Epic breakfast burritos are heading to Marina del Rey… There’s window paper up on one of the spaces in the Waterside Marina del Rey Shopping Center announcing the arrival of Wake and Late. Wake and Late has four other locations across LA (with another in the works for Santa Monica) and is known for their breakfast burritos, “rip & dip bagels”, and coffee. The promised Santa Monica branch of Wake and Late has languished for nearly three years. I hope they have better luck with this location.
This from my inbox:
“OFF THE HOOK Santa Monica Seafood Festival returns to the iconic Santa Monica Pier on Sun. Oct. 13 to celebrate the sea and raise awareness for Heal the Bay to help keep our local ocean and beaches clean! This beloved ocean-inspired tasting event features the city’s top chefs and restaurants and their favorite underwater ingredients! Attendees will enjoy seafood tastings, beer gardens, wine tastings, live music, oyster-shucking competitions, and more fun in the sun!”
General admission (Little Fish) is $85 and gets you access to seafood and drinks tastings. VIP admission (Big Fish) is $165 and gets the tastings as well as early entry, access to a lounge, and exclusive tastings and cocktails. I’m told tickets are selling out so you might want to move quickly. Oh, and “yacht rock attire” is encouraged.
Read more and get your tickets here.
Paper has gone up on the space at 1541 Ocean Ave ste 105 in Santa Monica proclaiming that famous San Francisco chocolatier Ghirardelli is moving in. Obviously, the shop is super close to The Pier and will cater to tourists, as it does in San Francisco, New York, and Hollywood. According to their website, Ghirardelli has been making quality chocolate for nearly two hundred years, thereby making it the “longest continually operating chocolatier in America”. They’re aiming for a Winter 2024 opening.
(Thanks Frank!)
This caught me by surprise, but I’ve been hearing rumors portending this for quite a while. Sadly, after an extensive build-out that culminated in a triumphant return to Santa Monica, Osteria Del Fornaio has closed its doors at 401 Wilshire Blvd. Ste 140. People were genuinely excited when they opened only back in April of 2022, with a bright fresh look and a popular happy hour. I’m not sure what happened, but the space is currently being gutted. I’m told this location is not destined to be empty for long. More rumors are circulating about the new tenant, which I can’t confirm at this time. Watch this space…
The corner space at 200 Santa Monica Blvd has gone through a number of changes in recent history. It had been a Coffee Bean, then it was Jinky’s Coffee, and now it will be LA’s first branch of Luke’s Lobster. Luke’s Lobster‘s founder, third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden, opened his first shack in New York in 2009, and has since spread to locations across nine states and Japan. They are on a mission to provide the highest quality sustainable seafood from Maine and Canada and are devoted to coastal communities. Look for a menu of lobster, shrimp, and crab rolls served in “Maine-style shacks”. Definitely exciting news for Downtown Santa Monica.
Imagine my surprise when I looked at an official City website listing changes to Downtown Santa Monica and noticed two names on the list of which I was unaware. The first of these was popular Brazilian carnivore paradise Fogo De Chão. A little more digging revealed a trade website that appears to confirm that the churrasco steakhouse is moving into the old Del Frisco’s Grille location at 1551 Ocean Ave, a prime address facing the iconic Santa Monica Pier. The second surprise on the list is Napa Valley institution Gott’s Roadside. While I have a few suspicions, I am unable to confirm the address for Gott’s. If you have answers, let me know.
I’ve been covering the story of Santa Monica’s long-suffering food hall, The Gallery at 1315 3rd Street Promenade, for years. It was a Promenade fast food sanctuary for a while, then and upscale destination including David Beran’s Dialogue, and in its last gasp, a ghost kitchen. Now it is empty. A sharp-eyed reader noticed a new ABC application in the window. Sadly, The Gallery will no longer be exclusively a dining destination. Holey Moley, which is an indoor miniature golf concept with a bar is moving in. This will be LA’s first location. Read more about this mysterious newcomer here.
(Thanks Jordan!)
Pink signs are up on the space at 215 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica announcing the arrival of Turn Dough. The address was previously the longtime home of hostel favorite breakfast spot Interactive Cafe. Turn Dough has two other LA locations (Venice and Hollywood) and offers a menu where “European traditions merge seamlessly with American creativity”. Look for “18 signature Chimney cakes with Soft Serve Gelato… Milkshakes, refreshing Dole Whip, irresistible Homemade French Crepes, heavenly Belgian Waffles, and a delightful selection of espresso”.
This from my inbox… Just in time for summer. Night Market at the Bungalow began this week and will run every Thursday this summer from 5pm to 11pm until August 29. This event is free and open to the public and is promising “delectable cuisine, expertly crafted cocktails, live music, and vibrant ambiance”. Check out the list of vendors here. The Bungalow is at 101 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica.
Neighborhood fave Jinky’s Cafe has had a presence in Santa Monica for a while. First as a solid breakfast spot and then as a coffeeshop. Both locations have been abandoned, but fans of Jinky’s are in luck. The awnings are already up on the prominent corner spot at 205 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica, previously home to The Independence, announcing the arrival of Jinky’s to this location. Jinky’s has five other locations across LA, and this one will offer all-day dining with beer, wine, and cocktails.
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.
Update: Odd One Out is now open at this location. (09/2024)
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.
Update: The Butter End Cakery is now open at this location. (09/2024)
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