Tom Bergin’s Irish Bar Finally Adds Upstairs Whiskey Lounge, and More A.M. Intel

Vestry is finally here

Vestry, the not-so-hidden upstairs whiskey lounge situated above Tom Bergin’s on Fairfax, is finally ready to open. The place has been teased out by ownership basically since reopening years back, but is only now truly coming to life thanks to owner Derek Schreck and bar lead Joe Tower.

Vestry is a tiny, tucked-away nook found up a flight of stairs inside Tom Bergin’s, and will act as a members-only whiskey lounge for those in the know. Friends and family and media nights are happening today and through early next week, with an official opening by August 1, if not before. Oh, and memberships run $450 for six months, $700 for a year, and $1,000 for a founding membership in this first year only.

Central Coast problems

The dual Alamo and Whittier fires that raged through California’s Central Coast last week brought hell down on many of the longtime farms and vineyards in the area. The LA Times takes a look at two properties, side by side, (with room for big labels like Au Bon Climat and Qupé wineries) and how they did or didn’t fare during the out-of-control burns.

Leimert Park produce

LA Weekly has a great piece out on Süprmarkt, a farmers market stand in Leimert Park that, like Tropics and others, is aiming to bring more fresh produce to greater Sout Los Angeles. There’s even a CSA component, letting customers get fruits and vegetables delivered directly.

Tintorera rises

It looks like things are coming along quick at Tintorera in Silver Lake. The interior bar space is all shined up in the below image, and rumor has it they’ve passed health inspections and are in line for an opening sometime in the first week of August.

Another Belly Bombz

Looks like a new location for Belly Bombz, this time out in Whittier. The food truck turned restaurant just keeps expanding, and they’re doing a chicken wing giveaway tomorrow for the first 100 people in line. 6717 Comstock Avenue, Whittier.

Inside Luna Sol Cafe

LA Taco has a fantastic piece up this week on Luna Sol Cafe, one of a handful of socially-activated restaurants that have long held it down across Los Angeles. Luna Sol in particular operated in the MacArthur Park area for seven years between 1996 and 2003, bringing produce and low-cost food alternatives to the neighborhood while also being co-operatively owned by employees.

The Trejo’s dinner look

Danny Trejo came for Pasadena last month, and so far he’s taking no prisoners. The burgeoning restaurateur has expanded his new Pasadena Playhouse-adjacent space into dinner hours, with a full menu available below. Expect larger-format dishes, and if anything does well here it’ll jump back to the Hollywood Cantina — and anywhere else Trejo decides he wants to go.