Playa Vista’s first ever food festival is coming October 14th. Taste of Runway offers you an opportunity to sample nibbles from various Playa Vista eateries including Urban Plates, Bull & Butterfly, buzzy Loqui, Joliet Cafe and Bar, and even the-as-of-yet unopened Neighbors. There will also be live music. Get tickets here.
Il looks like things are taking off for The Runway in Playa Vista. After a strong opening a few years back, the retail/restaurant heart of the development began to sputter. Restaurant closures left many spaces unoccupied. The recent opening of Free Market Playa Vista, the mini-mall filled with hip design shops and restaurants, has really brought a resurgence to the now pedestrian only complex. New restaurants appear to have taken notice and are moving in. And pizza is coming back as well… Window covering on the space that used to be the home of 800 Degrees Pizza, at 12751 W Millennium Dr. Ste B135, is announcing the upcoming arrival of Cacio E Pizza.
The Runway in Playa Vista has been busy… Free Market recently opened bringing a fresh selection of eateries. Now you can add one more to the list. There’s window paper up at the former location of Hal’s Bar & Grill at 12751 Millenium Dr. #140 announcing a new restaurant called Neighbors. There’s not much info out there yet, but their Instagram page states that their goal is “a restaurant experience created with our neighbors in mind”. Looks like they’re shooting for a Fall opening.
I first noticed that Runway Playa Vista was bulding something called Free Market back in 2019. Free Market has two other locations and describes itself an “ever-evolving collective” of “curated products, services, and experiences”. They are close to opening; Their website says May 1, but I was told April 16. In any case, here’s the food lineup: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, something called Joliet Cafe and Bar, and Loqui, which began as a Mexican pop-up at Tartine in San Francisco.
Big Mango Café has been serving the hungry workers of Silicon Beach for over seven years. Recently, they gave up their popular location at 12035 E Waterfront Dr. in Playa Vista. But if you’re a fan of their signature sandwiches, wraps, and salads, all is not lost. Big Mango Café is relocating to another busy industry hot spot: 777 S Aviation Blvd. #107 in El Segundo. We wish them the best of luck.
Not that long ago, Playa Vista’s branch of popular Mediterranean restaurant Gaby’s Express vacated its longtime space at 12219 Jefferson Blvd. Now a new eatery is hoping to lure in the area’s hungry tech crowd. A large banner on the front informs us that Baja Catch & Grill is moving in. I can’t find much information on Baja Catch & Grill, but I’m willing to take a wild guess and say that fish tacos will be on offer.
Plywood recently went up on a big chunk of Runway Playa Vista announcing the arrival of something called Free Market. The retail and restaurant scene in Playa Vista has been sputtering for some time now. According to this LA Times article, in an effort boost the area, Runway will soon be closed to cars and turned into a pedestrian mall. Free Market is being described as a complex that will include a “mix of small stores and restaurants”. I’ll keep watching to see what develops…
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.
I recently noticed that purveyors of modern comfort food Lyfe Kitchen have pulled up stakes in their Runway Playa Vista location at 12746 W Jefferson Blvd. A sign on the door confirms the sad news. Lyfe Kitchen has a rocky history to begin with, but I wonder if the bigger news is the Runway itself. With a captive audience of residents in the Playa Vista developments along Jefferson, you’d think that the Runway would be teeming with hungry patrons. And yet, since opening, they have never been able to fill all of the empty new storefronts. A great many still remain unoccupied. And now Lyfe Kitchen pulls out… Could this be an indication of trouble for the newish shopping/dining district?
Sadly, it appears that hopeful start-up Wellfed has disappeared from their space at 13020 W. Pacific Promenade #7. It was only just back in April of last year that I told you about their opening. Not sure what happened or what will become of that monkeypod wood wrap-around countertop, but I’ll keep my eye on it…
I recently noticed that the windows are papered over on the small space just to the left of Hopdoddy in the fast-developing The Runway Playa Vista announcing the impending arrival of something called Da Kikokiko. After digging around a bit, I discovered on What’s Up Playa Vista that Da Kikokiko is a brand new poke spot brought to you by restaurant team Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts (Playa Provisions). No word on an opening date and they appear to have a way to go, but until then, you can follow their progress on Instagram here.
Every once in a while, I’m astonished by the amount of interest in one of my blogs. It appears that a great many of you have been carefully tracking the story about a new eatery opening in Playa Vista that I first told you about back in October of last year when I noticed a sign announcing the impending arrival of Good Food to the space at 13020 W. Pacific Promenade #7. Well, since then we learned what the name of the new restaurant was, and to all those who have been watching its progress comes this happy news: Wellfed is now open (as of Tuesday) in Playa Vista. Check out my original report for more details, and yes they do indeed have that snazzy monkeypod wood wrap-around countertop. We wish them the best of luck.
It wasn’t that long ago that Piknic Restaurant, at 13020 Pacific Promenade in Playa Vista was one of the few eateries in the massive developments along Jefferson Blvd. Now, with The Runway just up the road, you’re spoiled for choice. So the good folks at Piknic have decided to up their game. They recently closed down for a little nip and tuck and they will be relaunching on Monday as Gulp Playa Vista. In addition to a few changes to their look, they will offer 36 tap beers and a redesigned menu that focuses on small and sharable plates intended to accompany the new brews, or so I’m told.
And the restaurants keep coming to Playa Vista… Sandwich chain Panini Café is now open in The Runway shopping area, right across the way from the recently unveiled Sol Cocina at 12751 W. Millennium. Read more and check out their Mediterranean/Italian menu here.
Back in October, I did a little digging to find out what was going on with Sol Cocina, which had promised a Spring 2015 opening but was nowhere to be seen. A great many of you have been carefully following this story, so here’s welcome news: Playa Vista’s branch of mini-chain Sol Mexican Cocina finally threw open its doors yesterday (Tuesday January 19th) in a big and spacious location with a wrap-around patio on the corner of Millennium and Town Center Dr. in The Runway. Look for a menu of innovative classic Baja dishes designed by Sol’s Executive Chef and cookbook author Deborah Schnieder.
Remember back in October when I first noticed a sign on the front of 13020 W. Pacific Promenade #7 in Playa Vista informing us that Great Food was soon heading our way? Well, construction is fast and furious on a build-out of what will soon be Wellfed. Recently, I had a chance to chat with the owners. While they’re still working out all the details, here’s what I can tell you. The new owner operated gastropub will feature an open kitchen dishing up a creative market-driven California/Asia menu. The concept here is fast/casual served over a super snazzy monkeypod wood wrap-around countertop. The vibe at Wellfed will be chill with a serious emphasis on food. And they’ve scored a chef with serous cred although I’m not at liberty to divulge. While beer and wine are still a few months away, they’re shooting for a December 21st opening. We wish them the best of luck.
With all the focus on the flashy new lineup of restaurants further up the road in the new Runway Playa Vista, less attention is paid to the slightly older area of the colossal development closer to Lincoln Blvd. Signs recently went up announcing that a new restaurant is coming to the space at 13020 W. Pacific Promenade #7 that used to house a hair salon. The mysterious banner announces only that “Great Food” will be coming soon. I’ve no idea if Great Food is the name of the new restaurant, or merely a description of what to expect so we’ll simply have to wait and see…
With all the new eateries pouring into Playa Vista, here’s one that I apparently overlooked: Sol Mexican Cocina. Even though the Playa Vista blog, What’s Up Playa Vista reported its impending arrival late last year, and the restaurant’s website still states that they had hoped for a Spring 2015 opening, there have been no signs of it. But as you can see, the posters have remained up and job postings only just recently went up on Craiglist so I think it’s safe to assume that they’re still planning on opening. We’ll have to wait and see what develops, but until then check out the chain’s Baja-inspired menu here.
It seems like you can’t swing a dead cat these days without hitting another frozen treat shop. The latest to recently open is Playa Vista’s sparkling new outpost of Venice’s N’ice Cream, next to Whole Foods at 12746 W Jefferson Blvd . And they started out with a bang, drawing large crowds with promises of free self-serve gelato and sorbet.
It’s fascinating watching the massive Playa Vista development emerge out of thin air. As if overnight, row after row of residential buildings have sprung from nothing. So of course, it seems only natural that the future inhabitants will need to eat somewhere. Back in January I told you about the impending arrival of a Cinemark Theater (now open) with a full bar, lounge, and dining menu as well as a future Lyfe Kitchen. And now we can add to the list a brand new flashy Whole Foods on the corner of W. Jefferson and McConnell Ave.
Toddrickallen 