NYC Chef Christer Larsson to Open Casual Nordic Cafe on Melrose Next Month

Known Swedish culinary star Christer Larsson is expanding into Los Angeles restaurant territory with the opening of ALTA Nordic Kitchen, a semi-casual Scandinavian venture set to land on Melrose Avenue next month. The restaurant is actually a collaboration with his son Ian, and should feature plenty of hearty menu items backed by California produce.

Though the space is still coming together, reps tell Eater that Larsson will offer dinner only to start, with brunch on weekends. The menu will focus on greater Scandinavian home cooking, and is likely to include plenty of salmon dishes (to be expected) once it all comes together. As for timing, something in August is more likely.

Larsson (who has held a number of high profile positions over the years in New York City, including at Aquavit and his own Alta) has been in Los Angeles since 2015, working under the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group generating restaurant concepts, but this is his first standalone restaurant project.

The space itself is the former Smoke.Oil.Salt., which had a great run under chef Perfecto Rocher but more recently was the home of a temporary pop-up version of modern soul food restaurant Barbara Jean. While they moved down the street into the Maré space, Larsson was busy getting a beer and wine license for himself.

Expect an opening next month for ALTA Nordic Kitchen. Anyone interested in getting hired on can even apply for a job right now, via Craiglist.

ALTA Nordic Kitchen
7274 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA

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