You could be forgiven for not seeing much happening in this photo. But looks can be deceiving… Hiding behind this humble and signless façade, at 2821 Ocean Park Blvd. in Santa Monica, is the Westside’s newest and much-anticipated Vietnamese restaurant Blossom, that I first told you about back in April. You’ll be pleased to know that they are now open and dishing noodles Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. 
Well this was a bit of a surprise… After 20 years, consistently popular Blue Plate has quit their busy location at 1415 Montana Ave. as of last week. Not sure what happened, but nearby Blue Plate Taco and Blue Plate Oysterette remain open. Read their goodbye message here, and I’ll keep watching to see what develops.
The strip mall on the corner of Lincoln and Pico in Santa Monica is a popular one: It sits close to SaMo High. Many of the restaurants vacated their spaces as the complex closed for a major remodel. Now the fast food is beginning to trickle back in. It looks like the burger chain about to release its IPO, Fatburger, is diving in, as is Buffalo’s World Famous Wings, and Firehouse Subs.
Well that took a long time… Well over a year ago, I first noticed that food truck folks Bobaritto were finally putting down roots at 1321 Third Street Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. I’m not sure what the hold up was, but they have recently thrown open their doors and are dispensing sushi burritos, poke, and boba tea to the good people of Santa Monica.
Could the stumbling food scene in Santa Monica Place be recovering? Z Pastabar recently opened, The Curious Palate jumped locations but not the ship, and The Cheesecake Factory appears constantly busy. Yet there are still four cavernous restaurant spaces that remain idle. But soon you can make that three. Signs are up on the front of the space that used to house Pizza Antica informing us that Torrance’s craft beer specialists The Dudes’ Brewing Company will soon be moving in. We wish them the best of luck.
It was almost three years ago that I first noticed that a branch of Caffe Primo was intending on moving into the corner space at 7th and Arizona in Downtown Santa Monica, across the street from wildly popular Cassia. But all that appears to have changed. Recently, all the window announcements were pulled down, and a for lease sign has gone up on the vacant space. It looks like the West Hollywood location is gone as well. I’m not sure what happened, but I’ll keep watching to see what develops.
A solid year ago, I told you about a new French pastry shop moving into a corner space on Montana Ave. in Santa Monica that used to house French fragrance folks L’Occitane. I’m not sure what took so long, but Le Macaron is now open and offering sublime creative confections from their charming spot at 1301 Montana Ave. With locations throughout the US, this is the first LA area shop for the Florida based chain. Besides macarons, look for a selection of pastries, breads, chocolates, and coffees.
Bowls, those complicated combinations of über-healthy ingredients commingling in a container, remain hot commodities. The latest to try their hand at attracting the attention of the yoga set in Downtown Santa Monica is Backyard Bowls. With a smattering of locations across Santa Barbara and LA, they look fairly close to opening at 1317A 7th St. Expect a menu of açaí bowls, smoothies, hot porridges, and toasts, that you can read more about here.
I’d thought we’d seen a slow down in the poke phenomena that has descended upon us in recent years, but apparently not. Another contender is vying for our attention in Santa Monica. Signs are up on the space that once was occupied by Rita’s Frozen Custard, at 2307 Main St., announcing that self-described “King of Poke” PoKing will soon be moving in.
It’s often been said that when God closes a frozen yogurt joint, he opens a fast food pasta restaurant… Here are the latest changes to the stumbling Santa Monica Place food scene. Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt has closed up shop just outside the food court. And plucky contender Z Pastabar has opened inside the food court, which is now completely occupied.
Along Wilshire Blvd. In Santa Monica, drive-through fast food is a rarity. And it got even rarer when Jack In The Box closed down at 2423 Wilshire. But fear not time-pressed commuters! The building will eventually be converted into a Del Taco according to the design review notice posted in the window.
A sad day for Indian food on the Westside… Longstanding Santa Monica institution Nawab of India has vacated its cavernous space at 1621 Wilshire Blvd. I’ll keep watching to see what develops.
It wasn’t that long ago that I told you about the closure of N.Y.&C. Pizzeria at 1120 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica. Wasting no time whatsoever, it looks like a new contender has taken over the spot. Rock’n Pies Pizza Co. is currently in soft opening for lunch, with the eventual goals of an expanded menu, late-night delivery, and beer and wine.
What was once a very quiet section of Downtown Santa Monica is quickly transforming into a restaurant destination. Just to the right of Cava and the upcoming HiHo, at 1320 2nd St. Suite A, a brand new handmade pasta joint calling itself Uovo Pasta will soon be joining the list. And it looks like they’re fairly close to opening…
Santa Monica Yacht Club closed its doors at 820 Santa Monica Blvd. a bit ago so Andrew Kirschner could focus his attention on Tar & Roses, his other restaurant a block away, at least according to the notice taped to the front door. Recently however, an ABC ownership change application has appeared and names the new restaurant as… Santa Monica Yacht Club. If you examine the application online, you can see that a familiar name is listed as an officer: Nyesha Arrington, who left Leona in Venice back in February to pursue other projects.
In a push to make banking more friendly, financial giant Capital One has been opening community cafés across the country. And now Santa Monica looks like their next target. Going into a brand new building on the corner of 4th and Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica, on what used to be an unsightly parking lot, the new Capital One Café will offer Peet’s beverages and “local pastry” in addition to internet and banking services.
Ever since the tragic demise of Santa Monica’s beloved branch of Border Grill, I’ve kept a careful watch on the space at 1445 4th St. I’ve been hearing whispers, and a design review mentioned something called Publique, but I couldn’t get confirmation. But then late last week the for lease signs came down, and an ABC application was posted on the front informing us the Le Zinc Bar (Zinqué) will be opening a restaurant called Publique. You can check out the design review, including plans for an open air patio, and an artist’s rendering here.
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.
I’ve been watching the space that used to house Orchard Flats Juicery at 705 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica to see what would move in. Signs are now up confirming that branch of Burbank’s Rawkin Juice will be moving in. Rawkin Juice was recently purchased by Miami’s Hip Cuisine, which intends on expanding the mini chain. If you check out their Facebook page, you can see they’ve had designs on the Santa Monica location for a while. Popular with the studio/star set, look for a menu of raw/vegan/cold-pressed/organic/you get the picture…
A great many of you have been carefully checking for information ever since I first told you about Santa Monica’s upcoming branch of North Italia, taking over the erstwhile Buca Di Beppo space at 1442 2nd St. in Downtown Santa Monica. You’ll be pleased to know that according to the notice on the door, North Italia will officially throw open its doors on May 30th. We wish them the best of luck.
Toddrickallen 