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East Coast-style deli Ggiata is opening another location in Venice at 83 Windward Avenue on Wednesday, August 16, with a friends and family opening happening this weekend. Open in Los Angeles since 2021, Ggiata currently has two locations in West Hollywood and on Melrose Avenue.
Owners Noah Holton-Raphael, Max Bahramipour, and Jack Biebel will be serving Italian deli classics like the eggplant, chicken, and meatball Parmesan sandwiches, plus other creations like the Spicy P made with a chicken cutlet, spicy vodka sauce, various cheeses, pesto, and basil. There will also be new sandwiches, sides, desserts, and sodas that are exclusive to the Venice location.
“This feels special because this is really our neighborhood,” Holton-Raphael says of Venice. “We’ve been here for five years. We’re just moving closer to home.”
A new mochi shop in Santa Monica
Mochi ice cream company Mochidoki begins serving its treats today, August 11, in Santa Monica, with a grand opening scheduled at 1133 Montana Avenue for September 16. While Mochidoki has two locations in New York, this will be the brand’s first West Coast outpost.
Micheladas al fresco
Smorgasbar, an outdoor bar at Row DTLA, opens this week, serving beers, wines, micheladas, and more to Downtown crowds. The bar is also regularly hosting pop-up vendors from Smorgasburg who will be serving snacks and meals. The space is open Thursdays and Fridays, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
New brunch in Santa Monica
Santa Monica’s Mon Ami will begin serving brunch this month. On Saturday and Sunday mornings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (starting August 19), diners can try Mediterranean and Moroccan flavors via Mon Ami’s French toast, shakshuka, Spanish salchicha, and more. There are also boozy drinks like the tiramisu latte cocktail and a gazpacho-based bloody Mary called the Sangre de Maria.
A restaurant week in Long Beach
Long Beach Food Scene Week has begun, and those in the area can sample curated menus from various local restaurants through August 18. Over 30 restaurants are participating.
A closure in Boyle Heights
Boyle Heights’ beloved beer bar and restaurant Xelas, which opened in 2018, is closing its doors on August 27. The restaurant shared that the closure is the result of challenges with the space’s landlord and that there are plans to reopen in the future.
