Z Pastabar Expands Into Santa Monica Place… And Just About Everywhere Else

Posted on June 8, 2017 by toddrickallen

It takes a brave eatery to give it a go in the sputtering food scene that is Santa Monica Place. Apparently Westside Pavilion’s Z Pastabar believes it has what it takes. They are moving into the last open space in the food court. But that’s not all: The courageous carb purveyor is moving into the new Westfield Century City Shopping Center, and is opening locations across LA according to their website. As a grand opening promotion, the upcoming Santa Monica location is giving away free food if you download their app.

Venokado Vacates SMP

Posted on February 9, 2017 by toddrickallen

It appears that wine and gift shop Venokado has given up the ghost in The Market at Santa Monica Place. And The Curious Palate will be jumping ship from its Market space to across the way, just to the right of the ArcLight. That means that soon, the only soldier left standing will be La Gourmandise School. But we’ve been promised that something new will be coming…

More Changes To Santa Monica Place…

Posted on September 8, 2016 by toddrickallen

It looks like one of the last enduring restaurants in the challenged Market at Santa Monica Place is finally pulling out. But for once, the news isn’t catastrophic. Tenacious farm-to-table hold out The Curious Palate is moving from the space inside The Market, to the outside space directly opposite (space 331), just to the right of The ArcLight Cinemas. The space has mostly sat empty since the post-remodel orginal restaurant Ozumo pulled out back in 2012. They are apparently not using the entire Ozumo space, and construction has yet to begin, so it may take a while yet…

thecuriouspalate1

thecuriouspalate2

Pizza Antica Closes After Labor Day In SMP

Posted on August 25, 2016 by toddrickallen

Sadly, the sputtering food scene that is the third floor of Santa Monica Place is about to produce another casualty. According to a spokesperson, after a 6 year run, Pizza Antica will permanently shut down the ovens the day after Labor Day, September 5th. (That means your last day for the Tuesday half-priced wine deal will be August 30th.) No word on what may take its place, and if you’ve grown fond of their seasonal salads and crispy pies, you’ll have to travel a bit as all their other locations are in the Bay Area.

PizzaAntica

Great Khan’s Mongolian Grill Opens In SMP

Posted on July 19, 2016 by toddrickallen

We all know that since opening, the food scene at Santa Monica Place has had its share of troubles. The much-anticipated Market now sits mostly empty and largely untouched, as do a number of other restaurant spaces, even as the wildly popular Cheesecake Factory continues to be a big draw. Into this chaos, one plucky new eatery is making a courageous bid. Mall staple Great Khan’s Mongolian Grill is now open in the food court. We wish them luck.

GreatKhan's

Starbucks Now Open In SMP

Posted on December 3, 2015 by toddrickallen

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

Arclight Cinemas Opens Today In SMP With A Café And Full Bar

Posted on November 20, 2015 by toddrickallen

Back in January I told you that signs on the construction site of the new Arclight Cinemas, being constructed out of thin air atop Bloomingdale’s, indicated that the new theater would feature a café and full bar. Well, now the wait for a boozy movie is over. Arclight Cinemas opens today (November 20th) in Santa Monica Place and the posters declare that you can take your drink into the theater with you. Cheers!

arclight

Starbucks Coming Soon To SMP

Posted on October 15, 2015 by toddrickallen

You could be forgiven for not noticing that The Beach’s preeminent shopping complex, Santa Monica Place did not have a branch of a large chain coffee shop. There has always been an outpost of the Italianesque mini-chain Ugo Café, and a now departed Groundwork made a valiant effort, but the big name ubiquitous coffee joints have been kept out… until now. Construction is underway on a free-standing brand spanking new Starbucks on the ground floor, near CB2, directly beneath the upcoming Arclight Cinemas.

Another Wetzel’s Down For The Count…

Posted on July 22, 2015 by toddrickallen

Is popular doughy treat shop Wetzel’s Pretzels pulling out of the Westside? Back in December of last year, I noticed that the branch at Santa Monica Place had disappeared. And now, the Wetzel’s in the Century City Shopping Center has quietly slipped out of its first floor location. Not sure what’s going on, but I’ll keep watching. If you find that life holds no meaning without their signature salty Bavarian-inspired snacks, locate another branch here.

The Market At SMP 2.0 Coming Soon…

Posted on May 20, 2015 by toddrickallen

Oh those glorious days back in 2011 when we all held such high hopes for the opening of The Market at Santa Monica Place, only to have those hopes dashed on the rocks shortly thereafter. With names such as Rockenwagner and Piero Salvaggio involved, all eyes were on the food hall that was frequently described as “Ferry Building style”. Well, after years of sputtering and losing tenants, The Market recently closed most of its space for a major re-do. Only four stores remain open: The Gourmandise School, The Curious Palate, Venokado, and Groundworks. No word on what they’re planning on doing, and the signs that are up only promise that “The Market is changing”, so we’ll just have to wait and see. Perhaps the new Arclight Cinemas and Cheesecake Factory will bring more foot traffic. Maybe we can start to get our hopes up again…

Redwood Grille’s Tree Felled In SMP

Posted on February 13, 2015 by toddrickallen

You have to hand it to the plucky restaurateurs who brave the stagnant dining scene on the third floor of Santa Monica Place. It takes a certain, for lack of a better word, courage to give it a go. Sadly, after a valiant effort, it appears that yet another one has bitten the dust. After a run of a year-and-a-half, Redwood Grille has closed its doors in the cavernous space facing the Promenade just as Xino did before it. No word on what’s replacing it. But there are signs of life on the third floor: The upcoming Cheesecake Factory and the new restaurant in the future Arclight Cinema should bring new life… hopefully…

The New Arclight Cinemas In SMP Will Feature A Bar And Café

Posted on January 15, 2015 by toddrickallen

The brand-spanking new Arclight Cinemas being built directly on top of Bloomingdale’s in the Santa Monica Place will feature its signature café and full bar according to the posters covering the plywood. Thus between the new café and the upcoming Cheesecake Factory, diners will be spoiled for choice on the formerly struggling third floor of the mall. Who knows? Maybe even the stagnant The Market might get new lifeblood… Look for a Fall 2015 opening.

Wetzel’s Pretzels Closes In Santa Monica Place

Posted on December 26, 2014 by toddrickallen

The food scene continues to sputter in the Santa Monica Place Mall, despite the upcoming ArcLight Cinema and Cheesecake Factory. The latest evidence? Wetzel’s Pretzels appears to have quietly slipped out of its third floor space. But fear not: If you find yourself craving the doughy treat, you can easily find other locations, including the one just one block away in The Promenade by looking here.

Manchu Wok Disappears From SMP…

Posted on September 4, 2014 by toddrickallen

Looks like the local branch of Hong Kong-based Manchu Wok has closed up shop in the food court of Santa Monica Place. If life has now lost its meaning without their signature brand of “fast and fresh Chinese”, you can locate another branch here, although it appears that the nearest one is in Las Vegas. No word on what may replace it yet…

The Market At Santa Monica Place’s Latest Closures…

Posted on August 28, 2014 by toddrickallen

Just when I began to have hope that with all the development on Ocean Ave. and the new theater going into the cavernous space just a few feet away, The Market at Santa Monica Place was beginning to take off, I took this photo earlier in the week. Sadly, it appears that culinary gadget shop Cook by Venokado is gone, and organic delivery company Santa Monica Merchant has ostensibly been abandoned. Said one nearby employee, “I haven’t seen anybody in there for a long time.” (Sigh)

The Dole California Cook-Off Featuring Ben Ford Saturday June 28th In SM

Posted on June 20, 2014 by toddrickallen

If you’re looking for something to do near the beach on Saturday, June 28th from 11:00am to 3:00pm, check out the California Cook-Off at Santa Monica Place in Santa Monica. The cooking competition will be judged by Chef Ben Ford (Ford’s Filling Station) and there will be cooking demos, free samples, and a host of prizes from event sponsor Dole and Weber Grills. Check out more about the cook-off here.

Construction Continues Fast And Furiously At Marketplace, Santa Monica

Posted on April 15, 2011 by toddrickallen

We’ve been promised a May 20th opening so I continue to nose around The Market at Santa Monica Place to follow the progress. As you can see, a few liquor license postings have gone up and construction workers are hard at it, but with only a month and a half before the opening, no one has moved in yet and there still seems to be a lot of work to be done.

CrêpeMaker Opens In Santa Monica Place

Posted on March 4, 2011 by toddrickallen

With four locations in California and others throughout the US, CrêpeMaker is now open in the food court of Santa Monica Place. If crêpes are your thing, you’ll be spoiled for choice with a large selection of savory crêpes (including veggie), breakfast crêpes, and of course, dessert crêpes as well as salads, coffees, teas, and drinks. Check out more at http://www.crepemaker.com/.

Toddrickallen

The Westside at Its Finest

Tag Archives: Santa Monica Place