West Hollywood Tests New Pedestrian-Only Streets for Distanced Dining and More

On Tuesday the West Hollywood City Council unanimously agreed to close a key street for to cars on weekends, with plans to allow distanced outdoor gathering, on-site dining and more starting this spring. The pilot program will close Robertson from Santa Monica Boulevard to slightly north of Melrose Avenue at El Tovar Place from 6 p.m. Saturday through 2 a.m. Monday, and will last for at least three months beginning on April 1.

WEHOville reports that council members encouraged city workers to get creative with the outdoor space, and possibly extend WeHo’s Out Zone Program that provided temporary outdoor extension permits to restaurants and bars during the pandemic. Council member John D’Amico suggested the idea of yoga classes or lining up food trucks on Robertson.

In other news:

• The Los Angeles Times ventured out to Irvine’s Súp Noodle Bar to capture how chef Viet Nguyen brought his rib bone pho to life.

• Wine & Eggs market is stationed in Atwater Village, and sells items from local restaurants, writes Los Angeles Magazine.
• VegOut Magazine assembled a nice collection of plant-based dining spots around the city.
• L.A. Taco penned a story about a Guatemalan vendor that’s been feeding LA’s queer community for decades, but has struggled during the pandemic. As a result, that community has launched a GoFundMe for her.
• Santa Monica’s Cassia re-opened for outdoor dining Wednesday night, while Birdie G’s reopens its patio today.

• Long Beach is having a bread moment, and LAist captured these dynamic players including Colossus Bread and Hey Brother Baker.
• Menotti’s Venice Beach and Culver City locations are closed today, after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
• Dave’s Hot Chicken is opening in Culver City on Friday, February 26. The shop at 10704 Venice Blvd. will keep daily hours from 10 a.m. to midnight, and is not a franchise location — this one is from the original team themselves: Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, and brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan
• A group of LA restaurants, including Sherman Oaks Pineapple Hill Saloon, are leaning in to a recall effort to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. They’ve even released an Instagram video outlining their troubles, along with a call to action.

• What LA’s Pride Festival Leaving West Hollywood Means to Bars and Restaurants [ELA]