Vartan Abgaryan Opens Modern Mexican Restaurant in Venice Next Month

Chef Vartan Abgaryan is digging further into the Westside life, with plans to open a new restaurant at the edge of Venice and Marina del Rey next month. The upcoming restaurant is to be called Nueva, and it takes over for the nine-year-old Sunny Spot on Washington Boulevard, right at the terminus of Abbot Kinney.

Reps for the restaurant have confirmed to Eater that Nueva will be a “contemporary Mexican cantina,” meaning casual contemporary fare and lots of cocktails. Vartan Abgaryan from nearby Yours Truly will oversee the menu alongside Mesraim Llanez (Lucques, Cliff’s Edge, Everson Royce Bar), while Adam Fournier (NoMad) runs the drinks program. Look for lots of mezcal, tequila, and sotol, all collected in collaboration with Raul Yrastorza, who helped to build the early mezcal collection at Las Perlas in Downtown LA.

As for the space, expect dinner only to start, beginning at 5 p.m., and weekend brunch on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The space itself is a flip of the now-closed Sunny Spot, which first opened back in 2011. Roy Choi was the chef at that time, though he left in 2015.

The Reiss Co. founders David and Patti Reiss are still on as operators, along with their other collection of area staples like the Alibi Room, Yours Truly, and the Brig. Jared Meisler of next door’s Little Friend and the Roger Room is a co-operator and partner as well. Expect an opening sometime next month.

Nueva. 822 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles.

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