International Italian Restaurant Tom George Expands from Budapest to LA

There have been plenty of outside restaurant names converging on Los Angeles lately, from Jenn Louis of Portland’s Lincoln to Eddie Huang of New York City’s Baohaus. But this most recent name, Tom George, comes from Budapest, Hungary of all places.

The upcoming Tom George sits at the corner of 7th and Grand, with wraparound views and lots of patio space. The large dining area has been papered over for some time, but only recently did some handwritten signage begin to go up that would reveal the new tenant inside. Formerly, the massive address belonged to Coco Laurent, and was briefly a pop-up space used by Living Breathing Kitchen.

A Craigslist post shows the restaurant is nearly ready to come to life, hiring up now for both front and back of house. A call not long ago to Tom George ownership confirms that the building is nearly completed, and will have a big, bright, airy vibe not unlike Bottega Louie nearby.

The more than decade-old Tom George in Budapest seems to have a great reputation as a higher-end dining option in the city, which should translate well to the urban core of Downtown. Ownership also operates a number of smaller, more fast casual concepts in Hungary as well, and hopes to have this stateside iteration ready before the end of the year.

Tom George Italian Restaurant
707 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA