Wide Eyes Open Palms (WEOP), a farm-to-table brunch and specialty coffee shop in Long Beach, appears to be under new ownership. Public records indicate that WEOP owners Angie Evans and chef Kat McIver transferred all of the business’ assets and liquor license to Good Day Cafe, Inc. The new company is still waiting for the liquor license transfer to be finalized, according to the ABC website. Good Day Cafe’s owner Lindsey McCombs, who has a background in both the restaurant and real estate industries, told WNLA that she does not have an opening date for the new concept and did have further det ..read more

Pret a Manger, also known as just Pret, is set to open several stores throughout Los Angeles. Toddrickallen reports that signage has appeared for Pret at 901 Westwood Blvd. in Westwood Village, and his readers have speculated that the chain is also coming to the old Breadblok space in Studio City, in addition to other locations around L.A. There is currently one Pret located inside LAX, but these new stores will be the chain’s first standalone shops in Los Angeles. One thing is for certain, franchisee Dallas Holdings is behind the new stores. In an interview with Nation’s Restaurant News at t ..read more

Jinky’s Cafe seems to have two new locations in the works. The cafe recently applied for a liquor license at 205 Broadway in Santa Monica, and also says a new Agoura Hills outpost is “coming soon” on its website. Last December, Jinky’s closed its storefronts on 2nd Street in Santa Monica and on Canwood Street in Agoura Hills but indicated they would reopen in both cities “soon.” The cafe currently has open locations in Sherman Oaks and Studio City. Owner Alankar “Alan” Verma opened the first Jinky’s in 1998 after working in the restaurant industry for more than two decades. At one point, he h ..read more

Chef Michael Mina will be debuting his newest restaurant, Orla, inside the upcoming Regent Santa Monica Beach oceanfront hotel this summer. Inside the 175-key property, Mina’s Mediterranean concept will be joined by Ayesha Curry’s lifestyle brand Sweet July, a 10,000 square-foot wellness spa, and a beachside pool deck. “Orla draws inspiration from the bustling markets of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, showcasing the richness of regional flavors and traditional cooking techniques. Embark on a culinary journey, where every bite resonates with the zest of an authentic Mediterranean dinin ..read more

After announcing the closure of its Malibu location at the end of March, Nicolas Eatery, a family-run restaurant, will be reopening in the Beverly Center. Owner Nicolas Fanucci told WNLA that they could be open as soon as the beginning of May, but did not share an official date. Fanucci is hoping that the new location will bring more foot traffic than their former Malibu spot. The eatery will keep its French and Vietnamese-inspired menu which includes a variety of organic, locally sourced meats, vegetables and products. “Our speciality is our vegetarian onion soup. We’ll also be serving steak ..read more

A new restaurant called Kimu Sushi is slated to open in Downtown Long Beach within the next month or so. The sushi and izakaya spot will be taking over the former Maru Maki space at 745 E Broadway, which served the community for nearly two decades before closing its doors earlier this month.  Kimu’s owner, Mi Ji Jung, told WNLA that the eatery is currently going through the remodeling process and should be open sometime in May. Jung did not provide further details about the restaurant at this time. Kimu has a healthy amount of competition from other sushi joints in DTLB, as well as a big ..read more

The Capital Grille will soon debut in Burbank. The fine dining restaurant recently applied for a liquor license at 3500 W Olive Ave, where it is also listed on the Burbank Economic Development website as “coming soon.” In addition to the grille’s two open California locations in Los Angeles and Costa Mesa, the national chain has more than 70 restaurants throughout the U.S. The high-end eatery prides itself on its meticulous dry aging process, which takes 18-24 days, as well as its fresh seafood and selection of more than 350 wines from around the world.  Menu items include a large select ..read more

Chronic Tacos announced the grand opening of its newest location in Redondo Beach. The event will be an experience filled with food, music, and prizes, marking a significant milestone for the taco chain. The grand opening will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM at 1509 Hawthorne Blvd Suite 101, Redondo Beach, CA. Attendees are invited to indulge in tacos and refreshing drinks while enjoying a range of activities and entertainment throughout the day. Highlights of the grand opening celebration include: First 100 Guests will receive a free taco. Chance to Win Free Taco ..read more

Cityview, a multifamily investment management and development firm, has completed Belle on Bev – a 243-unit mixed-use project in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown (HiFi). Now leasing, Belle on Bev features modern apartments stylized with art deco design inspired by the area’s cultural and musical influence. “We are proud to have partnered with the HiFi community to transform underutilized retail space into nearly 250 units of mixed-use housing,” said Sean Burton, CEO of Cityview in a statement. “Ideally located in one of the most dynamic and historic neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Belle on Be ..read more

MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes (MOOYAH), the Texas-born fast-casual burger concept has announced the grand opening of its newest location in Valencia which took place on Friday, April 12. The new location situated at 24025 Newhall Ranch Road marks the ninth MOOYAH restaurant in California and the fourth location in the Los Angeles metro region. Valencia’s newest burger destination is owned and operated by Wisam Aishoua, a local resident and seasoned entrepreneur with experience in operating multiple small businesses over the past 25 years. “When I first discovered MOOYAH, I immediately lo ..read more