Mall food courts are being hit hard this year. More evidence? Pinches Tacos has vacated its prominent spot in Santa Monica Place. That leaves three empty eateries in the sputtering court.
Pinches Tacos Closed In Santa Monica Place
Reply
Tag Archives: Downtown Santa Monica
What’s Going On At Obica In Santa Monica?
I’ve been carefully watching the branch of international Italian brand Obica at 606 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica. Recently, the restaurant went silent, and the shades have been pulled down. A sign on the door promises a renovation, new management, and a new concept… all by February 10th. But things look a bit dodgy: While I was checking for progress, a self-identified former employee approached me and told me that the staff were unceremoniously sacked with no promise of rehire. His assumption is that Obica Mozzarella Bar is permanently gone. A cursory glance inside the front door reveals that nothing has been touched and no work has commenced. I’ll keep watching but we’ve seen this kind of thing before…
Plan Check, Le Pain Quotidien Exit Santa Monica, More!
Yikes! It appears that an exodus of eateries has occurred in Downtown Santa Monica after the Holidays. Plan Check has checked out of 1401 Ocean Ave. Le Pain Quotidien has said adieu to 316 Santa Monica Blvd. (A note in the window blames an expiring lease agreement.) And, after a valiant effort, Creams & Dreams has closed their nitrogen ice cream outpost at 219 Arizona after four years. Sad…
(Thanks SG!)
Z Pastabar Now Closed In Santa Monica Place
Back in June of 2017, I applauded Z Pastabar’s courageous decision to brave the sputtering food scene in Santa Monica Place. At the time, Z Pastabar had high hopes of a big expansion across the LA area. Sadly, it appears that things did not go as planned: Following their other SoCal locations, Santa Monica Place‘s branch of Z Pastabar is now closed.
Pinkberry Disappears From Downtown Santa Monica…
Once a darling with posing celebrities, Pinkberry lead the pack in the frozen yogurt explosion a number of years back. Could this be an indication that times and tastes have moved on? I was surprised to see that Pinkberry has vanished from its prime location at 1456 Third Street Promenade. I’ll keep watching to see what may take over the space.
NC’s Jazz Shack Swings Into Santa Monica
I’ve been watching the commodious space at 1413 5th St. in Downtown Santa Monica ever since its longstanding tenant, Wokcano, disappeared about a year ago. It finally looks like a new venture is moving in. An ABC application recently went up announcing the impending arrival of NC’s Jazz Shack. I can’t seem to find much information out there on NC’s, but I’ll keep watching…
Fritto Misto Taking Over Native Space In Santa Monica…
I can’t take credit for this uncovering this, but people have been curious about the old Native space on the corner of 7th and Santa Monica Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica ever since celebrity chef Nyesha Arrington pulled the plug, so I’m passing this information on… Just this week, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported that longtime neighborhood fave pasta joint Fritto Misto will be moving into the aforementioned erstwhile Native location. Apparently, their old cozy corner spot at 601 Colorado will be demolished to make way for a new eight story apartment building. That means that their neighbor, sushi restaurant Ninjin, will also be moving out. If you don’t know about Fritto Misto, it is an under-the-radar Italian cafe with a fiercely loyal fanbase and a second location in Hermosa Beach. We wish them the best of luck.
Il Fornaio Triumphantly Returning To Santa Monica…
You may recall that a branch of Il Fornaio used to anchor the corner of Ocean Ave. and Colorado (where Del Frisco’s Grill now resides) until its closure many years ago. But now it appears that the beloved Italian bakery/restaurant is about to make its return to Santa Monica. The space at 401 Wilshire Blvd, suite 150, has just completed a major renovation, turning it into a bright and airy storefront with a large deck and a mid-century feel. Recently an ABC application was affixed to the front informing us that this will be the location of Osteria Del Fornaio, a slightly different business name, but the applicant is listed as the Il Fornaio America Corporation, parent company of Il Fornaio and Canaletto Ristorante Veneto. Right now, the space is completely gutted, so we may have to wait a while to find out more…
Kameo Shave Ice Joins Social Eats In The Gallery, Santa Monica
What was in distant memory once a dusty old Third Street Promenade tourist pit stop, The Gallery Food Hall, has been systematically transforming into a remarkable food destination over the past few years. Joining such lofty names as STRFSH, Paperboy, Dialogue, and the fascinating Social Eats concept, there’s now another name to add to the list. Kameo Shave Ice has opened in the old Everytable space on the ground floor. But you’d better hurry, the website promises a “limited time” only.
ELA Greek Eats Landing In Venice
Construction is fast and furious on a new Greek restaurant landing in the strip mall on the corner of Rose and Lincoln in Venice. A new sign lets us know that ELA Greek Eats is well underway. ELA is a project from the man behind the erstwhile Waterloo & City in Culver City and Inotheke in Santa Monica, Carolos Tomazos. We wish him the best of luck.
Everytable Closes In Century City, Santa Monica
Trouble for Everytable? With a visionary concept of bringing fresh, nutritious, made-from-scratch meals to a fast food world, Everytable ambitiously sought to transform the food scene along the lines of what McDonald’s did a half century ago. But sadly, their location in the Westfield Century City Shopping Center is now vacant, and so is their spot in Santa Monica’s mercurial The Gallery. Other locations appear to be open.
Everytable Century City…
Everytable Santa Monica…
SaMo PRIDE Events At The Gallery…
Downtown Santa Monica’s premier Food Hall The Gallery is hosting Pride events this weekend to correspond to the first ever SaMo PRIDE Festival. All this week we are promised “unicorn food specials”. On Friday (June 14), from 7pm-10pm on The Deck, there will be Drag Bingo hosted by Pandora Boxx with prizes and giveaways. And on Saturday, during PRIDE on The Promenade, The Gallery will have food and drink booths set up. Read more about the events here.
Social Eats Bringing Choices To Downtown Santa Monica
It looks like they’ve figured out what to do with the last remaining open stalls in The Gallery Food Hall at 1350 Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. With such high-profile tenants as Dialogue, STRFSH, and Paperboy Pizza, I’m sure they chose carefully. At any rate, the still-undeveloped part of the first floor is now under plywood proudly declaring that Social Eats is moving in. Social Eats is a K2 project (STRFSH, Paperboy, Nighthawk), and will be a collection of five different eateries, or so I’m told. As you can see, expect beer and wine as well.
Update: More on Social Eats here.
Update 2: Social Eats opens July 19th, 11am.
Shake Shack Coming To Santa Monica
I LOVE a good tip… Ever since Panera disappeared from its space in the iconic building at 501 Wilshire Blvd., I’ve been hearing from mourning carb fans who are wondering what will take its place. A reader passed on the skinny: @retailroundrobin sent me a link to a real estate company Instagram post clearly showing that the space will soon be a branch of ever-poplar Shake Shack. See for yourself here.
P.F. Chang’s Finished In Santa Monica?
And while we’re on the subject of P.F. Chang’s, here’s more bad news… A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks E.R.!) noticed that P.F. Chang’s building at 326 Wilshire Blvd. was listed as up for lease last week. There aren’t any obvious signs that it will be closing, and they certainly still seem busy, but if the if the LoopNet ad is to be believed, they’ll be out before July 1. I don’t know what’s going on at P.F. Chang’s, but this certainly doesn’t look good following the recent closure of their El Segundo location as well.
Café Crepe Caput In Downtown Santa Monica
Café Crepe has long anchored the corner of Broadway and The Third St. Promenade, and was perpetually crowded with tourists. So it comes as a surprise that they have abruptly and unceremoniously closed up shop. A brief note on the door bids a quick Au Revoir, and mentions the Canadian company’s other LA location, at Union Station.
Panera Bread Decamps From Downtown Santa Monica
I’ve been receiving loads of messages from panicked Santa Monicans lamenting the demise of their beloved Panera Bread, in the landmark building at 501 Wilshire Blvd. that used to house Polly’s Pies. What’s more, a demolition notice now hangs in the window. Panera appears to be losing its presence on the Westside, with now-vacated locations in Westwood and Beverly Hills as well. I’m keeping an eye on all three to see what may develop…
Office Luck Taking Over Musha In Santa Monica: The Name Of The New Restaurant Is Shirubē
Many of you were in shock when I first told you about the disappearance of beloved Japanese restaurant Musha at 424 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica. Now it looks like a new tenant is going to give the diminutive space a go. A new ABC application is posted on the front. It doesn’t give much information, just an applicant name of Office Luck USA. There is no business name listed. I can’t locate anything on Office Luck, likewise the officer named on the application doesn’t reveal any insight. If you have any more information, let me know…
Update: Indeed a reader did know more (Thanks Ryan!): The restaurant’s name will be Shirubē. It will be an izakaya style restaurant that appears to be past their projected opening date. Check out their Instagram page here.
Update: Eater has the full skinny here.
Hollywood Burger Starring In Santa Monica Soon
It was a sad day when, after a brave effort, the people behind Chou Chou French Patisserie decided to pull the plug at 313 Wilshire Blvd. Now a new tenant is poised to move in. With one location on Hollywood Blvd., it appears that Hollywood Burger will soon be delivering “gourmet-style burgers” to the good people of Santa Monica. 
New Eateries Coming To Downtown Santa Monica… Halo Top, La Colombe, More!
I love good detective work… A reader (Thanks SK!) sent me a pdf of a recent Downtown Santa Monica Market Report, which, on face value isn’t that riveting. But if you scroll down to page 11, the document lists upcoming restaurants slated to open in Downtown. Many I’ve already reported, but here are the ones I didn’t know about: Halo Top Scoop Shop (304 Santa Monica Blvd.), La Colombe (604 Santa Monica Blvd.), Fresh Corn Grill (720 Wilshire), and Gyu-Kaku (231 Arizona Ave).
Toddrickallen 