If you’re travelling South on Lincoln through Westchester, you might have noticed a large banner hanging on the wall of the former location of Chicago For Ribs at 8311 Lincoln Blvd. The banner lets us know that The Nook Breakfast Spot is taking over the space. The Nook Breakfast Spot has one location in Lomita and promises “homemade meals from scratch”. Check out their Lomita location’s menu here.
I must confess, I never entirely understood the concept of Pudu Pudu, the pudding specialists brought to you by German megabrand Dr. Oetker. Apparently, I wasn’t alone. After opening only in February of this year, they have thrown in the towel at their second-floor location inside the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. And that’s not all. They have closed all of their LA locations, as indicated by this sad good-bye notice on their website.
A sign has gone up at 11688 Gateway Blvd. (corner of Barrington) announcing that a new Thai eatery is coming to the Sawtelle neighborhood. La La Rice appears close to opening. I can’t seem to find out a lot about the new restaurant except that they have applied for a beer and wine license, so I guess we’ll have to wait on details.
Update: I’ve since heard from the good people over at La La Rice who asked me to pass along this link to their website.
(And yes, it officially is in “Sawtelle”, I carefully checked.)
A new tea shop is coming to the space at 11138 Palms Blvd (corner of Sepulveda). With a handful of locations in Northern California, Ume Tea is expanding Southward. Expect a menu of milk teas with boba and/or mochi, fruit teas, and snacks.
A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks Kiko!) noticed window paper up on the former home of Veggie Grill at 10916 Lindbrook in Westwood Village. The paper promises us a branch of “modern fast-casual Indian eatery” Tulsi. Tulsi has two other locations in LA (with the ambitious goal to eventually bring “Indian food into every neighborhood”) and offers a menu of plant-based faves including dosa, samosas, kathi rolls, dabeli, and even a few tacos.
A reader (Thanks Andrew!) wrote to tell me that he had spotted window signs up in the space that formerly housed Yalla Mediterranean at 9516 Culver Blvd. The signs let us know that Sweet Lily Bakery is settling in. Sweet Lily currently has a location on Cahuenga, and is the dream of two people from France, Marine and Thibaut, the latter of whom won “Best chocolate eclair of Paris”. Expect a solid menu of French favorites including pastries, cakes, sandwiches, tartines, and quiche.
People were devastated when favorite neighborhood French charmer Belle Vie fell victim to the Pandemic. According to new signs, the space will soon be a branch of up-and-coming pie joint The Upper Crust Pizzeria. You may recall that before Belle Vie, this space was the home for 40 years of Divita’s Pizzeria, so I guess this is a bit of a full circle. The Upper Crust has locations in Massachusetts and California and offers a menu of “sort of famous” pizza, wings, lasagna, and calzone.
A reader (Thanks Andrew!) wrote to tell me that he had noticed an ABC application in the window of the erstwhile location of The Drift Kitchen at 2917 Main St. in Santa Monica. The application lists the name of the new restaurant as Vamos Vamos. I can’t find any definitive information on this new eatery, so if you have any, let me know. As for The Drift Kitchen, their website says they are searching for a new location, but in the meantime, they have a pop-up at their sister restaurant Rocketship Coffee on Melrose.
Update: Read more about Vamos Vamos here.
It appears that something new is coming to 8320 W 3rd St. in Beverly Grove, formerly home to vegan burger joint Subito’s. Window paper is announcing that Seoulmates is moving in. Their Instagram page promises “Korean Street Fusion: Korean tacos, sandwiches and rice bowls”.
It appears a new burger joint is close to opening in Santa Monica. Almost overnight, signs went up at 2307 Main St. announcing that a branch of Urban Skillet is moving in. Urban Skillet hails from Minnesota with a location in The Valley as well, and is known for their Halal burgers, as well as chicken burgers, wings, fries, and hand-blended shakes. They will be throwing open their doors on Friday, March 11th at 12pm. For their Grand Opening, they are offering a free burger when you buy a burger with this coupon.
Schwartz’s has been a stalwart presence in Pico-Robertson for a long time. They opened in 1954, when they became the first kosher bakery in LA. They have since increased to five retail locations, two of which are on Pico. Now they’re expanding just a few doors down from their location at 8856 W Pico. A spokesperson confirmed that the banner hanging over the front of 8820 W Pico is announcing the impending arrival of Schwartz’s Deli & BBQ.
There’s a banner up on on the space at 8250 West 3rd Street, Suite 106 (corner of Sweetzer) in Beverly Grove announcing a branch of drink expert It’s Boba Time. IBT has a multitude of locations across The Southland with about 30 more in the works. Expect a menu of 140 different customizable drinks including “smoothies, slushes, coffees, juices, milk teas, shaved ice, and milk foams” using fresh fruit and popular toppings.
It appears that a new eatery is landing in the vacant space at 8234 W 3rd St. in LA (Beverly Grove) occupied in the past by such businesses as a barbershop and a women’s clothing store. Now there’s a banner hanging over the front announcing the arrival of BOP Asian Rice Bowl. Not much out there on BOP, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see what will be on offer besides rice.
A delightful new outdoor dining experience has landed on Santa Monica Blvd. in West LA. You could easily miss it if you weren’t looking, but set in the back of an empty lot at 11819 Santa Monica Blvd. is Empire Hotdog. The food truck has build a clever home for itself in a park-like setting complete with tables and chairs and a large LED screen, that at the time I visited, was showing Shakira videos. Grab a burger and a drink and sit under the stars marveling that such a place even exits in busy West LA.
It wasn’t that long ago I thought that Everytable was down for the count. But as it turns out, not a chance! Only this week I told you about the massive and impressive proposed expansion for the socially-conscious chain that intends to make sure that “good food is affordable and accessible to all”. Here’s another branch going into the space at 10419 W. Venice Blvd Suite 101-A (corner of Motor). This location is planning on a November 12th opening.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that Santa Monica Blvd. on the Westside has been undergoing a major gentrification of late. An indication of this is the new Starbucks that is coming to the corner of Purdue and SMB, at 11401 W Santa Monica Blvd. This would normally be unremarkable news, except that this will only be the third stand alone branch of the coffee chain on the Boulevard between the 405 and The Beach (the others being at 26th and Bundy), and that is a little remarkable for this neck of the woods.
Angelini Osteria, on Beverly Bvd., has been charming Angelenos for 20 years with their solid menu of consistently pleasing pizza, pasta, and “secondi”. Now the Good People of Pacific Palisades won’t have to drive so far for Gino Angelini’s celebrated fare. There’s plywood up on one of the spaces on Palisade Village‘s mini “restaurant row” on Swarthmore Ave. announcing the arrival of Angelini Ristorante & Bar. Looks like they’re shooting for a Winter opening.
Long-standing Westside staple Mama Hong’s Vietnamese Kitchen is moving locations. A complany rep gave me the skinny on the new signage up at 12201 Santa Monica Blvd. in LA. This address used to be home to burger joint Quicksand which fell victim to the Pandemic. Mama Hong’s will be closing their Brentwood location in the under-renovation shopping complex at 11819 Wilshire Blvd. in about a week, and opening in the new space “soon”. They also have locations in Burbank and Orange as well.
It’s good to see so many new restaurants in the works… There’s a new sign up at 8570 W 3rd St. in LA/West Hollywood, previously home to Nonna’s Empanadas, announcing a new pie joint. Proper Pizza & Pasta operates one other location outside of Downtown LA and promises a “great New York style pizza”, as well as pasta, salads, wings, strombolis, and calzones.
Erratum: I stand corrected: A sharp reader quickly let me know that this location is squarely in Beverly Grove, City of Los Angeles.
It looks like LA/West Hollywood is getting a new Mexican joint. A banner on the front of 8722 W 3rd St. (previously home to The District by Hannah An) and some brightly painted fiberglass cows are announcing the impending arrival of Mama Por Dios. MPD operates one other location in Rancho Cucamonga and promises us “Mexican gourmet” served with a side of live Mariachi music or DJs.
Toddrickallen 