Venice’s Breezy Restaurant Salt Air Ends a Four Year Run on Abbot Kinney

Venice restaurant Salt Air is set to close this coming Saturday, ending the eatery’s four-year run on Abbot Kinney. The space itself should only be down momentarily though, as word is a new chef is being brought in for a different project in the same building.

Salt Air first landed on Abbot Kinney back in 2013 during the height of restaurateur Dave Reiss’s power, having opened the Alibi Room, Sunny Spot, and A-Frame in somewhat short succession, while also revamping local bar the Brig up the street. Since then, Reiss has gone on to partner into Vito’s Pizza, adding locations in Santa Monica and Downtown.

Now Reiss is grouping up again, adding in Paul Pruitt of New School Consulting alongside existing partners Moise and Carol Ann Emquies. Pruitt has long consulted on projects all over the city, and is a partner with Roy Choi in places like Best Friend in Las Vegas. The plan is to use the new combination of people and powers to turn over Salt Air into something entirely new, with a new chef, light design tweaks, and a new name. The plan is to open that project as soon as this coming March.

The flip of Salt Air is just the latest bit of business on always-busy Abbot Kinney. Last month a fire heavily damaged nearby Wabi Venice, while longstanding names like Hal’s have disappeared altogether. Even the building that currently holds Gjelina is up for sale on LoopNet right now for a cool $21 million.

Salt Air. 1616 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.

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