The Saffy’s Crew Opens a Sunny East Hollywood Bakery and Coffee Destination

Bestia and Bavel’s Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis brought their shawarma and kebab-fueled Middle Eastern vision to life back in May with the opening of Saffy’s in East Hollywood. On July 14, the duo opened Saffy’s Coffee & Tea next door on Fountain Avenue, where they’re offering a selection of whole loaves of bread, pastries, cookies, tea, and, of course, coffee.

Brigitte Neman

The beans are courtesy of Silver Lake-based Cafecito Organico, a local favorite of the pair, and will be put to use in standard drinks like cortados, lattes, and cold brew. A rotating selection of Menashe’s breads will include loaves of whole wheat challah and sourdough buckwheat sesame, while Gergis’s pastries (which will also rotate daily) might include blueberry coffee cake with streusel topping, boysenberry cheese danishes, and bourekas. Other food options include yogurt with Lebanese pine nuts, Bill’s Bees honey, and nigella seeds, as well as buttermilk biscuits that can be topped with a choice of cultured salted butter and housemade jam, or ham, cheese, and mustard aioli.

Also on offer? Frozen five-packs of fluffy Bavel pitas, available to-go for $10. For those staying to enjoy coffee and pastries on site, the cafe has a handful of outdoor tables, as well as eight counter seats inside.

Saffy’s Coffee & Tea is open at 4845 Fountain Avenue Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with seven-day service in the near future.

Goldburger closes in Highland Park

Goldburger owner Allen Yelent announced yesterday on Instagram that the beloved smashburger maker has closed its Highland Park location due to what appears to be ongoing permitting issues with the city and county. In the post, Yelent asked any Highland Park businesses who are hiring to get in touch so that team members could find new jobs. Goldburger’s Los Feliz outpost, located at 1820 N. Vermont Avenue, remains open.

New scoop(s) at Smorgasburg

Starting this Sunday, July 17th (which happens to be National Ice Cream Day), local ice cream maker Kinrose Creamery will kick off a residency at DTLA’s Smorgasburg, running weekly through Labor Day. Expect flavors like “Pasha,” a sour cherry and cream ice cream dressed with pashmak (Iranian cotton candy floss).

Early bird gets the lavender almonds

This week, Birdie G’s in Santa Monica launched a new “Early Birdie’s” happy hour, which will run daily from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in its Bird’s Nest bar and lounge. The happy hour features special pricing on drinks and bar snacks from chef/partner Jeremy Fox and chef de cuisine Matthew Schaler. Think whipped avocado with fried matzo, kippered sable terrine with crispy potato waffles, and three kinds of fries (reuben fries, Caesar fries, fries with aioli). Check out the full menu.

Meghan Reardon

Pizza goes prime-time

Pizzana executive chef Daniele Uditi announced this week that “Best in Dough,” the new pizza competition show on which he’ll serve as a judge, will debut on Hulu on September 19th. The show is hosted by Bachelor in Paradise alum Wells Adams.

More delicious happenings

• Proudly Serving in Redondo Beach is collaborating with Bee Taqueria on a limited edition birria burger: a double patty with griddled onions and cheese, and topped with lamb birria and melted cheese crust. The burger will be available this Sunday at Proudly Serving from 11 a.m. until it sells out, and will make another appearance on Bee Taqueria’s menu on Sunday, August 5th.

Proudly Serving

• On Monday, July 18th, as part of its continuing series of industry nights, Eszett will host Westside Winos for a live listening party of its Volume 7 of Grape Tapes playlist. That night, the restaurant will serve a special dinner menu rooted to accompany hand-selected wines curated by Westside Winos that follow the tone of the playlist. Reservations are encouraged.
• Biite Club is back, this time offering a Texas-Armenian barbecue feast featuring III Mas BBQ on Saturday, July 23rd. Chef Arthur Grigoryan will host the event at his family’s estate in Sherman Oaks, where he’ll serve whole-smoked lamb cooked over white and red oak, slow-fermented pita bread cooked in a wood-fired oven, Armenian beef sausages, jajik slaw, and more. Tickets ($180) are limited and can be purchased here.