Another lunch choice is coming to the hungry aerospace crowd in El Segundo. The new Nash Street Exchange shopping center is currently home to a popular Raising Cane’s, a future Panera Bread, and soon a new contender. A banner over the space at 2150 El Segundo Blvd. is announcing a branch of “American Chinese” mega chain Panda Express.
And while we’re on the subject of icy treats… You may be inclined to believe that the frozen yogurt craze of a few years back is long over, and you’d probably be right. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still vestiges. Never count out one of the originators of the fad, Pinkberry. A new outpost has popped up in El Segundo, at 730A S Allied Way, in The Works shopping center.
“Certified Clean” ghost kitchen concept Goop Kitchen is now in El Segundo, at 710 South Allied Way in The Works shopping center, or more specifically, the recently christened The Works Food Hall. In case you live under a rock, Goop is the “modern lifestyle brand” created by Gwyneth Paltrow. Goop Kitchen offers a clean-food take-away menu of bowls, salads, handhelds, and more.
There is window paper up on one of the storefronts in the North Village shopping center at 150 S Pacific Coast Highway in El Segundo, previously home to Valentino’s Pizza, announcing a new branch of Prime Pizza. Prime Pizza has been in expansion mode with newish locations in Santa Monica, West LA, as well as other locations. They promise “authentic NY style Pizza”.
A popular Mediterranean dining option has vacated its location in the shopping center at 400 N Sepulveda Blvd in El Segundo. Sabra Beirut Mix has closed, and the space is currently being gutted. Not sure what happened, but as you know, El Segundo is an important lunch dining scene for the local aerospace and military workers so I’ll keep my eye on the address to see what may develop,
The Kebab Shop is taking over the one of the spaces at 460 N PCH in El Segundo. Expect the fast/casual Mediterranean eatery to offer a menu of “seasoned kebabs hand-carved from a vertical rotisserie or grilled over an open flame”, falafel, salads, and sides. The rapidly expanding chain has locations across California, Texas, and Florida, and is also opening new local restaurants in Atwater Village, Northridge, and Seal Beach.
Excited readers have been letting me know that there’s a great new sushi/ramen place open in El Segundo. While I’m a little late in the game in reporting this, Japonica is now open at 229 Main St. Japonica has two other South Bay locations and offers a solid menu of Japanese favorites such as sashimi, tempura, bowls, and rolls.
Yes, you read that headline right. There’s a new pork purveyor coming to the former home of Salt Creek Grille at 2015 East Park Pl in Plaza El Segundo. With a smattering of locations throughout CA, Sauced BBQ & Spirits is promising us “authentic slow-cooked Southern BBQ”, but that’s not all… We’re also being promised “axe throwing” at this location, which you’ll just have to read more about here. And yes, you can drink alcohol while throwing axes because, well, why not?
Purveyors of “authentic Chinese food” Northern Cafe continue their expansion. A new branch has appeared almost overnight at 700A S. Allied Way in El Segundo. Hopefully they’ll have better luck with the space, which has previously been a Mediterranean eatery, an Indian restaurant, and a branch of burger joint The Counter.
Rosecrans Blvd. in El Segundo continues its transformation into Restaurant Row. It is already lined with supper-clubby big-ticket steak and seafood spots such as Fleming’s and Eddie V’s. Now a long-standing inhabitant of La Cienega’s Restaurant Row is joining the mix. In the space that used to house Grimaldi’s at 2121 Rosecrans Ave Ste 1399, construction is underway on a branch of Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão. As you probably know, Fogo de Chão serves grilled meat, and LOADS of it, brought to your table on long skewers as long as you continue to signal that you want more.
When NY-style coal-fired pizza joint Grimaldi’s closed in El Segundo, it was reported that they were moving to a Santa Monica takeaway operation in the office complex at 2501 Colorado. What wasn’t reported was that the new location will be inside yet another outpost of rapidly expanding ghost kitchen/food hall Kitchen United Mix, making this Santa Monica’s second branch. Currently at address there is an erstwhile Daily Grill and, more suitably, a cafeteria called Colorado Kitchen. Both Santa Monica locations of Kitchen United were shooting for an October opening, but as it stands, little work has been done at either. Nearby Westwood is also getting a branch as well.
El Segundo is certainly the place for big commercial and multi-use developments, and it appears a new one is in the works on (what I believe was) former aerospace land on the corner of Nash and El Segundo Blvd. Nash St. Exchange, as the new complex is called, will host at least two new eateries. The building right on the corner will be the future home to Raising Cane’s, which has multiple restaurants across LA and Orange County and is known for chicken finger meals. Also in the complex will be a branch of comfort bakery/cafe Panera Bread.
Sadly, it appears that Allora Pizza has quit its location at 829 N. Douglas St. in El Seguno after less than a year. Allora took over the space from short-lived Il Romanista, which made a splash claiming to be LA’s first Roman-style pizza al taglio. Allora was the third pizza joint in a row to inhabit the unlucky address.
It looks like the busy aerospace people in El Segundo are about to get a new eatery. There’s a big banner on one of the spaces in the Elevon complex on the corner of Maple and Douglas Street announcing that something called El Se-Nodo Grill & Bar is on the way. The banner seems to indicate that noodles will somehow feature, otherwise I wasn’t able to find out much more so if you have any information let me know…
With all the smelly troubles El Segundo has been experiencing lately, it’s about time for an icy sweet treat. There is paper up in the windows of the space at 118 W Grand Ave. announcing a new ice cream shop is on the way. Dipped Ice Cream is on a mission to deliver the “finest Soft Serve Ice Cream DIPPED in Belgium Style chocolates”.
The recent spate of new eateries on the horizon points to a renewed sense of hope in the restaurant business after a very dark time. You can add two more to the list. A sandwich board in the parking lot of the North Village shopping center at 150 S Pacific Coast Highway in El Segundo is announcing that the South Bay’s very own Poulet du Jour and Offset Coffee are moving in.
It looks like El Segundo’s The Point shopping center, on the corner of Rosecrans and Pacific Coast Highway, is about to get a new eatery. I told you about the closure of buzzy Umi by Hamasaku back in October of last year. Window covering is letting us know that this location will be the future home of expanding Greek/Mediterranean restaurant chain CAVA.
Things just got tastier for the aerospace crowd in El Segundo. There’s now a branch of beloved sandwich chain Ike’s Love & Sandwiches in the little shopping center at 460 N Pacific Coast Highway. Ike’s started in San Francisco in 2007 and now has more that 55 locations. It is known for its unique flavor combinations and “dirty sauce”.
A new pizza restaurant has moved into the space most recently occupied by Il Romanista. You may recall that Il Romanista made headlines as LA’s first Roman-style pizza al taglio, or pizza baked in large rectangular pans and cut with scissors. Don’t know what happened, but the space is now Allora Pizza. Allora boasts a pizzaiolo with 20 years experience in the “finest restaurants in Italy and the US”. This is the third pizza restaurant to occupy this location at 829 N. Douglas St. We wish Allora the best of luck.
It was back in 2016 when I first noticed that caterer and restaurateur Lisa Erikson was bringing a branch of her brick and mortar eatery Lisa’s Cafe & Bakery to a space in the Elevon multi-use complex at 741 N. Douglas St. in El Segundo. Sadly, it appears she has decided to close this branch. But you can still pick up her signature breakfasts, salads, and sandwiches at her Torrance location…
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