This Shiny Doughnut Shop Is Main Street Santa Monica’s Latest Newcomer

Known for its taro-based doughnuts, tropical flavors, and sustainability-minded ethos, Holey Grail Donuts opens its first brick-and-mortar shop in Los Angeles this Saturday, December 17 at 2441 Main Street in Santa Monica. Founded in Hawaii by siblings Hana and Nile Dreiling in 2018, the company recently raised $9 million through venture capital financing. (Notable investors include pro skateboarder Tony Hawk, Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins, and Meadowood chef Christopher Kostow, among others.) The new 1,000-square-foot store is the first of two planned LA outlets, with the second location in Larchmont scheduled to open next year. Holey Grail currently operates stores in Hanalei and Honolulu, plus food trucks in Waikiki and Los Angeles (for private events only).

As part of Saturday’s grand opening festivities, Holey Grail will be giving away one free cardamom-rose doughnut to each guest. The shop will also be selling a special doughnut made in collaboration with Jon Gray, the co-founder of Ghetto Gastro, featuring sorghum syrup, coconut charcoal, and honeycomb with 20 percent of sales benefiting Summaeverythang Community Center, an organization battling food insecurity in South LA.

Holey Grail is open Sunday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Liz Barclay

The best dishes in LA, according to the New York Times

The New York Times’s Tejal Rao gives a shout-out to three LA spots in the recently released round-up: “25 Restaurant Dishes We Couldn’t Stop Thinking About This Year.” Find Rao’s most notable local dishes at Camphor, Pizzeria Sei, and Tet-a-Tet.

Side Pie launches GoFundMe campaign

One-time pandemic pop-up Side Pie in Altadena launched a fundraising campaign late last month to help cover the cost of remodeling the restaurant’s permanent location on Altadena Drive. Since opening in the summer of 2021, Side Pie has mainly operated as a takeout spot with minimal outdoor seating.

Highlights from the 101 with Bill Addison

LA Times food critic Bill Addison sits down with KCRW Good Food host Evan Kleiman to discuss his picks for the paper’s annual 101 Best Restaurants list. Addison gives a brief overview of his selections from various neighborhoods around the city.

Make bánh chưng for the Lunar New Year

After two years of virtual gatherings due to the pandemic, chef Diep Tran’s Banh Chung Collective will be meeting in person in 2023 at Alma Backyard Farms in Compton. Tickets ($50) to the event on Saturday, January 14 are available to purchase now and include ingredients and supplies for four bánh chưng and a light lunch.

Cathy Chaplin