We all wait with bated breath for Los Angeles’ branch of celebrated Italian emporium Eataly to return to its pre-COVID glory. I’m told, however, that there will be at least one significant change. One of the signature restaurants, Il Pesce Cucina, is apparently being axed. The replacement? Sources say the new eatery is being described as “Mediterranean”. Here’s hoping we can explore it ourselves soon…
Ever since the Westfield Century City Shopping Center’s glitzy and expensive makeover, restaurant news has been overshadowed by the big names (think Eataly). But, as they always have, things change very suddenly in this mercurial food scene. Here’s a what I observed recently… On the second floor near Eataly, a new Sichuan charmer promising “flashy surroundings & theatrical servers“, HaiDiLao Hot Pot, is on the way. Mezza Garden has closed up shop on the first floor. And one of the last empty spaces in the food court will soon be home to Shuck House, a seafood and oyster bar that plans on opening in December.
Perhaps hoping to catch the overflow of people frustrated with choking crowds of Eataly, Gelson’s in Century City is making some Eataly-esque improvements. Providing more of an graze/drink/shop experience, a sign explains that they are adding a “Wolfgang Puck Build–Your-Own Pizza and Salad”, a wine and tapas bar, a seafood bar, and a poke bar. As you can see below, construction is nearly finished.
Like so many of you who keep checking this blog for updates, I too am excited and anxious to see what the new Westfield Century City Shopping Center is going to look like. Recently, a new wing of the glam mall opened, albeit with few stores open yet. Although much of this has been reported, here’s a look at what’s coming to the food scene…
As you know, I’ve been carefully watching the developments during the renovation of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. As we get closer to the unveiling of the glitzy new dining and shopping destination, here are the latest developments. While much of this has already been reported, this is what you can actually see:
What’s Now Closed:
Coral Tree Express finally closed in the mostly boarded up food court.
Tenacious Breadbar vacated its first floor location.
The Hillstone Restaurant Group’s Gulfstream is now gone.
What’s Coming:
California Pizza Kitchen has an ABC license posted on the second floor.
Manhattan Beach’s Petros Benekos will be bringing his Greek/Californian cooking north with an outpost of Petros Speakeasy on the second floor.
Signs have gone up confirming that Orange County’s wildly popular Mexican restaurant Javier’s is indeed moving into the old Season’s 52 space.
And if you look carefully at the Gulfstream photo above, you’ll see mentioned that Taiwanese noodle and dumpling experts Din Tai Fung is coming along with the wildly-anticipated and oft reported Eataly.
What’s now open:
LA’s latest branch of New York’s popular Shake Shack opened last week to long lines.
The Westfield Century City Shopping Center is a flurry of activity and construction lately. We’ve been promised 15 new eateries (including Eataly). The latest? Melrose’s specialty sandwich shop All About The Bread has opened a branch in the food court. The concept here is a focus on artisan, handcrafted bread that is baked fresh every 30 minutes delivering a product with a crunchy exterior and fluffy interior which is then used to make any one of a number of signature sandwiches. Check out the menu and read more here.
The Century City Shopping Center is a flurry of activity lately. Half of the shopping complex has completely closed down to make way for the construction of an über-chic replacement including the much-anticipated West Coast debut of the mythic Eataly. But the rising tide doesn’t seem to be floating all boats. Iconic New York pie maker Joe’s Pizza has closed its outpost in the food court. And wasting no time whatsoever, it looks like a branch of the Korean pizza giant, Mr. Pizza will be replacing it this Fall. Incidentally, signs posted around the mall indicate that there will be no less than 15 new restaurants in the sparkling new shopping center. I’ll keep watching…
In what must be the final push before the new section is added, almost half of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center has now closed. The new $800 million dollar facelift will include the addition of the upcoming Eataly that many of us have been patiently waiting for, with its “rooftop birreria bar and 360◦ panoramic city views”, according to the Westfield website. One of the casualties of the closures was the quiet corner location of See’s Candies. But fear not, chocoholics. See’s is getting a brand new, more conspicuous location near Breadbar, giving Godiva, only a few feet away, a bit of competition. Check out the vision of the sparkling new mall here.
Toddrickallen 