Roy Choi Officially Drops Out of All Projects at Koreatown’s Line Hotel

Chef Roy Choi is out at the Line Hotel in Koreatown. The longtime overseer of all things food and beverage for the Sydell Group property just announced his departure on Instagram.

Rumors have been swirling for months about Choi’s departure from the property, but Choi and the Sydell Group both refused to confirm the news on the record for Eater. Instead, Choi announced the immediate closure of all of his properties — Pot Lobby Bar, Pot Cafe, and Commissary — just minutes ago on social media. He says:

We did some great things together and I’m hometown proud of how Koreatown blew up in our time there.

Choi’s removal from the property means someone new is coming in to take things over. At least for the lobby cafe, that means Alfred Coffee. The local name will take over only the front corner of the lobby, selling its But First, Coffee-branded lattes and matcha to weekend revelers, hotel guests, and weekday laptop workers who love to camp out. There are plans for a full refresh of the space, adding that company’s signature tile and neon signage.

When the cafe reopens, likely August 1, expect an expanded drink menu that will also include boba tea, and a few new food items from Rooster Truck breakfast burritos to the possible summertime addition of soft serve.

Alfred Coffee [official]

The jump to using Alfred locally shouldn’t come entirely as a surprise, given the Sydell Group (the operating team behind the Line) and their existing connection to Zad and Alfred Coffee. The pair just teamed up to open a cafe at a Line Hotel in Austin Texas earlier this month.

That’s also not to say that Choi is out as a Sydell Group partner overall. Remember, Choi is still bringing a massive new Strip restaurant to Las Vegas sometime soon, and that will be operating under the umbrella of another Sydell property, the NoMad. As for Alfred, expect an opening in early August.

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