End of an Era: Spago Done July 9, Reopening This Fall with New Look, New Menu

After rumors of a Spago facelift were confirmed last fall, the restaurant's flacks today named a temporary shutter date: July 9. Everybody knows that chef and owner Wolfgang Puck's former wife, Barbara Lazaroff, who helped design and launch the original space, is not so keen on the forthcoming Waldo Fernandez design, but that hasn't stopped anyone. Diners of Los Angeles, get ready for an entirely new Spago. New menu, new decor, slated to reopen doors this fall.

On the heels of its 30th anniversary, Spago will close July 9th for a complete restaurant remodel in both its design and menu. “I’ve always believed that change is good and it’s important to us to re-invest in our restaurants to keep them fresh and current,” said Wolfgang Puck. “When Spago re-opens this fall, we will debut a totally new menu which will be revealed opening night. For all of our guests who have brought us joy and success and supported us over the years, you will have only weeks left to enjoy our classics before they disappear. Now is your chance to make your reservations to taste the old favorites.”

These dishes include Spicy Tuna Tartare in sesame miso cones; Roasted Chino Farms Beet Layer Cake with warm sautéed goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts and shallot-citrus dressing; House-Smoked Salmon Pizza with shaved sweet onions, dill crème fraîche and salmon pearls; Crispy Veal “Wiener Schnitzel” with fingerling potato and young mâche salad; and the ever-popular Kaiserschmarrn with strawberries.

The flagship and original Spago, which opened in West Hollywood in 1982 and relocated to Beverly Hills in 1997, were both imaginatively and brilliantly designed by Barbara Lazaroff.