Chef Travis Lett, formerly of the Gjelina Group and now Sonnyboy Hospitality, is lining up his next project after the opening of the new-school izakaya RVR this September. A notice of intent posted at 38 Market Street in Venice indicates that Lett and company have applied for a coastal development permit with Los Angeles City Planning. The proposed development includes changing the building’s use from manufacturing to a restaurant and building a new commercial kitchen, interior dining area, outdoor dining patio, roof deck dining patio, and onsite parking. The notice also indicated that the incoming restaurant would dispense “a full line of alcoholic beverages.”
Given the lengthy timelines associated with permitting, construction, and general red tape, the new restaurant will not likely open until late 2025 or even 2026. Eater reached out to Lett for comment and received the following statement:
“I’m working on the development of a beautiful historic building in Venice Beach. I found this 100-year-old building by the beach and I’m working closely with the city to see if we can get it approved. The Beach District is the oldest part of Venice and a new frontier — it’s an exciting opportunity. We’re optimistic we’ll be able to bring it to fruition, at which point I’ll be looking more closely at the concept, but as of right now it’s too early to share more.”
Fresh tortillas and booze at Sonoratown
The Los Angeles Times’ Stephanie Breijo shares the news that Jennifer Feltham and Teodoro Diaz-Rodriguez Jr.’s Sonoratown just opened a michelada bar and tortillería at its Mid-Wilshire location. The tortillería, hidden behind the cantina, cranks out plush flour tortillas for stores in Downtown, Mid-Wilshire, and soon in Long Beach. The bar serves sangrias, micheladas, and snacks like nachos and elotes.
Prosperity Market pop-up and block party
Prosperity Market is hosting a pop-up market and Block Party at Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen on Slauson Avenue on Sunday, September 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The community event will include a wine garden by 1010 Wine and Prosperity Market’s 48-foot, solar-powered mobile farmers market. The event is free and open to the public.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at the Los Angeles Zoo
There may be no larger concentration of exhausted parents and child caretakers than at the Los Angeles Zoo. Thankfully, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf installed a permanent food truck just outside the front entrance in the parking lot to dispense copious amounts of caffeine and a few pastries from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Get an eyeful of Rebel Kitchens
Rebel Kitchens, the latest culinary entertainment offering from PBS SoCal, celebrates five Los Angeles chefs “revolutionizing what it means to run a restaurant” and “fusing flavors in unexpected ways.” The five-episode series features Tolu Eros of ILÉ, Diego Argoti of Poltergeist, Alex García and Elvia Huerta of Evil Cooks, Doña Tenchita of Comedor Tenchita, and Jihee Kim of Perilla LA; and all episodes are available to stream online.