Hawthorne Is Becoming a Hip City All Its Own, and More A.M. Intel

Urth Caffe makes a new home

White-hot Hawthorne is getting a big new permanent tenant, as Urth Caffé has decided not only to move in with a new location — but to make the city the home of their official headquarters, complete with a 1.5 acre organic garden.

That’s good news for the South LA city, which has for years been overshadowed by big projects happening in every other direction, including the Inglewood stadium deals. SpaceX has given the area some lift, and now places like Los Angeles Ale Works are pushing the needle forward. The announcement of a new headquarters for Urth Caffé, one of the coolest casual cafe brands in Los Angeles, should only help.

Esdras Ochoa changes course

Salazar and Mexicali chef/partner Esdras Ochoa is going through some growing pains with his new gig in Hong Kong, says the LA Times, mostly with getting locals to understand the type of food he’s looking to cook there. Many aren’t naturally familiar with Mexican flavors (or even tacos) so, Ochoa is set on meeting people where they are and using Mexicali ingredients in new, exciting ways that Hong Kong diners can appreciate more easily at first.

Again Cafe and ramen

Pasadena’s newest venture is Again Cafe, which is a sunny daytime spot during the AM hours that transitions into Chibiscus Ramen at night. The shop is open now along Green Street, with plans to expand into Alhambra down the line.

By CHLOE. is getting older

Vegan-loving By CHLOE. is turning two, and to celebrate the Silver Lake restaurant attached to Whole Foods 365 is sending out free ice cream scoops (birthday cake flavor, naturally) to customers on Friday, starting at 11 a.m.

LA’s best kimchi?

LA Weekly found its version of LA’s best kimchi, calling out Da Jeong in Koreatown by name. It’s important to take this one with a grain of salt though, because kimchi is as personal and ubiquitous as it gets. Plus kimchi is described within as purely “cabbage mixed with something spicy and something funky”.

Wirtshaus turns six

La Brea sausage and beer hall Wirtsaus is turning six, and to celebrate they’re throwing a party on July 29. Expect lots of kegs (including the first full keg to be offered free to guests), plus pretzels and more cheap beer throughout the day.

Sweetfin shows up

Now that Sweetfin Poke is officially coming to Silver Lake, the rapidly-expanding company is out to make a few new local friends. To make that happen, there’s a big block party doing down Sunday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the parking lot at 3112 Sunset Boulevard next to their upcoming new location, and it features everything from yoga to music to drinks and food.