Los Angeles is no stranger to restaurant openings, whether splashy openings in iconic buildings helmed by big-name chefs, a humble neighborhood spot, or a pop-up leaping into a permanent space. Consider this monthly rundown a go-to guide for the newest and boldest debuts across the Southland.
Bub and Grandma’s Pizza — Highland Park
Sourdough specialists Bub and Grandma’s just expanded with Bub and Grandma’s Pizza, which opened on September 4 in the former Town Pizza in Highland Park. The pizza at Bub & Grandma’s takes inspiration from the East Coast pies of Boston, New Haven, New York, and New Jersey, including those served at Zuppardi’s, Sally’s Apizza, Star Tavern, and Frank Pepe’s. The sourdough-based crust uses a mix of flours like freshly milled hard red wheat and spelt. Slices may change by the day, but classics like a cheese slice, a pepperoni slice, and a vegan red pie slice will always be available. Full pies include the Potato White with potato, caramelized onion, Taleggio, mozzarella, Parmesan, and fried rosemary, and the Bolognese with red sauce, beef and pork ragu, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Alongside the pizzas, the restaurant serves starters such as meatballs with marinara sauce, supplì, chicken wings, and garlic knots, as well as a Caesar salad with gem lettuce. The pizzeria is currently take-out only, with dine-in coming in the future.
Berenajak — Arts District
London-based Iranian restaurant Berenjak is now open on the garden floor of the swanky Soho Warehouse in the Arts District. Chef Kian Samyani founded Berenjak in 2018, pulling inspiration from the vibrant kebab (also spelled “kabab”) houses of Tehran. The restaurant has received widespread acclaim, including garnering a Michelin Bib Gourmand in London. In the Arts District, Berenjak serves its signature lineup of mezze, fresh bread, khoresht, and kebabs. Start with taftoon, a wood-oven-baked seeded sourdough, before moving on to mezze like olives pooled with lemon and garlic or creamy hummus. Kebabs, which are cooked over coals, include minced lamb shoulder, marinated chicken, beef filet, and more.
Jade Rabbit — Santa Monica
After closing Cassia in February 2025, chef Bryant Ng and his wife, Kim Luu-Ng, opened Jade Rabbit this month in Santa Monica, a fast-casual Chinese American restaurant. The restaurant draws on Bryant’s family history of cooking Chinese American food and takes inspiration from Hong Kong-style cafes and Cantonese barbecue restaurants that opened in Southern California in the 1980s and 1990s. Meals are formatted as combination plates with two base items like chow mein or rice, two vegetables, and a main like beef and broccoli, and orange mango chicken.
After spending five years at Smorgasburg and numerous pop-ups across Los Angeles, All About the Cinnamon opened a permanent location in Sherman Oaks. Founders Lindsay and Lawrence McDonald started the bakery after moving from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in 2020 and joined Smorgasburg in 2023. Expects rolls like the Cube (a tribute to Los Angeles rapper Ice Cube), filled with Oreo frosting and pieces, as well as the Notorious B.A.B.K.A., a riff on a chocolate babka.