I recently came across ‘now hiring’ notices posted on the papered-over windows of the erstwhile ShopHouse locations at 1401 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica and at 1059 Broxton Ave. in Westwood. The notices announce that both locations will be brand spanking new branches of Korean food chain Bibibop Asian Grill, headquartered in Columbus Ohio. According to LABJ, they intend on taking over all the old ShopHouse locations, including The Point in El Segundo, and West Hollywood’s branch as well.
Downtown Santa Monica is a flurry of restaurant activity right now: Wally’s is on the way, as is a new North Italia, and Carlo’s Bake Shop. Add to that list a new “All Day Eatery” going into a defunct jewelry shop at 331 Wilshire Blvd. There’s not much out there yet on The Gables, just an undeveloped website and Facebook page. It looks like they’re shooting for a Fall opening.
Update: The Gables opens Wednesday, August 22. Read Eater’s story here.
Back in March of last year, I noticed a small pending development permit taped to the front of the old Hennessy+Ingalls bookshop at 214 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. The permit listed the applicant as Santa Monica Farmhouse. Recently a teaser ad went up on the front the space taunting us with, “You will never guess what’s coming soon.” Last week, the ABC applications were on display spilling the beans. The future occupant will be another branch of the ridiculously popular oenophile paradise Wally’s Wine and Spirits. Wally’s expansion into Santa Monica came onto Eater’s radar back in late March, but no details were revealed. Because there are two applications, one for ‘on sale’ and one for ‘off sale’, I think its safe to assume that this Wally’s will be similar in design to the one in Beverly Hills.
It was about four years ago when I noticed that “fresh & healthy Mediterranean” restaurant Z Garden had opened a second branch at 313 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. I’m not sure what happened, but it appears that they have vacated this location. And wasting no time whatsoever, a hastily hung banner announces that Chou Chou French Pastries & Cafe have quietly slipped in. I’m not certain who’s behind this and there’s not a lot of information out there yet. If you’re missing Z Garden, their other location is still open on Pico.
Update: Read the comment below for more information…
The mystery continues… Back in June of 2015 renovation began on the shabby old food court The Gallery at 1315 Third St. Promenade in Santa Monica. Excitement heightened when it reopened and restaurants started trickling in. And then something went wrong. The restaurants that had opened moved out and The Gallery sat empty. Then, last week, the windows were papered over and a required construction sign has appeared in the window. If anyone has any information, let me know as this story has been keenly followed by a great number of you…
Sadly, it looks like retail shoe store Lorin is going out of business at 1354 3rd St. Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. Why am I telling you this? Because if you look at the storefront carefully, you’ll see a notice of pending design review in the lower right corner. The notice informs us that “a new bakery” will be taking over. If we look closely at the artist’s rendering, the name of the new bakery will be Carlo’s Bake Shop. Apparently Carlo’s Bake Shop is another name for none other than New Jersey’s Carlo’s Bakery of TLC’s Cake Boss fame. This would be the chain’s first West Coast location.
It wasn’t that long ago that I told you that Buca Di Beppo had closed its doors at 1442 2nd St, sparking a conversation about the viability of any restaurant in the pricey and complicated Santa Monica and LA market. Now it looks like another national Italian brand is going to give it a try. A sign is up on the construction plywood at the old Buca space announcing that it will soon be the home of a branch of North Italia. There’s reason to hope that they will have a better run than their predecessor: They know a thing or two about Downtown Santa Monica. Within a block in either direction are two other restaurants from North Italia’s parent company Fox Restaurant Concepts, Flower Child and True Food Kitchen. We wish them the best of luck.
Walking around Downtown Santa Monica recently, I noticed plywood covering the front of the space at 109 Broadway that used to house defunct Middle Eastern restaurant Seaside Grill. I was lucky enough to catch one of the owners of the new establishment who informed me that the upcoming eatery will intriguingly be called Air Food, and the menu will be “French”, otherwise I don’t have any more information than that. They’re shooting for a mid-April opening, and this being Santa Monica I wish them the best of luck with that.
About a year ago, I told you about the expansion of a decadently rich yogurt shop to the tony space at 1431 Ocean Ave. (in the Pacific Plaza building) in Santa Monica. It took a while, but Go Greek Yogurteria recently opened and is dishing dairy to the good people of Santa Monica. Read more about their fresh yogurt bar and self-serve frozen yogurt here.
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.
Toddrickallen 