Silver Lake's Newest Restaurant Will Double as a Food Magazine

Silver Lake is in line for yet another quality sit-down restaurant, this one coming to the relatively sleepy stretch of Silver Lake Boulevard near L&E Oyster Bar and Alimento. The multi-faceted spot (more on that in a second) is set to be called Botanica, with an opening planned for late fall or early winter of this year.

Per The Eastsider, who did some digging around with the city, the proposed restaurant at 1620 Silver Lake Boulevard will host 58 seats in total, across some indoor space and a roughly 450 square-foot patio. There will also be a 300 square foot on-site market component for selling dry goods — a fairly common thing these days at places like Dudley Market in Venice, or even Knead & Co. at Grand Central Market in Downtown.

The menu will be a healthful blend of grains, whole fruits and vegetables, and (mostly) seafood — an ethos right in line with the way many Silver Lake residents, and indeed Angelenos as a whole, are eating these days. According to a job listing for the restaurant that The Eastsider found, comparable restaurants would include everything from Chez Panisse, Bar Tartine, and Gjusta. There’s no official chef attached to the project as of yet, though they’re looking for one (plus a GM) right now.

Perhaps even more interesting are the owners: Heather Sperling and Emily Fiffer. Both are longtime food writers, travelers, and recipe developers, with Sperling having been a big part of Tasting Table for years. The plan with Botanica is going to be similarly eclectic as well, as the pair hopes to not only open their restaurant but also debut a publication by the same name to launch earlier in the fall. It’s unclear the total focus of the magazine, but expect something akin to LA’s own Life & Thyme, most likely.

It will also be interesting to see what pushback there may be on the space, as the address in question is currently occupied by Silver Lake Liquor, a beloved local bottle shop. A call to the liquor store confirms that they’re in talks with the building’s owner and lawyers regarding their lease, but that it is their hope to be able to stay exactly where they are. Meanwhile, Silver Lake’s own neighborhood council has already begun reviewing details that would put Botanica in by the end of the year.

Until something gets sorted out, it looks like there are plans for two different businesses to occupy the same space in the universe. If Botanica wins out, look for yet another healthy-eating dinner option to hit Silver Lake soon.

Botanica
1620 Silver Lake Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA