Cozy local java joint Gnarwhal Coffee Co. is apparently branching out from its buzzy Main Street location to an even buzzier neighborhood. There’s an ABC application up at 1700 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice, previously home to the troubled Double Zero, letting us know that Gnarwhal is moving in. I’m sure that organic, socially responsible coffee will be on the menu, but so will beer and wine according to the ABC app, so this may be a slightly different concept that their Main St. branch.
If you blinked, you probably missed when Roca Pizza was open at 1061 N Swathmore in Pacific Palisades. They were only open about six months. Now the location is getting another pizza restaurant, Jemma Pizzeria. Jemma Pizzeria is another project of Jackson Kalb (Ospi, Jemma di Mare) who spilled the beans to Eater about what to expect.
I first noticed that plant-based pioneer Matthew Kenney was bringing his New York pizzeria concept Double Zero to 1700 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice back in 2019. Recently however, the space has gone dark. There’s no notice up and the tables inside are still set, but there hasn’t been any activity for a few weeks. A reader (Thanks Sasha!) managed to snap a picture of an eviction notice on the front that has since disappeared. Does this mean the end of Double Zero at this location?
This from my inbox:
“SpinPR Group is proud to announce the first ever Rosé on Rose Wine Fest, a progressive rosé crawl and street fest in Venice taking place on Saturday, June 10, 2023 in celebration of National Rosé Day. Attendees can celebrate all things rosé and gain access to exclusive rosé and rose-inspired offers from Rose Avenue’s top restaurants and retailers along a select stretch of Rose Avenue. From 12-5pm, guests (who are encouraged to don pink apparel) can peruse inside, and on the patios of participating businesses and indulge in an elaborate array of rosé tastings, live entertainment, photo ops, local art, vendors, and a pink disco recovery lounge.
Participating locations of Rosé on Rose include a who’s who of Venice’s finest restaurants and businesses, including American Beauty, Big Red Sun, Café Gratitude, Chulita, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Parachute, Rose Room, The Rose Venice, Wabi on Rose, Venice Beach Wines, and Yanapuma Shop.
The in-advance $20 General Admission ticket includes a wristband that offers access to discounted food and drink specials such as $7 rosés at participating businesses, music, games, activities, vendors, art and entrance into the official after party at Rose Room (5-7pm). For more information on tickets and a full list of exclusive offers for Rosé on Rose festival goers, visit http://roseonrose.eventbrite.com.”
Sadly it appears that after about a year, local fave Blossom Vietnamese has quietly slipped out of the space at 1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. There’s no official statement, but the space is dark and gutted. A local was passing by and, noticing my interest, explained to me that this location is notoriously tricky for restaurants because it’s not easily seen from the street. Previously the space had been home to 3 Square Cafe. Whatever the reason, you can still visit Blossom’s Santa Monica location at 2821 Ocean Park Blvd. for their signature noodles.
I’m hearing from startled readers that popular gluten-free organic bakery and lunch spot Breadblok has abruptly closed all its locations including their first brick-and-mortar on Montana Ave in Santa Monica. An announcement on Instagram explains that “the combination of the impact of COVID as well as the inflationary pressure on our costs” is the culprit behind the sad news. We wish them the best of luck for their next chapter. (Thanks Tara and others!)
At the beginning of the year, I told you about New York pie joint Prince St. Pizza moving into the old Honeybee Burger space at 326 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice. Wasting no time whatsoever, they are currently in a soft opening with evening hours only. But tomorrow, March 9th, they throw open their doors with a Grand Opening that they’re describing as a “Lincoln Blvd Block Party“. They will be handing out free pizza, with vendors and “festivities” in the back parking lot. Grab your free slice and check out the fun from 6pm to 10pm.
(Thanks Jeff!)
The news was first reported on this two years ago. And then nothing happened. But just this week, an ABC application has appeared on the front of the space at 202 Main St. in Venice confirming that Melrose’s Standing’s Butchery IS moving into the address after all. This means Standing’s selection of ethically sourced local meats, with burgers and beer and wine, but you can read the full skinny on what this will mean for the Seaside Neighborhood on Eater’s original story here.
A sharp-eyed reader (Thanks Jeff!) noticed a change in residency at 326 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice. Vegan eatery Honeybee Burger has cleared out of the space, and new signs are up announcing a new branch of Prince Street Pizza. Prince Street Pizza hails from New York (of course), and has a location in Miami and three other locations already in LA. They pride themselves on their “Neapolitan Rounds and Sicilian Square pizzas”.
There’s a new ABC license application on the space at 1522 Abbot Kinney in Venice, formerly home to a matcha cafe. The app lists the new business as a “small beer manufacturer” with the name of Honest Abe Cidery. Honest Abe produces cider, mead, brandy, and sangria using “fresh and Local ingredients”, and shares a production facility with SoCal Vibes Co., which operates a brewery and restaurant in Carson that serves 40 different house beers, ciders, and meads, and offers a menu consisting of burgers, sandwiches, and small bites. I’m not sure if the concept here will resemble that or not, so I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Kye’s opened at 1518 Montana Ave. in November of 2014 and has maintained a solid fanbase ever since. Their signature “KyeRito” (essentially a wrap that they describe as a “handheld bowl or salad”) was popular among the carb-conscious crowds of NoMa. So I was quite surprised when readers began messaging me to let me know that Kye’s has closed at this location. But don’t panic, they are moving the operation to West LA’s “smart kitchen” Colony at 11419 Santa Monica Blvd. Their website also says that they will be opening in a new Colony at 411 Lincoln in Venice as well.
(Thanks Casey!)
The local collapse of German pudding concept Pudu Pudu left some gaping holes in prominent locations in the Southland, including the location at 1432 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. But that’s about to change. Wasting no time, window paper has quickly put up announcing that a branch of acai expert Oakberry is setting up housekeeping at this address. Oakberry prides itself on bowls and smoothies based on acai that is 100% natural with no food coloring, artificial preservatives, or guarana syrup. They hail from Brazil and claim to have “more than 500 units” across the world.
Good news People of Venice, honey lavender cakes are heading your way! Popular organic gluten-free bakery/cafe Breadblok is moving into the space at 512C Rose Ave. Ever since the French Provencal bakery moved from farmers’ markets to brick-and-mortar back in 2020, they’ve been slowly expanding with locations in Santa Monica, Silverlake, Studio City, and an upcoming location in Beverly Hills as well.
I must confess, I never entirely understood the concept of Pudu Pudu, the pudding specialists brought to you by German megabrand Dr. Oetker. Apparently, I wasn’t alone. After opening only in February of this year, they have thrown in the towel at their second-floor location inside the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. And that’s not all. They have closed all of their LA locations, as indicated by this sad good-bye notice on their website.
Readers have been writing to tell me that Venice’s popular Southern grilled meat spot Baby Baby Blues BBQ has been closed due to a fire. As you can see, operations have ceased and the front is boarded up at 444 Lincoln Blvd. Their website promises a rebuild and says they are looking for another location while that happens. We wish them the best of luck.
Since like many locals in Summer I avoid Venice Beach, I appreciate a reader (Thanks Billy!) taking the time to let us all know that a sandwich shop that inspires cult-like devotion is opening a location there. Fat Sal’s Deli is replacing burger joint Simmzy’s at 37 Washington Blvd, near the corner of Pacific Ave. Fat Sal’s has 6 other locations (including Saudi Arabia) and appears close to opening this location, which means that beachgoers will soon be lined up for deep-fried mozzarella sticks on top of mouth-watering sandwiches.
There are notices in the window of the two spaces at 1330 and 1380 Main St. in Venice that let us know that coffee is coming soon. The notices also tell us that this is a new project from @superdomesticcxc. Super Domestic Coffee is a coffee and cyclery concept that has a location in Culver City and a location in LA. Besides coffee, tea, and kombucha, Super Domestic offers a menu of pastries, bagels, burritos, tartines, and cycle accessories.
I must confess that I’m a just a little unclear on the concept here. Apparently pudding is on offer at the newly-opened Pudu Pudu, on the second floor of the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. For some reason, it took almost a year to open, but you can now step inside a “pudding gallery” brought to you by German megabrand Dr. Oetker to sample pudding that is made with “high-quality ingredients, health-boosting superfoods and toppings so incredible they could be works of art.” They also have a branch on Abbot Kinney in Venice.
A large painted sign has popped up on the space at 326 Lincoln Blvd., previously home to a branch of CAVA. The new resident will be vegan specialist Honeybee Burger. With two other outposts in LA, Honeybee Burger offers a menu of 100% plant-based sandwiches, burritos, and breakfasts that have made multiple “best of ” lists including VegNews‘ best LA vegan burger.
The space at 235 Main St. in Venice has sat vacant ever since Komodo moved out. But that’s about to change… Window paper is covering the location announcing a new branch of Umami Burger. Umami caused quite a stir when it burst onto the scene at its flagship LA spot in 2009 and has since spread to San Francisco, Chicago, New York, The Bahamas, and Japan. And they are offering “free burger days” when they eventually open, so you may want to keep a look out.
Toddrickallen 