re on the subject of pizza al taglio (Roman-style pizza baked in large rectangular pans and cut with scissors), a new pizza joint recently opened at 1091 Broxton in Westwood Village, formerly the home of Kopan Ramen which disappeared over the Summer. Prince of Venice Pasta & Pizza is apparently run by an actual Italian prince, Prince Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, and started life as a food truck, making this location their first brick-and-mortar. In addition to pizza al taglio, there is a pasta lab where “guests will be able to watch hand-crafted, authentic Italian pasta being made” and sauced with fresh hand-made sauces. As you can see, the ABC application in the window lets us know that beer and wine are on the way. We wish them the best of luck.

Kopan Ramen Closed In Westwood

Posted on July 26, 2020 by toddrickallen

It was a little over two years ago that I told you about the arrival of “Japanese izakaya” restaurant Kopan Ramen to the space at 1091 Broxton in Westwood. Sadly, it appears that they have given up the ghost. All signs are down and plywood still covers the front. I’ll keep watching to see what may develop.

Northern Cafe Continues Its Conquest Of Westwood

Posted on December 3, 2019 by toddrickallen

Asian food specialist Northern Café has quietly been leading the recent tenuous revival of Westwood Village. In 2016 they opened a dumpling restaurant on Gayley, followed by a noodle joint on Weyburn earlier this year. Now a banner is up on the space at 1061 Broxton, former location of SpireWorks, announcing their intention to open a Chinese hot pot restaurant. We wish them the best of luck…

Sharetea Bringing Hope And Boba To Westwood; More News…

Posted on November 8, 2019 by toddrickallen

Signs of life in Westwood Village… After an alarming number of eateries closed recently, it’s good to see some plucky contenders attempting the risky area. It was originally reported earlier this year that Taiwanese boba brand Sharetea was going into the space previously occupied by The Poke at 935 Broxton. But that didn’t happen for some reason. Now window paper covering the front of the old Nushii location at 1055 Broxton is announcing Sharetea’s intent to move in. And I also previously reported House of Meatball’s closure back in September in order to “freshen up”. Readers have been quick to point out that, despite other Westwood restaurants that have closed for remodeling only to eventually permanently close soon after, House of Meatballs has happily reopened at 1076 Gayley.

Mr. Rice Taking Over Falafel King Space In Westwood Village

Posted on November 1, 2019 by toddrickallen

If you follow this blog, then you know I’ve been carefully following the volatility of the Westwood Village food scene. You may remember that, with great sadness, I reported back in September about the disappearance of Westwood’s beloved institution Falafel King from its 1010 Broxton Ave. location. Wasting no time, a plucky new contender appears to be giving the space a go. Signs are up announcing that Mr. Rice is settling in. An employee at Mr. Rice in Rowland Heights told me that this is “same company”, but I can’t absolutely confirm it.

Falafel King Dethroned… Westwood Weeps

Posted on September 10, 2019 by toddrickallen

Well this was a shocker… After having anchored the Westwood Village food scene since, well… forever, Falafel King has closed up shop at 1010 Broxton Ave. I’m not sure what took out the neighborhood institution, but a gracious handwritten note on the door thanks their loyal supporters for “50 wonderful years” and suggests that they are looking for a new location.

Toddrickallen

The Westside at Its Finest

Tag Archives: Broxton Ave.