After Mozza Departure, Matt Molina Lands Bar/Restaurant Concept in Arts District

Well it looks like Matt Molina has finally landed on his feet. Back in February the former opening chef de cuisine of both Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza departed the B&B Hospitality Group that he’d called home for the better part of a decade, without detailing his future location. As of yesterday, it seems he’s landed in the Arts District.

The plan, according to the LA Weekly, is for Molina to kickstart a bar/restaurant concept called ERBar down on 7th Street, near the intersection with Mateo. The space is a former Señor Fish, and has been totally rehabbed inside to include a long marble bar, banquettes, and a sizable patio.

Expect full liquor on site, says the Weekly, though the cuisine that Molina will be working up is still in the works — just don’t expect him to dive straight back into the Italian cooking he’s spent years cultivating. This is a passion project for Molina, who it seems is hoping to create an industry-friendly hangout that includes great food and drink, with help from none other than Silver Lake Wine.

Molina’s decision to land Downtown came by way of a partnership with Randy Clement, one of the owners of Silver Lake Wine. The two worked together years ago, and with the bottle shop team putting in a new location in the Arts District (right next door, basically, to what will become ERBar), it seemed a natural fit for Molina to head there himself and start working on a new project.

For what it’s worth, that new Silver Lake Wine is now actually open, meaning Arts District locals can grab quality bottles there any day of the week, starting at noon. Expect the usual slew of parties, tastings, and industry nights to follow.

ERBar
1936 E. 7th St.
Arts District