There’s window paper up on the space at 9725 Culver Blvd. (previously home to the doomed Sestina) announcing the impending arrival of Nardò. With two other locations in West Hollywood and Huntington Beach, Nardò promises an authentic Southern Italian menu with such things as woodfired Neapolitan pizza and homemade pastas. Looks like they’re aiming for a late May opening. Until then, check out their West Hollywood location’s menu for an idea of what may be coming.
Despair no longer Good People of Santa Monica, Triple Berry Cakes may be returning! On a tip from a reader (Thanks Missy!), I went by the very empty former location of beloved bakery Sweet Lady Jane at 1631 Montana in Santa Monica. You may recall they recently abruptly pulled up stakes, much to the shock of fans. Sure enough, as you can see, there is a hopeful note attached to the front door that promises they will be “opening again soon”. I don’t have any information on the other locations. There’s obviously more to this story so I’ll keep watching this surprising development.
Update: Here’s the complete skinny on Eater.
A very sharp-eyed reader spotted a banner hanging over the former Make Out spot at 9426 Washington Blvd, behind The Culver Hotel. The banner lets us know that Wrapstar is setting up housekeeping at this address. Wrapstar has a location in Beverly Hills and offers a menu of fast/casual “signature and build-your-own wraps” and salads. They are also opening another location at 8593 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood.
(Thanks Andrew!)
While no one was looking, a new Japanese restaurant quietly slipped into the space most recently occupied by innovative noodle shop Rakkan Ramen. Sushi Gozen is now open at the hidden location at 1705 Ocean Ave. #111. Sushi Gozen is the sister restaurant to West Hollywood’s Gozen Japanese Sake Bistro and promises a “laid-back seaside vibe” with fresh seafood, sushi pizza, chicken, and other offerings.
On a tip from a reader, I went by to check out what was going on at Santa Monica’s branch of healthy California-cuisine minichain Fresh Corn Grill. It was over two years ago when I first told you about their arrival to the space at 720 Wilshire, formerly home to a branch of Baja Fresh. Sadly, this location is ceasing operations after today (Friday 09//23). It was explained to me that the company is being restructured by the owners. The other two locations (Westwood, West Hollywood) are to remain open.
(Thanks Jonny!)
King & Queen Cantina appears to be on a mission to spread their signature brand of bawdy fun to Westside. It was last year when I told you that they were bringing a branch of the San Diego party chain to Santa Monica (it has since opened). Now they have their sites on West Hollywood. Signs are already up on the former Tortilla Republic space at 616 N Robertson announcing their impending arrival. Expect a “party, out of the box” with “Latin flavors” set in Dia de los Muertos decor.
Good news People of Culver City, your first meal of the day is about to get more interesting! There’s window paper up one of the spaces in the Harlow development, on the corner of Washington and Hughes, announcing the impending arrival of Breakfast Republic. BR has a smattering of locations mostly south of here, but this will be only their second LA County space (after West Hollywood). Look for a menu of benedicts, omelets, pancakes, scrambles, as well as sandwiches, burritos, and vegan options. Oreo Cookie pancakes anyone?
It appears that a new healthy eatery is landing on a prominent corner in West Hollywood. There’s window paper up on the former optometry space at 8801 Santa Monica Blvd. announcing a new branch of Kale Me Crazy. Kale Me Crazy operates a number of outlets, mostly in The South but also another location in West Hollywood, and describes itself as a “super food cafe” offering “juices, smoothies, salads, and wraps in a sleek, upscale environment”.
It’s good to see so many new restaurants in the works… There’s a new sign up at 8570 W 3rd St. in LA/West Hollywood, previously home to Nonna’s Empanadas, announcing a new pie joint. Proper Pizza & Pasta operates one other location outside of Downtown LA and promises a “great New York style pizza”, as well as pasta, salads, wings, strombolis, and calzones.
Erratum: I stand corrected: A sharp reader quickly let me know that this location is squarely in Beverly Grove, City of Los Angeles.
It looks like LA/West Hollywood is getting a new Mexican joint. A banner on the front of 8722 W 3rd St. (previously home to The District by Hannah An) and some brightly painted fiberglass cows are announcing the impending arrival of Mama Por Dios. MPD operates one other location in Rancho Cucamonga and promises us “Mexican gourmet” served with a side of live Mariachi music or DJs.
I recently heard from a devastated reader who had just discovered that The Halal Guys had quit their West Hollywood location at 8919 Santa Monica Blvd. (They actually closed in June). But I went by to check out the space anyway. As it turns out, there was an ABC application posted on the front. No business name is listed, but the online license information states that the name of the new establishment will be Gym Sportsbar and Grill. You may recall that LA’s branch of Gym Sportsbar operated a location for 10 years at 8737 Santa Monica Blvd., but closed down in June due to challenges related to COVID-19. Gym Sportsbar bills itself as “the first and only gay sports bar in Los Angeles”. We wish them the best of luck.
Sadly, it appears that glittering West Hollywood institution Ago has called it quits, having served their last meal over the weekend. Ago has stood like a sentinel near the corner of La Cienega and Melrose for 20 years. It was a quiet fortress for industry power players who, dripping in Chanel and LV, would make their way from the string of Bentleys and Lamborghinis in the car park to the twinkling patio to dine on branzino, deftly deboned tableside, washed down with multiple rounds of excellent negronis. The Tuscan menu, created by Chef/partner Agostino Sciandri (in partnership with Robert DeNiro and others) was good and reliably served by polished Italian natives. I’d been hearing whispers of trouble for a while now, and some long-time employees had been let go, so it wasn’t necessarily a surprise, but it does feel like the end of an era. I for one, will miss it.
I’m told the space has been sold and a new venture is expected by March or April. As always, I’ll keep watching…
A prominent window display at 8360 Melrose in West Hollywood proclaims the impending triumphant arrival of Sweet Jesus, a Toronto-based ice cream chain. While cheekily-named, Sweet Jesus’ website makes it clear that they don’t want to “offer commentary on anyone’s religion”, but rather deliver “pimped out” soft serve ice cream cones with lofty heights and creative add-ons. They also do cakes, shakes, and frappés as well. Sweet Jesus has locations across Canada, and one other US location on the East Coast. I’m predicting that Sweet Jesus and Paul Smith‘s nearby notorious pink wall will be a social media match made in heaven…
On a tip from a reader (Thanks Shawn!), I went to check out what was going on at Mediterranean eatery Allspice Kitchen & Grill at 7501 Sunset in West Hollywood. Sure enough, a large for lease sign on the front and gutted interior confirm that they have indeed closed. Their Yelp page promises a temporary closure, but I think it’s safe to say there looks to be little hope of that…
There’s a big banner up on the side of the erstwhile Flavor Of India corner space at 9045 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood. It reveals that a new pizza joint, Crustica, will soon be moving in. There isn’t a great deal out there yet on Crustica, but a developing website promises the “best pizza you’ve never tasted, and the best you ever will”.
WeHo’s Continental Kitchen is expanding. Signs are up on the space at 8300 Wilshire Blvd. (corner of San Vicente) in Beverly Hills, that used to house BrewDog Pub, announcing the impending arrival. And it looks like they’re fairly close to opening. Expect a large and varied menu of smoothies, salads, breakfasts, burgers, wraps, bowls, and more.
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.
Ever since short-lived Aestus vacated their space at 507 Wilshire Blvd. in Santa Monica, I’ve been carefully watching to see what would move in. Well, now we know… The windows were recently papered over informing us that the good people of Santa Monica will soon be able to partake of “modern organic Mexican” at an upcoming branch of Tocaya Organica. With branches in West Hollywood, Venice, and Miami, it looks like in they will also be expanding to Westwood and Hollywood as well, according to their website.
McCabe’s Bar has sat empty for a while now, and Eater has been wondering what would be moving in since August of last year. Well now we know. An ABC application posted high in a window indicates that a branch of West Hollywood’s Vito’s Pizza will soon inhabit the space at 2455 Santa Monica Blvd. I had a chance to speak with the very enthusiastic and passionate owner of the eponymous restaurant, Vito DiDonato who explained that McCabe’s had left everything in poor shape. He was looking at a fairly extensive remodel to replace virtually everything. He optimistically projected an opening roughly in about four months. We wish him the best of luck…
I recently noticed that signs are up in the window of a tiny space at 412 N. Bedford in Beverly Hills that used to house a hair salon announcing that West Hollywood’s Rawberri will soon be bringing raw acai bowls to the land of Spago, Cut, and Mr. Chow. Rawberri offers a menu of superfruit bowls that are organic, dairy free, gluten-free, and soy free. But that’s not all. They will also be the first vendor in the US serve Australia’s CocoWhip. What’s CocoWhip, you ask? A vegan and bio-fermented coconut soft serve frozen yogurt that comes in flavors such as matcha slim, and cacao bliss. No word on when this temple of Hygeia will open, but in the mean time, check out their website here.
Toddrickallen 