Levain Bakery Opens In Venice On…

This from the folks at Levain Bakery, at 1161 Abbot Kinney Blvd:

Levain Bakery on Abbot Kinney will open Friday, April 4th!

“And as a special flavor… we will be offering our Black & White Chocolate Chip Cookie ONLY at the Venice bakery, for a limited time

Our co-founders, Connie McDonald & Pam Weekes will be here for the occasion

We’re doing a ribbon cutting at 8am

The first 100 people in line will get a free Levain tote bag!

ALL proceeds from our opening day will be donated to St Joseph Center in Venice.”

Levain Bakery Blessing Venice With Cookies Soon…

New York’s crazy/popular purveyor of baked goods is opening a second LA location.  There’s window paper up on the old Lemonade space at 1661 Abbot Kinney announcing the arrival of Levain Bakery Levain Bakery began in NYC in 1995 and has since grown to a smattering of locations around New York and other locations including Larchmont Village.  They are famous for ridiculously good handmade cookies that they describe as, “crispy, chewy, soft and melty”.

(Thanks Robert!)

Kaz The Soba Place Coming To Sawtelle Japantown

Flashy signage and window coverings are up on the old Lemonade space at 2047 Sawtelle announcing that a new noodle joint is moving into the neighborhood.  Kaz The Soba Place appears to be well underway and close to opening.  There doesn’t seem to be a lot of information out there on this business, so I don’t know what will be on the menu besides buckwheat noodles.  If you have more information, let me know…

Bull & Butterfly Bringing A Reimagined Steakhouse To Playa Vista

I looks like the people behind Lemonade have a new project in mind for the troubled Runway Apartments Play Vista complex.  According to the signs, one cavernous space is being kitted out to accommodate something called Bull & Butterfly.  They are billing this as a reimagined wood-fired steakhouse.  The signs say they are shooting for a Fall opening.

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Pressed Juicery Bringing Frozen Treats To Abbot Kinney Soon

Signs are up in the window of the building on the corner of Abbot Kinney and Venice Blvd. (1645 Abbot Kinney Blvd., the same building that houses Lemonade) indicating that a branch of popular and prolific cold-pressed juice folks Pressed Juicery are soon moving in. If their window paper is to be trusted, this location will be serving their proprietary frozen treat Freeze, which they describe as “soft-serve made from 100% whole fruits, nuts & vegetables”.  No word on an opening date, but I’ll keep watching…

pressedjuicery

 

Starbucks Now Open In SMP

For many restaurateurs and businesspeople, opening a new food spot in Santa Monica can be a nightmare.  Red tape and delays make the process a long, dragged out affair. (Am I right Lemonade, Creams & Dreams? And Caffe Primo… we feel your pain.)  But for some magical reason known only to the god of multinational coffee chains, a new Starbucks can open in days in the notoriously challenging city.  It was only back in mid-October that I told you about a new branch of the ubiquitous coffee purveyor being built on the ground floor of Santa Monica Place near Bloomingdale’s.  One month and a half later, Starbucks is open and probably giving Ugo Café a run for its money.

Starbucks

 

Lemonade (Finally) Opens In Santa Monica: Moving Into The Bay Area

Did that take a long time or what?  Last Winter, I told you about the signs in the window announcing that a branch of Lemonade was taking over the old Rockenwagner space at 311 Arizona Ave. in Santa Monica.  Originally, the optimistic purveyor of “seasonal California comfort food”, innocent to the workings of the City of Santa Monica, had planned for a Spring opening.  That obviously didn’t happen.  But all that’s behind us now.  Lemonade threw open its doors yesterday, November 17.  Incidentally, the bright and cheery expanding brand appears poised to move into the Bay Area, according to their website.

Lemonade

Lemonade Takes Over The Old Rockenwagner Space In SM

It was only a short while ago that farmer’s market fave Rockenwagner abruptly closed its doors at 311 Arizona Ave. in Santa Monica.  And now we know what’s taking its place.  Looks like the “seasonal Southern California comfort food” chain Lemonade will be moving in shortly, according to the notices pasted on the front.  No word on an opening date, but until then, read more about the fast-casual chain here. 

lemonade