It appears that wine and gift shop Venokado has given up the ghost in The Market at Santa Monica Place. And The Curious Palate will be jumping ship from its Market space to across the way, just to the right of the ArcLight. That means that soon, the only soldier left standing will be La Gourmandise School. But we’ve been promised that something new will be coming…
Back in December of 2015, I told you about the impending arrival of KC Chocolatier to 1431B 2nd St. in Downtown Santa Monica, right next to the new Espresso Cielo. After what seems like a very long time, they are now up and running, serving chocolates, ice cream, and hot chocolate flown in from Belgium. KC Chocolatier has a shop in Chicago, and is an offshoot of Kim’s Chocolates from Tienen, Belgium, which according to their website, is the “number 1 chocolate exporter to Canada and the United States”.
After an extensive renovation, the formerly dusty Gallery Food Hall, at 1315 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica, reopened with a fresh new design and look back in Spring of 2016. Subway was open, and previous occupant McDonald’s moved back in, and expectations rose… then began to sink. McDonald’s soon pulled up stakes. And recently, on a tip from a reader, I dropped by to discover that the last remaining eatery, Subway, had indeed vacated its second floor location. The Gallery now sits completely empty, without a single tenant or notice of a future occupant. I’m not quite sure what troubling events are going on here, but I’ll keep watching…
Culinary wonderland Penzeys Spices appears to have vacated their Santa Monica digs at 1347 4th St. Not sure what happened or what may be taking its place. I’m certain that home cooks across the Westside mourn the loss…
It was way back in October of 2015 when I first noticed that a new outpost of coffee, tea, and patisserie purveyor Espresso Cielo was moving into the space at 1431C on 2nd Street in Downtown Santa Monica. Originally they had predicted a Fall 2015 opening, but then it sat largely untouched for an extraordinarily long time. Espresso Cielo has finally thrown open its doors for business. Why it took so long to open is anybody’s guess, but I’m looking at you City of Santa Monica…
I’ll never completely understand the process of opening a restaurant in Santa Monica. Many restaurateurs that I’ve spoken with over the years have complained of endless red tape and countless inspections with the result being an extraordinarily long time from inception to completion. But every once in a while, I’m astonished when an eatery opens in the blink of an eye. It was only just back in late August that I noticed the first signs of life stirring in the old Fraiche space at 312 Wilshire Blvd. Wasting no time whatsoever, Panini Café has officially thrown open its doors and is now serving “healthy Mediterranean” to the good people of Santa Monica. I’m sure many would love to get their hands on the magic charm they used to accomplish this feat.
I noticed a few weeks ago that something was moving into the vacant space that used to house erstwhile tapas joint Taberna Arros Y Vi at 1403 2nd St. in Downtown Santa Monica. A recently posted development application lists the new tenant as Ippudo Restaurant. I can’t confirm it, but could this be an upcoming branch of the famous cult tonkotsu ramen chain from New York, that is also moving into the Bay Area? I guess we’ll have to wait and see what develops…
DC’s Greek/Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava Grill continues to expand. After opening their Westwood location only a couple of months ago, they are adding another location in Downtown Santa Monica. Paper is covering the windows of the recently constructed building housing the Chelsea apartment complex at 1320 2nd Street announcing the impending arrival. If you check out their website, you’ll see that they are also opening soon in Venice, Culver City, and Irvine.
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.
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…
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.
It looks like one of the last enduring restaurants in the challenged Market at Santa Monica Place is finally pulling out. But for once, the news isn’t catastrophic. Tenacious farm-to-table hold out The Curious Palate is moving from the space inside The Market, to the outside space directly opposite (space 331), just to the right of The ArcLight Cinemas. The space has mostly sat empty since the post-remodel orginal restaurant Ozumo pulled out back in 2012. They are apparently not using the entire Ozumo space, and construction has yet to begin, so it may take a while yet…
I’ve been watching the space at 115 Santa Monica Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica for a while. Early last year, the Yelp-eviscerated Gate of India pulled up stakes and the windows were papered over. Finally, an ABC application taped to the front informs us that something called Tumbi Bar and Restaurant will soon be moving in. I can’t find out much information on the new eatery, but I’ll keep watching…
I’ve long known that something was taking over the old star-crossed Fraiche space at 312 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. But for whatever reason, it has taken a ridiculously long time. Well, construction has finally begun, and an ABC application posted high above the door indicates that a branch of Panini Café will soon occupy the troubled address.
Sadly, the sputtering food scene that is the third floor of Santa Monica Place is about to produce another casualty. According to a spokesperson, after a 6 year run, Pizza Antica will permanently shut down the ovens the day after Labor Day, September 5th. (That means your last day for the Tuesday half-priced wine deal will be August 30th.) No word on what may take its place, and if you’ve grown fond of their seasonal salads and crispy pies, you’ll have to travel a bit as all their other locations are in the Bay Area.
We all know that since opening, the food scene at Santa Monica Place has had its share of troubles. The much-anticipated Market now sits mostly empty and largely untouched, as do a number of other restaurant spaces, even as the wildly popular Cheesecake Factory continues to be a big draw. Into this chaos, one plucky new eatery is making a courageous bid. Mall staple Great Khan’s Mongolian Grill is now open in the food court. We wish them luck.
After a long and thorough remodel, the food court at 1315 Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica otherwise known as The Gallery, finally reopened earlier this year and began to sputter back to life. However, there appears to be a challenge to its triumphant return: After reopening recently, McDonald’s, long the corner-stone of The Gallery, has mysteriously disappeared. This leaves only Subway currently open, but there does seem to be a great deal of activity in some of the other stalls. I’ll keep watching.
It was only a month ago that I told you about the closure of miscreant watering hole The Commons Ale House at 129 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica. I had been hoping that there would soon be an indication of a new eatery or bar moving into the already kitted out space, joining the mini restaurant row of other establishments that dot Broadway from Ocean to 3rd. But sadly this is not the case. A lonely paper has replaced the pithy closure notice that previously hung on the front door indicating that what will be replacing the Ale House will be… a shoe store. [sigh]
Fresh, healthy lunch joint California Monster Salads has closed its doors at 411 Santa Monica Blvd. But all may not be lost… Their website promises a new site coming soon, so we’ll have to wait and see what develops.
A great many of you have been carefully tracking the progress of an eatery taking shape at 3021 Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica (formerly Santino’s) that I first told you about back in April. Burgers N Brews recently opened, and is brought to you by the people behind its sister restaurant, The Britannia Pub in Downtown Santa Monica. It’s all about the burgers here, with choices ranging from veggie, chicken, cod, pork, lamb, angus, and grass-fed, all to be washed down with a selection of, you guessed it, craft beers served in frosty glasses. It seems to be off to a good start, and Yelpers are raving about it. We wish them the best of luck.
Toddrickallen 