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Great news for fans of Southern-styled chain comfort food: Cracker Barrel is here. The nationally-known home for country kitsch and sturdy dishes like biscuits and gravy has expanded to Hollywood — via a ghost kitchen. And while plans for a flagship rustic LA location, complete with the rocking chairs on the front porch, are still a ways off (or ever) for the Tennessee-based company, fans can now get dishes like chicken and dumplings, country fried steak, and hashbrown casserole sent right to their front door.
The arrival of Cracker Barrel by way of ghost kitchen comes as the company continues to push further into the delivery-only virtual brand space. There’s Cracker Barrel Kitchen (that’s the one opening tomorrow and serving out of a collective kitchen space on Western), as well as side projects like the Pancake Kitchen by Cracker Barrel and Chicken ‘n Biscuits by Cracker Barrel. Each has its own overlapping menu with some unique touches, and the plan with all of them is to grow into dense, expensive urban markets; smaller markets that may not get the necessary foot traffic for a full location; and, in some instances, to act as a delivery-only restaurant in places where sit-down Cracker Barrels do exist, just to offer a new dining option for the large company. For LA fans, they can start getting delivery food tomorrow via the usual apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub. There are also a few actual locations around greater Southern California, including Victorville and Camarillo.
More Likely, more of the time
Highly Likely in West Adams has turned on some new evening programming, flipping from a sunny daytime cafe to a natural wine bar starting at 4 p.m. The transition means more food from chef/owner Kat Turner too, like meatballs in harissa tomato sauce, fried halloumi, and a crispy rice salad.
Still on island time
Outdoor dinner vibe Greekman’s is keeping the coastal party going for just a bit longer in the wilds of Silver Lake/Echo Park. The parklet pop-up from the Freedman’s team will continue serving ouzo and Greek staple dishes through November.
Vegan Israeli for dinner
Meanwhile over at Woon, vegan Israeli pop-up B’Ivrit will be cooking a special one-off collaboration meal on Tuesday, October 26 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Beer, wine, and sake will also be available.
Beer when you need it most
The Los Angeles County Brewers Guild is hosting its own Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 20 at Common Space Brewery in Hawthorne. The one-day drinking event will feature more than two dozen local breweries and one-off beers crafted just for the occasion.
Challah sandwiches at the local shop
Santa Monica’s got a new cafe spot to know about called Café Lovi. The shop at 1912 Broadway serves Italian espresso drinks, pastries, and sandwiches on challah bread, among other things.
