🍟 EATS
DOWNTOWN LA
TOASTIQUE
PHOTO: VIA TOASTIQUE ON INSTAGRAM
Gourmet toast and juice brand Toastique opens February 7th in South Park at 1001 S. Olive Street, bringing artisan toasts, acai bowls, smoothies, and cold-pressed juices to downtown's growing food scene. The first 100 guests get a $50 Toastique Rewards credit (with $10 minimum purchase) redeemable on future visits. Founded by Division I athlete Brianna Keefe, the all-day gourmet cafe focuses on bold flavors using fresh, responsibly sourced ingredients. VIP night kicks off at 6:00pm on February 7th.
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FAST TIMES
PHOTO: VIA @FASTTIMESCOFFEE ON INSTAGRAM
Fast Times Coffee opened inside the Buck Mason flagship on Abbot Kinney, bringing the Nashville and NYC cafe-bookstore hybrid to LA's Venice neighborhood. The beige-on-beige aesthetic features a concrete counter serving nitro cold brew, plus shelves stocked with curated books and ceramics you can browse while shopping for selvedge denim. Created by the Buck Mason team, the space blends specialty coffee culture with minimalist retail in one chic slab of a storefront. Think coffee runs that double as book hauls without leaving the clothing racks.
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BURBANK
NICK THE GREEK
PHOTO: VIA @NICKTHEGREEK ON INSTAGRAM
Greek street food chain Nick the Greek opened its 10th Los Angeles County location in Burbank at 3011 N. Hollywood Way, owned by franchisee Niko Heliotis who also operates the Santa Barbara spot. The menu features gyro meats cooked on a traditional vertical rotisserie, charbroiled souvlaki skewers, fresh vegetables, baklava, and Greek donuts, all made to order in a fast-casual setting. Founded in 2014 by three cousins (Big Nick, Little Nick, Baby Nick Tsigaris), the chain has nearly doubled its footprint since 2021 and is on track to hit 100 locations systemwide by mid-2026. Open daily 11:00am to 10:00pm, the Burbank spot sits near Hollywood Burbank Airport for easy pre-flight gyro runs.
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LAPABA
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PHOTO: VIA @THELAPABA ON INSTAGRAM
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Lapaba sounds like a word from the Minion language, but it's actually a portmanteau for La Pasta Bar. This upscale Koreatown restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife team who cooked previously at Osteria Mozza, with an assist from Nancy Silverton. Most of the pastas here have interesting Korean twists, like cacio e pepe made with tteok, bucatini tossed in a jjajang-style amatriciana, and corn cheese agnolotti.
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TEN NO MESHI
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PHOTO: OFFICIAL VIA TEN NO MESHI
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Sawtelle is adding another Japanese restaurant to its robust lineup and this one is deep-fried. Ten No Meshi is a katsu spot from Kyoto that just opened its first location outside of Japan yesterday. Their signature dish is A5 wagyu katsu served pink in the center and finished on a sizzling hot stone at your table. They're also doing pork katsu, scallop cutlets, and donburi bowls topped with fried eggs and salmon roe.
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THE MELT
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PHOTO: VIA @THEMELT ON INSTAGRAM
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The Melt is bringing its grilled cheese happiness to the South Bay. The Bay Area-born fast-casual chain is planning a new location at Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance near Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ. Since launching in 2011, the chain has expanded to 11 Northern California locations, six Southern California spots, and two in Arizona with plans for additional locations in Long Beach and Hollywood Park. The menu features MeltBurgers made with Angus and Wagyu beef, crispy chicken sandwiches, and real ice cream shakes.
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