Innovative coffee purveyor Go Get Em Tiger has abruptly closed its location at 930 Montana Ave in Santa Monica on Tuesday. Santa Monica’s other location on Main St. closed a while ago. GGET opened this location in 2022 with much excitement and an extended menu. I’m not sure what is happening with the chain, but their Culver City location, as well as other locations east of here are still open.
(Thanks Steve!)
A small banner has appeared in the window of the space at 235 Main St. in Venice, previously home to The Anchor Venice. A new eatery named Three Flavors appears to be moving in. I don’t have much information on this establishment, other than the banner promises an interesting combination of “Thai, Sushi, Phở”.
Santa Monica’s dining scene is white-hot right now. Yet more evidence: There’s renewed activity at 2820 Main St., a chunk of prime real estate that used to home to Santa Monica’s beloved gem World Cafe that closed about a decade and a half ago (after World Cafe, it was home to Areal for a period). The location has sat derelict ever since, but recently a new ABC application has appeared on the front. While no business name is listed, a close inspection of the application reveals some familiar names: Chloe, Brandon, and Tyler Makhani, the family team behind Woodland Hills’ Mediterranean charmer Casaléna. This property sounds familiar to Casaléna‘s concept of different dining rooms and a big outdoor space. I’ll keep my eyes on the project to see what may develop, but this is definitely exciting news.
A German coffee concept is making its debut in Santa Monica. There’s window paper and a sign on the diminutive space at 2665#B Main St announcing the arrival of Codos Coffee Roastery. Codos began in 2014 in Hamburg and has since spread across Germany. Their focus is on “exceptional coffee” served in a “warm and welcoming space where every guest feels at home”. Willkommen!
It appears that a West Hollywood popular baked treat spot is opening a second location in Santa Monica. According to their Instagram post, construction is halfway finished on the new Junior Cookies, moving into the former Sweet Rose Creamery space at 2726 Main St. Promising “the world’s freshest cookies”, Junior Cookies offers flavors such as Banana Pudding, KitKat Tiramisu, and Salted Almond Chocolate Chip. The window says they’re aiming for a Spring/Summer opening.
This from my inbox:
Tue., Dec. 31 / Various Santa Monica Bars / 6pm-2am / $20+
Say goodbye to boring and hello to a night filled with VIP treatment, exclusive drink specials, and a whole lot of fun!
Spend the night hopping between the hottest bars in Santa Monica with VIP entry and drink deals as low as $4 drafts and 2-for-1 premiums & champagnes!
Here’s the scoop: Registration: 6-10pm @ Barney’s Beanery or Jameson’s Pub, party till 2am, free entry to multiple hotspots, VIP access to exclusive after-party, unforgettable happy hours, no cover charges, and deals all night!
Whether you’re a local or just here to party, we’ve got the best NYE plans!
Tickets and more information here.
It’s that time of year again… More info and tickets here.
It appears a new Australian bakeshop is making its first US appearance. There’s a notice up on the space that used to be the location for a short-lived GGET, at 2645 Main St. in Santa Monica, announcing the arrival of Bread + Butter. While I don’t have much information on this business, they do have three locations in Tasmania and their website confirms this location. What will be on offer? Exceptional “fresh pastries + sourdough bread every day” using 100% cultured butter. 
On a tip from a reader (Thanks Jeff!) I went by the former location of Matthew Kenney’s ill-fated pizza restaurant Double Zero at 1700 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice to see what was going on. You may recall that an ABC application went up earlier this year announcing the new business as Gnarwal Coffee Co., the socially conscious organic coffee purveyor with a location on Main Street in Santa Monica. It appears the concept has pivoted slightly, and they have since opened under the name Companion. The new self-described neighborhood cafe and restaurant is currently open from 7am to 3pm for coffee, pastry, and sandwiches with the promise of dinner and wine soon. Until then, read more about their vision and food here.
Peripatetic East Coast-themed sandwich shop Jersey Mike’s Subs continues its march across SoCal with a new outpost near the beach. There’s a banner up at 245 S Main St. in Venice announcing the news. Read more at jerseymikes.com.
Nancy Silverton and Matt Molina’s SUPER-anticipated Roman-style pizza restaurant is set to throw open its doors at their new location in Santa Monica. Excited readers are rushing to tell me that, after a long delay, notices are up on the front of the new Triple Beam Pizza, at 2905 Main St., announcing the opening at 11AM today (June 20). This is their fourth location. Expect such beauties as roasted fennel & sausage with goat cheese, Korean BBQ chicken bulgogi, and roasted spring corn ezquite. You’re welcome.
This from my inbox: On Sunday, May 19th from 1pm-5pm is the 9th annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street. This event is a pet-friendly, boardgame-themed culinary walking tour of Main Street’s fave neighborhood eateries, bars, and treat shops. Attendees will use “MAINopoly dollars” and are encouraged to dress in Monopoly-inspired costumes. There will be a “Go to Jail” beer garden, free pedicab rides, pet adoptions, photo booth, and prizes. Some of the restaurants that will be participating are: Ashland Hill, Holey Grail Donuts, Alfalfa, The Victorian, JuneShine, Jameson’s Pub, Tavern on Main, Papille Gustative, Pasjoli, Jinya Ramen Bar, MUD\WTR, Lula Cocina Mexicana. The event takes place between Strand and Pier Ave. (Check in at The Victorian, 2640 Main St.) and benefits The Main St. Business Improvement Association. Read more and get your tickets here.
Cozy local java joint Gnarwhal Coffee Co. is apparently branching out from its buzzy Main Street location to an even buzzier neighborhood. There’s an ABC application up at 1700 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice, previously home to the troubled Double Zero, letting us know that Gnarwhal is moving in. I’m sure that organic, socially responsible coffee will be on the menu, but so will beer and wine according to the ABC app, so this may be a slightly different concept that their Main St. branch.
We’ve known for a while that cozy neighborhood darling Met Her At A Bar was expanding to Santa Monica. Now we know where. There’s an ABC application posted on the front of the extensive build-out at 2615 Main St. in Santa Monca that lets us know this is the future branch of Met Her At The Bar. The self-described “hip little neighborhood cafe” has a location on S. La Brea Ave. and is known for Belgian waffles and coffee.
The space at 2507 Main St. in Santa Monica has been a bit of a mystery for the last few years. Once the home of Novel Cafe, the space has been gutted with intermittent construction. Readers assured me it was either going to be a restaurant, or bar, or something, but I could never verify anything… until now. A sign recently went up over the door announcing the arrival of Rabano Handcrafted Food & Drinks. Rabano has a location in Hermosa Beach and has a “fresh and healthy” menu of salads, bowls, and sandwiches that utilizes local ingredients and focuses on the environment.
This from my inbox: On Sunday, May 27th from 1pm-5pm is the 8th annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street. This event is a pet-friendly, boardgame-themed culinary walking tour of Main Street’s fave neighborhood eateries, bars, and treat shops. Attendees will use “MAINopoly dollars” and are encouraged to dress in “Monopoly-inspired or patriotic Memorial Day attire”. There will be a “Go to Jail” beer garden, cocktails, DJ, and prizes. Some (but not all) of the restaurants that will be participating are: Ashland Hill, Pasjoli, Papille Gustative, JuneShine, Jameson’s Pub, and Holey Grail Donuts. The event takes place between Navy and Bay St. (Check in at The Victorian, 2640 Main St.) and benefits The Main St. Business Improvement Association. Read more and get your tickets here.
The news was first reported on this two years ago. And then nothing happened. But just this week, an ABC application has appeared on the front of the space at 202 Main St. in Venice confirming that Melrose’s Standing’s Butchery IS moving into the address after all. This means Standing’s selection of ethically sourced local meats, with burgers and beer and wine, but you can read the full skinny on what this will mean for the Seaside Neighborhood on Eater’s original story here.
This landed in my inbox: This Sunday, May 29th from 12-5pm is the 7th annual MAINopoly: A Taste of Main Street. This event is a pet-friendly, boardgame-themed culinary walking tour of Main Street’s fave neighborhood eateries, coffee spots, and treat shops. Attendees will use “MAINopoly dollars” and are encouraged to dress in “Monopoly-inspired or patriotic Memorial Day attire”. There will be a “Go to Jail” beer garden, cocktails, DJ, and prizes. Some (but not all) of the restaurants that will be participating are: Ashland Hill, Sweet Rose Creamery, June Shine, and Holey Grail Donuts. The event takes place between Navy and Bay St. (check in at Ashland Hill) and benefits The Main St. Business Improvement Association. Read more and get your tickets here.
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.
Toddrickallen 