It was back in October of 2022 when I told you that national plant-based chain Planta was opening a gorgeous location in the old Pizzicotto and Kreation spaces at 11758 and 11754 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood. Sadly, it appears that Planta has pulled up stakes at the address. A gracious note on the door doesn’t give a reason, and it directs fans of plant-based to Planta Cocina in The Marina. I’ll keep an eye on the space to see what may develop.
A reader found out more information here.
I just noticed that Abbot Kinney’s popular coffee truck Niche has landed a cozy neighborhood brick-and-mortar. Their new awning is up at 712 Washington in MDR, formerly home to a realty company. It appears that they are ready to open with “coffee, matcha, tea, milkshakes & superfood smoothies” as well as breakfast and baked goods on offer.
There’s window paper up on one of the storefronts in the everchanging landscape of the Waterside Marina del Rey shopping center announcing the arrival of Paradise Bowls. Paradise Bowls is a local company with locations Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and another expected outpost in Westlake Village. Their website promises a “delicious and wholesome escape” with a menu focused on acai and pitaya bowls and smoothies. Looks like they’re aiming for a summer opening.
Epic breakfast burritos are heading to Marina del Rey… There’s window paper up on one of the spaces in the Waterside Marina del Rey Shopping Center announcing the arrival of Wake and Late. Wake and Late has four other locations across LA (with another in the works for Santa Monica) and is known for their breakfast burritos, “rip & dip bagels”, and coffee. The promised Santa Monica branch of Wake and Late has languished for nearly three years. I hope they have better luck with this location.
In yet more Italian news…. Window paper is up on the old Cafe Buna space at 552 Washington Blvd. in Marina del Rey informing us that Fratelli Cafe is taking up housekeeping at this address. The “casual upscale cafe” specializes in breakfast and lunch and has another location on Melrose.
(Thanks Trevor!)
Great news Good People of MDR, luscious icy treats are heading your way! Crazy-popular gelato experts Bacio di Latte are continuing their expansion. With a location in The Westfield Century City Shopping Center and a new one in Brentwood, it appears they are taking a space in the Waterside Marina del Rey Shopping Center. You’re welcome!
The second-floor space next to the AMC Dine-In Theater, at 13455 Maxella Ave Suite 270 in Marina del Rey, has sat empty for quite a while. In another lifetime, I believe it was home to Ra Sushi. But now it appears to be under construction again. A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks Jennifer!) spotted the name of the new eatery on the notice of nonresponsibility taped to the front door. The notice names the new restaurant as NAMOO Korean BBQ. I don’t have any information on this business, so if you know more, pass it along…
A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks Trevor!) spotted permits on the old Men’s Wearhouse space at 4325 Glencoe Ave C-3 in the Villa Marina Center. The permits inform us that Starbird Chicken is moving into the address. Their website confirms it. Starbird hails from the Bay Area and has locations in both NoCal and SoCal. They are known for their crispy chicken and in-house sauces.
Congratulations Good People of Marina del Rey, mall-quality Asian food is heading your way! There’s a banner hanging on the commodious space on the corner of Lincoln and Washington announcing the arrival of food court fixture Panda Express. Right now the space is gutted so you may have to wait a bit for your orange chicken…
I first told you about Roca Pizza‘s arrival to 1061 N Swathmore in Pacific Palisades back in April of 2022. It took them a while to open, which they did about six months ago. Sadly, they have already given up the ghost at this location. They had planned on another location in Waterside Marina del Rey, but I haven’t heard if that will still happen or not. Roca Pizza was a project from California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) Co-founder Rick Rosenfield and his wife Esther that featured pies with long-refrigerated dough baked in imported Italian ovens.
(Thanks Ron!)
A sign above the space at 4254 Lincoln Blvd. in Marina del Rey is announcing that a branch of rapidly expanding Greek chain Nick The Greek is settling in. Nick The Greek operates a number of locations, mostly north of here. Look for a menu of, you guessed it, souvlaki and gyro, as well as falafel, burgers, salads, and soup. New locations in Huntington Beach and Long Beach are also in the works.
Good news Marina del Rey! All you can eat sushi has arrived! There is now a branch of Santa Monica’s Non Stop Sushi & Sake Bar up and running at 4025 Del Rey Ave., in the shopping center on the corner of Washington and Lincoln. (Incidentally, part of the roof awning caved in during one of the storms earlier in the week at their popular Santa Monica location at 2645 Lincoln Blvd.)
Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader, I went by the new Boardwalk MDR shopping center at 4625 Admiralty Way in Marina del Rey to see what was going on. A small notice of nonresponsibility posted on one of the vacant shop fronts spills the beans that mercurial dessert specialist Winston Pies is moving in. And right next door, in a commodious space in the same shopping center, work is fast and furious on a massive Planta Cocina. Planta Cocina is a concept from the rapidly expanding plant-based eatery Planta with a menu of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and ensaladas. (Thanks Trevor!)
Winston Pies' new location
Planta Cocina
Signs have recently gone up confirming that Alfred Coffee is indeed coming to The Boardwalk Shops at 4635 Admiralty Way in Marina del Rey. The third-wave purveyor of caffeinated drinks will be joining eateries HiHo Cheeseburger, KazuNori, and UOVO in the sleek new waterside shopping center. I’m not sure what is taking everything so long to open, but it looks like they’re close to throwing open their doors…
Ever since Pizzicotto and Kreation moved out of their respective spaces at 11758 and 11754 San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood, people have been contacting me demanding answers. Thanks to the clever investigative work of a reader (Thanks Eric!), I may have an answer. Eric discovered that the two spaces will be joined and become the home to Planta. (Their website does confirm a Brentwood location, but doesn’t give an address, so I don’t have confirmation on this.) Planta restaurant group has locations across America and Canada and promotes a celebration of ‘the power of plants” with a 100% plant-based dining concept. It looks like another location is coming to Marina del Rey as well.
The good folks at Capri Gelato & Coffee Bar asked me to pass this along:
“Capri Gelato & Coffee Bar will be announcing some major news over Labor Day Weekend. To celebrate, they are treating all guests in Marina del Rey to a complimentary mini cup of their unique and homemade Passion Fruit Goat Cheese flavored gelato all weekend long.”
Passion fruit goat cheese is their wildly popular proprietary gelato flavor that is “similar to a passion fruit cheesecake: a perfect balance of sweet, and sour yet still creamy“. Sounds like an excellent way to cool off this hot Holiday Weekend.
Capri Gelato is at 4222 Lincoln Blvd. in Marina del Rey. The deal runs from Friday September 2nd through Monday September 5th. Their hours are Friday-Sunday 7am-9pm, and Monday (Labor Day) 7am-8pm.
Cantina Urbana Kalaveras is sure having a moment. They recently opened their location in Santa Monica. Now a reader spotted a banner up on the old Jerry’s Deli in Marina del Rey that says they are taking over the long-troubled space at 13181 Mindanao. And that’s not the end of the story: They are planning a major expansion across SoCal. Besides their current eight outposts, their website lists no less than 13 new locations in the works including Burbank, North Hollywood, and Long Beach. Kalaveras offers an immersive El Dia de Los Muertos celebratory fast/casual concept with “Latin American culinary classics” and a focus on mixology. (Thanks Jennifer!)
Don’t ever count out plucky Panini Kabob Grill. While the chain has lost some prominent locations during The Pandemic (Santa Monica, Beverly Hills), they continue to open new ones. A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks Jennifer!) spotted a nonresponsibility notice on the door of the empty storefront at 13455 Maxella #250, on the second floor of the Villa Marina Marketplace in Marina del Rey. The notice lets us know that there’s a new Panini Kabob Grill on the way. PKG prides itself on fresh Mediterranean fare produced daily in their “scratch kitchen”. You can peruse their menu here.
Ever since tropical-themed eatery Islands closed down at 404 Washington Blvd. in Marina Del Rey, I’ve been hearing from readers wondering what would be moving in. Construction began almost immediately following the closure, but now we now we have answers. A big banner is up that informs us that Coco Beach Bar & Grill is the name of the new restaurant. A reader (Thanks TD!) had a chance to talk with the new owner, who described Coco Beach as a “family-friendly Mexican fusion place”.
North Swathmore Ave. in Pacific Palisades continues its move toward becoming a destination-worthy restaurant row. More evidence: Roca Pizza is settling into the tony street at 1061 N Swathmore. Roca Pizza is the latest project from California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) Co-founder Rick Rosenfield and his wife Esther and will feature pies with long-refrigerated dough baked in imported Italian ovens. They currently have a location in Glendale, and they are planning on a Marina Del Rey location as well at 4700 Admiralty (in Waterside Marina Del Rey). This location is shooting for an early 2023 opening.
Toddrickallen 