It's hard to keep up with all the restaurant and bar openings, closings, chef swaps and revamps that happen every day in this city. What's worth spending your money on and what's all just hype? We're here to help you out with that. At the end of each month, I'll give a recap of the most exciting additions to enter LA's dining and drinking scene, whether it's a new ice cream shop or a creative cocktail bar. Here are a few July openings that are worth a visit:
Hatchet Hall: If nothing else, Hatchet Hall is stunning to look at. Channeling southern charm, the details of this Culver City spot are beautiful: retro chandeliers, vintage plate ware, expertly carved hatchets hanging on the walls. Coupled with comforting southern classics and seriously creative cocktails—they have a root beer gin & tonic, whaaaat?—chef Brian Dunsmoor's new restaurant is a fantastic addition to the neighborhood.
Cousins Maine Lobster: Cousins Maine Lobster truck has been cruising the streets of LA for a while now, offering fantastic lobster rolls to Angelenos on the go. But sometimes you just want to sit down and enjoy your seafood at a leisurely pace, which is why their new brick and mortar is an exciting addition to West Hollywood. The menu hasn't changed, just expanded, incorporating items like Maine fried clams, the WeHo martini (a martini glass filled with chilled lobster) and a chicken sandwich for those who aren't feeling like lobster (though, uh, why else would you be in a lobster shop?).
BierBeisl Imbiss: I was bummed when BierBeisl disappeared from the Beverly Hills dining scene, but it has reappeared in a more casual form with BierBeisl Imbiss. Bernhard Mairinger is serving traditional Austrian and German food at the Downtown restaurant and bakery, including sausages, pretzels and shnitzel sandwiches, but also seasonal pastries and strudels. Danke!
Esters Wine Shop & Bar: The Rustic Canyon family continues to grow with the opening of Esters Wine Shop & Bar in Santa Monica, a place where you can sit down to small plates and some vino or grab a bottle for your next dinner party. The food arrives courtesy of Rustic Canyon's chef Jeremy Fox, but wine director Kathryn Coker is in charge here. It's a gorgeous space, and if you're heading to Cassia next door, a perfect spot for a pre-dinner drink.
Rice Bar: Another Downtown spot to cause a stir this month was Rice Bar, the Filipino eatery serving grain bowls filled with Thai and Filipino rice, meats and condiments. It's tiny and casual, which makes the pedigree of Rice Bar's chef all the more interesting: Charles Olalia was the former executive chef at Patina. There are only seven seats in the space, so you'll likely be taking your bowl to go—before you do, be sure to snag a homemade rice crispie bar.
Did you miss our favorite openings from June? Check out the list here.