Tag Archives: Santa Monica

Osteria Bigoli Taking Over The Vincenzo Space On Montana Ave.

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I’ve long heard whispers that a change was coming to secret celeb hideaway Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano, that has inhabited the small space at 714 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica. Apparently, hard-working and gregarious Chef Vincenzo Nicoletta has decided it’s time to move on.  Recently plywood has covered the front, and a change of ownership ABC license application is letting us know that the name of the new restaurant will be Osteria Bigoli.  Tortano LLC and the name on the application indicate that perhaps Osteria Bigoli will have some relationship with a restaurant in Covina called Osteria Pane e Vino.  In the mean time, Vincenzo remains open.  I’ll keep following this for more details.

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KC Chocolatier Bringing Belgian Ice Cream And Hot Chocolate To Downtown Santa Monica

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It was back in December of last year that I noticed printing on the door of the diminutive space next to upcoming Espresso Cielo at 1431 B 2nd St. in Downtown Santa Monica informing us that something called KC Chocolatier was moving in.  A little digging revealed that KC Chocolatier has a flagship store in Chicago, and is an offshoot of Kim’s Chocolates from Tienen, Belgium, that according to their website is the “number 1 chocolate exporter to Canada and the United States”.  Then the space sat idle for months, with no activity.  Finally, a flurry of construction and a flashy new sign confirm that KC is indeed coming soon, and that they will be bringing with them “fresh Belgian chocolate”, ice cream, and hot chocolate.  We with them the best of luck.

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Caffe Luxxe To Sell Beer And Wine?

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A sign recently went up in the window of artisan coffee purveyor Caffe Luxxe at 925 Montana Ave. indicating that they are seeking to expand to much stronger stuff.  The notice posted in the window informs us that they are requesting an ABC license, and that the City of Santa Monica  is currently reviewing their request. But before you get excited about the prospects of a glass of cab with your cappuccino and croissant, the license they are requesting is an ABC type 20, meaning the beer and wine will only be “off-sale”, or purchasable to be consumed off the premises.

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More Changes To Santa Monica Place…

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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…

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Tumbi Bar And Restaurant Landing In Santa Monica Soon

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I’ve been watching the space at 115 Santa Monica Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica for a while.  Early last year, the Yelp-eviscerated Gate of India pulled up stakes and the windows were papered over.  Finally, an ABC application taped to the front informs us that something called Tumbi Bar and Restaurant will soon be moving in.  I can’t find out much information on the new eatery, but I’ll keep watching…

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Panini Café To Take Over The Fraiche Space In Santa Monica

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I’ve long known that something was taking over the old star-crossed Fraiche space at 312 Wilshire Blvd. in Downtown Santa Monica.  But for whatever reason, it has taken a ridiculously long time.  Well, construction has finally begun, and an ABC application posted high above the door indicates that a branch of Panini Café will soon occupy the troubled address.

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Pizza Antica Closes After Labor Day In SMP

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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.

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Caffe Luxxe Celebrates 10 Years With Free Drinks This Thursday

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Neighborhood artisanal hand-crafted coffee and espresso expert Caffe Luxxe is turning 10 years old.  To celebrate, they’ve created a special 10th Anniversary Blend, that you can sample for free starting today (Wednesday).  And according to their website, tomorrow (August 4th) they will be handing out “FREE drinks all day” at all three locations in Santa Monica and Brentwood.

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Frozen Fruit Company Now Dishing All-Fruit Soft Serve To Montana Ave.

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Just what you need as the temperature continues to climb…  Back in September of last year, I first noticed that a new shop offering a frozen alternative to yogurt was moving into the space at 729 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica.  After what seems like a long time, the Frozen Fruit Company is now up and running.  Originally hailing from the UK, FFC offers a soft serve made entirely from fruit in flavors such as pineapple & passion fruit, mango & strawberry, raspberry & orange that you can read more about here.

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Great Khan’s Mongolian Grill Opens In SMP

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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.

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McDonald’s Disappears From The Third Street Promenade

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After a long and thorough remodel, the food court at 1315 Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica otherwise known as The Gallery, finally reopened earlier this year and began to sputter back to life.  However, there appears to be a challenge to its triumphant return:  After reopening recently, McDonald’s, long the corner-stone of The Gallery, has mysteriously disappeared.  This leaves only Subway currently open, but there does seem to be a great deal of activity in some of the other stalls.  I’ll keep watching.

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Santa Monica Loses A Restaurant Space…

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It was only a month ago that I told you about the closure of miscreant watering hole The Commons Ale House at 129 Broadway in Downtown Santa Monica.  I had been hoping that there would soon be an indication of a new eatery or bar moving into the already kitted out space, joining the mini restaurant row of other establishments that dot Broadway from Ocean to 3rd.  But sadly this is not the case. A lonely paper has replaced the pithy closure notice that previously hung on the front door indicating that what will be replacing the Ale House will be… a shoe store.  [sigh]

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Spinfish Poke House Now Dishing Fish In SM

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That didn’t take long…  It was only back in the March that I noticed that pie shop Simplethings had disappeared from its Lincoln/Wilshire corner location in Santa Monica.  Wasting no time whatsoever, signs soon went up announcing that Pasadena’s Spinfish Poke House was set to move in.  Well, indeed they have, as they recently opened and are now dishing raw fish to the masses.

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Burgers N Brews Throws Open Its Doors

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A great many of you have been carefully tracking the progress of an eatery taking shape at 3021 Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica (formerly Santino’s) that I first told you about back in April.  Burgers N Brews recently opened, and is brought to you by the people behind its sister restaurant, The Britannia Pub in Downtown Santa Monica.  It’s all about the burgers here, with choices ranging from veggie, chicken, cod, pork, lamb, angus, and grass-fed, all to be washed down with a selection of, you guessed it, craft beers served in frosty glasses.  It seems to be off to a good start, and Yelpers are raving about it.  We wish them the best of luck.

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The Commons Ale House Bids A Colorful Goodbye To Santa Monica

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The Commons Ale House has had its share of troubles in the past, but all that is behind them now.  A letter, hand-penned in marker and affixed to the front door at 129 Broadway, bids a colorful goodbye to Downtown Santa Monica and a thank you to its erstwhile customers.  It appears that they closed down after last weekend, and no reason for the abrupt closure is given.  I’ll keep my eye on the space to see what develops.

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The Gallery Slowly Coming Back To Life In Santa Monica

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Back in March, I told you about the opening of the food hall The Gallery at 1315 Third Street Promenade after a two-year renovation.  While there appears to be a great deal of activity, almost all the stalls are still without tenants.  However, joining McDonald’s, Subway has returned to the The Gallery and is now open.  I’ll keep watching the other spaces…

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Spinfish Poke House Dropping Anchor In Santa Monica Soon

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It’s poke mania on the Westside!  It wasn’t that long ago that I told you about the demise of Santa Monica’s short-lived branch of pie shop Simplethings, at  808 Wilshire Blvd. (corner of Lincoln).  Wasting no time whatsoever, signs have gone up on the space indicating that a branch of Pasadena’s Spinfish Poke House will be rapidly moving in.  Their website alludes to a new location (“We are dropping our anchor on another port!”) and encourages us to follow clues, but I think we’ve solved the mystery.  The windows are papered over so I can’t assess the progress, but I’ll keep watching…

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Gelson’s Santa Monica Raises The Bar…

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The sparkling brand new Gelson’s that took over the old Haggen (Albertson’s) space on the corner of Ocean Park and Lincoln in Santa Monica is just about to make grocery shopping a whole lot more interesting.  According to signs posted in the store, they will soon be adding a wine and craft beer bar, thereby considerably increasing their chances of higher revenue due to impulse spending.  No word on when the drunk shopping will commence, but believe me, I’m watching this one closely…

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