Something new is coming to the Shore Hotel at 1515 Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica. There’s plywood up and an announcement naming the new spot to “Dine. Lounge. Celebrate.” as Shoreside. Near as I can tell, Shoreside will be a new dining terrace and bar. It looks like they’re aiming for a summer opening.
Crowd-pleasing frozen treat purveyor Yogurtland appears to be moving locations in Downtown Santa Monica. They currently have a longtime location at 304 Santa Monica Blvd. But there is new plywood up at 1321 Third St. Promenade announcing the move. Yogurtland began life in 2006 in Fullerton and has since spread to over 250 locations in the US and elsewhere. They pride themselves on the “highest quality ingredients and flavors”.
The old Wokcano Space at 1413 5th St. in Downtown Santa Monica has sat empty for quite a while. But the commodious location is about to get a new tenant. An ABC application lists the new business as Nic’s. I don’t have any information on this business, so if you know more, pass it along…
Update: Readers are letting me know that this is actually a seafood restaurant named Oasis.
People have been demanding answers from me ever since crazy-popular boba shop Odd One Out Craft Milk Tea announced on their website that there was to be another branch opening in Santa Monica. They didn’t give an address, but the map on the website gave the impression that it was going to be located in the Third Street Promenade. Now we know: Fencing and ‘Odd One Out” banners are now up on the “Market Pavilion” kiosk just to the north of Santa Monica Blvd (1260 Third St. Promenade). With a location in Sawtelle Japantown, Odd One Out hails from Taiwan and was previously the winner of the Taiwan Milk Tea Festival.
Sadly, it appears the reign of mint mojito coffee is coming to an end in Downtown Santa Monica. There’s a gracious notice on the front door of the Philz Coffee at 525 Santa Monica Blvd. that states their last day will be April 30, 2024. Not sure what happened to this branch of the Bay Area third wave coffee darling, but if you’re desperate for a cup of minty caffeinated goodness, check out their other locations here.
(Thanks Ely!)
The troubled space on the corner of Wilshire and 4th in Downtown Santa Monica has had its share of issues. For a long while, it was a sputtering branch of P.F. Chang’s. That disappeared in 2021. Then a new contender, Lotus Dim Sum Dumpling House, gave the spot a chance and opened about a year and a half ago. Sadly, it now appears they too have given up the ghost. I’ll keep watching to see what may give the commodious location a go.
The space at 1315 Third St. Promenade has had a tumultuous history. In the past, it has been the home of The Gallery Food Hall, and hosted such luminaries as Falafel King, and Dave Beran’s elegant Dialogue, and STRFSH by The Voltaggio Brothers. Hopes were high when ghost kitchen Kitchen United MIX took over the tricky location last year with a fresh spate of eateries. That hope appears to have been dashed on the rocks as evidenced by the note taped to the front door stating that they are “closed until further notice” (and offering some stern bathroom advice). I’ll keep watching to see what’s going on…
There’s a small now hiring sign in the window of 1447 Ocean Ave in Downtown Santa Monica, a tiny space most recently occupied by Earthbar. The notice names the new business as Coffee With Creme & Sugar. The website lists a menu of coffee, tea, signature drinks, and sweet treats. 
This is a public service announcement: This isn’t exactly news (It happened a short while ago), but people are shocked and still writing me to let me know that Del Frisco’s Grille has vacated their prominent corner spot on the corner of Ocean and Colorado, across from The Santa Monica Pier. With its stunning view, and catering primarily to tourists, Del Frisco’s Grille was known for their good happy hour and for special events. I’ll keep watch on the tricky location to see what may develop.
(Thanks Jonny and others!)
I must say, this is a bit of shock… Riding the cupcake wave of the early 2000s, Vanilla Bake Shop burst on the scene 16 years ago and quickly became Santa Monica’s go-to spot for baked treats. Sadly, they have quit their longtime location at 512 Wilshire Blvd. A gracious note in the window thanks their customers and introduces a new bakery to take over: The Butter End Cakery. Apparently, the LAX location of Vanilla Bake Shop is still up and running.
I’m hearing from surprised readers who have noticed the permanently drawn curtains and lack of activity at Downtown Santa Monica’s neighborhood watering hole and eatery The Independence. The Independence has anchored the corner of 2nd and Broadway since 2014, when it replaced Buddha’s Belly. Sadly, for all intents and purposes, it appears that it has quietly disappeared. I’ll keep my eye on the space at 205 Broadway to see what may develop…
This was surprising to me… It appears that Downtown Santa Monica’s perennial popular burger joint Stout Burgers & Beer has disappeared from its location at 111 Santa Monica Blvd. I’m not exactly sure when it closed, but the windows are papered over, perhaps indicating a new inhabitant is in the works. I’ll keep watching…
Update: A reader let me know that the space is being taken over by next door’s Bar Monette and will feature “French small plates and burgers”. (Thanks Sean!)
There’s a new banner hanging over 331 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. The space has long sat empty since Greenleaf Kitchen & Cocktails closed up shop during The Pandemic. The name on the banner is Maru Sushi and underneath that, it promises “ramen / ezakaya“. I’m unable to find any more information about the new eatery as there are a number or restaurants that use the word “Maru” in their name, so if you know more, reach out to me…
There’s strange window paper up on the space most recently occupied by Belgian confectionary experts KC Chocolatier. 1431 B 2nd St. is covered over with photos of various bowls, tropical images, and bold letters promising “Juice, Smoothie, Bowls”. Santa Monica Daily Press clears up the mystery by naming the new business as Little Hawaii Juice Bar. Get the skinny in their article here.
There’s window paper up on the space at 11301 W Olympic Blvd UNIT 124 announcing a new milk tea joint. But not just any one: This one appears to be the winner of the Taiwan Milk Tea Festival in 2022. Odd One Out Craft Milk Tea hails from Taipei and according to their website, they are opening a shop in Downtown Santa Monica as well. I think they’re close to opening at this location, but while you’re waiting, get a peek at their menu here.
Cozy brunch/lunch/take-away spot Marmalade Cafe is opening a second branch in Santa Monica. They already have their popular original location that opened on Montana Ave in 1990. Now there’s a banner announcing their impending arrival hanging over the space at 525 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 120 in Downtown Santa Monica, previously home to Sunnin Lebanese Cafe. This will be the eighth branch of the “fresh, high quality, eclectic, California-inspired” cafe.
A longtime provider of healthy juices to the yoga crowd in Downtown Santa Monica has mysteriously closed its doors. There’s a note on the front of Nekter Juice Bar, at 1422 2nd St. that says they are “currently not open to the public”, whatever that means. But don’t worry, Nekter has a number of other locations across SoCal, and the US.
A few weeks back, when I told you about the lineup of eateries coming to ghost kitchen Kitchen United MIX, (formerly The Gallery Food Hall) at 1315 Third St Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica, I included links to each listed restaurant… except one. At the time, I couldn’t find any information about Farmesa. But just this week, details began to trickle in. According to this Forbes article, Farmesa is a new fast/casual concept from none other than Chipotle Mexican Grill that will offer bowls with proteins, grains, greens, sauces, and toppings. The menu is curated by famous chef and cookbook author Nate Appleman, whose CV includes San Francisco’s A16 and SPQR. It looks like they’re shooting for a February opening.
News has been slowly dripping out on the latest batch of contenders in the saga of the Kitchen United MIX (formerly The Gallery Food Hall) at 1315 Third St Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. I’ve already told you about Duck Donuts and Santa Monica Brew Works, but now we have more news because of a sign that recently went up on the front. Here’s the impressive lineup: Lolo’s Tacos, Calico Fish House, 101 Burger, Mad Scientist Ice Cream, Go Go Ya, Ms. Cluck’s Deluxe Chicken & Dumplings, Farmesa, and breakfast experts Blu Jam Xpress.
Remember a few weeks ago when I told you about a new restaurant landing in the old Red Ruby space at 109 Santa Monica Blvd? At the time, I had little information about Bar Monette except that it would be a pizza and wine bar. Since then, the good people over at Bar Monette were kind enough to reach out to me with more information. Bar Monette is described as a “Neapolitan pizza concept” with Chef Sean MacDonald at the helm. This is his first US restaurant. Chef MacDonald was previously chef/owner of Biga Pies and ēst Restaurant in Toronto, which recently made Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants List. (Incidentally, Bar Monette is named after MacDonald’s wife Monette.) Expect a “refined tapas” and wine bar menu with Spanish/Italian influences. I’ll let them describe the menu themselves:
“The menu will be split into five categories; Pizza (eg Pesto Dungeness Crab, Pine Nut, Basil, Aged Cheese), Piccoli Piatti (small plates designed to pair with the pizza eg. Butterleaf with Basil, Pine Nut and Passionfruit), Sugo (a selection of sauces and dips for the crusts (eg Burnt Romanesco and Jalapeño Tonnato) and a small selection of Addizionale (eg Shaved Truffle and Caviar). Desserts will be changed daily depending on seasonality and chef preference (eg Black Cacao, Reishi Mushroom and Mint). The menu will change seasonally and offer vegan and vegetarian options. The drinks menu will offer unique selection of natural wines and beers alongside a water menu highlighting a choice of carbonation level and mineral content.”
They are planning on opening any day now, pending liquor license approval. Bar Monette will be open for walk-ins only from Noon to Midnight, closed Sundays, and will be cashless. We wish them the best of luck.
Toddrickallen 