Bruce Marder Descends on Santa Monica With New Restaurant Build Out

Looks like longtime restaurateur Bruce Marder is on the move once again. The Westside specialist has been hunkered down with a slew of popular concepts for a while now, including Marvin, Capo, and Cora’s Coffee Shoppe, but now his FoodCo West Restaurant Group is snatching up some corner real estate right on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Taking over the shuttered Bistro of Santa Monica will be Red Rooster, a hybrid restaurant and bakery space with a full liquor license. A nascent Facebook page for the place describes it only as an ‘American Restaurant’ but you can find confirmation of the full booze license online. There’s even a website landing page up for the spot, noting that a summertime arrival for the Bruce Marder and Marvin Zeidler-backed restaurant is likely.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the Red Rooster bakery name has been used. The company already operates a wholesale-only storefront nearby under the same name, but this will be the first public-facing side to the Red Rooster name. As for the sit-down restaurant, the plan is to focus on grilled meats from a big grill located in the central kitchen, as well as a wood-fired oven. This is shared plate eating, meant to focus on big mains with a number of sides to rotate around from that center. Much like Capo, where 40% of the dishes are cooked in the fireplace, Red Rooster will add to the smoky live-fire renaissance currently sweeping Los Angeles.

As for the 75-seat room, expect a big, open warehouse feel with an open kitchen and some communal seating. There will be a tall bar as well, and a strong focus on wines by the glass. On the bakery side, expect early AM hours for coffee, breads, and takeaway pastry to start, with a jump into full breakfast, then lunch, down the line.

The drop-in should bring some revitalization to the neighborhood after losing next door neighbor Tacos Punta Cabras, though nearby stops like A Cut Above Butcher Shop remain busy during the lunch rush. And that’s all with extremely limited parking (an issue the taco shop heard about for years).

Red Rooster
2301 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA

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