Mona Holmes

3 days ago | la.eater.com | Mona Holmes

Over the last few years, Los Angeles operators have opened new locations in adjacent getaway cities like Santa Barbara (Ospi Montecito, Marisella, and the Window) and Palm Springs (Bar Issi debuted in June). Big Bear is the latest to experience this type of expansion: The De La Nonna team, who introduced their casual restaurant to the Arts District in 2021, opened a Big Bear outpost on June 4 that overlooks Big Bear Lake from inside the recently reimagined Hotel Marina Riviera.

4 days ago | la.eater.com | Mona Holmes

The millions of tourists who visit Santa Barbara annually typically remain in its South Coast area centered around Stearns Wharf, the beachside activities, and within walking distance of the restaurants, hotels, and cafes on the highly popular State Street. But chef Danny Grant and his team are betting on locals and visitors will trek 15 miles north for his new restaurant, Marisella.

1 week ago | la.eater.com | Mona Holmes

When chefs Minty Zhu and Alex Falco moved from Miami to Los Angeles, the husband-and-wife team hit the ground running by scouting locations, initiating pop-ups in Los Angeles’s vegan restaurants, and, finally, signing a lease in Echo Park in March 2025. Men & Beasts debuts on June 18 with a modern plant-based twist on Chinese classics and a curated tea program in the former Cosa Buona space.

1 week ago | la.eater.com | Matthew Kang |Rebecca Roland |Mona Holmes

The first half of 2025 has been a challenging time for Los Angeles, its rich dining scene battered by wildfires in January and continued strain from the impact of the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. In recent weeks, the city has also contended with ICE raids, protests, and curfews, primarily concentrated Downtown.

1 week ago | sandiego.eater.com | Mona Holmes

San Diego Restaurant NewsJun 17, 2025, 12:55 AM UTCPhoto illustration by Lille AllenThe James Beard Foundation Awards were held tonight, June 16, and San Diego did not come away with any winners. The city’s lone finalist, chef Tara Monsod of Animae and Le Coq, had been a contender for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: California. This was the second year in a row that Monsold was nominated for the category.