2024... a new Culv-era.

Saying goodbye is hard :(

In 2023, we said goodbye to some Culver staples and what seemed to be up and coming restaurants (listed below).

• Best Bet

• City Tavern

• Coolhaus (ice cream counts)

• Etta

• Fiish

• Kay ‘N Dave’s

• Konbi

• K-Zo

• Love Life

• Make Out

• Parmizza

• Rush Street

• Sestina

• Wise Sons

The hardest blow for us was Wise Sons, an incredible Jewish deli (also the only Jewish deli in downtown Culver). Each Friday, I’d pick up a perfect bagel with lox and now each Friday feels a bit sadder. My mouth still waters thinking about those bagels.

Wise Sons’ Lox and Bagels, Bagel Egg Sandwich, and Latkes with sour cream and apple sauce

The other hardest losses were K-Zo and Etta. K-Zo was a Culver sushi staple for the past 17 years. It sat next to the iconic Trader Joe’s on Culver Blvd and served the community some of the best nigiri you could have in LA!

K-Zo’s Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

Etta, a fantastic Italian restaurant next to Ivy station closed after just a couple years. The spot was not only affordable (for the quality) but had the freshest vibe and hippest ambience. There’s no doubt that we’ll travel 2000 miles to the Chicago location just to have the focaccia and bubbling shrimp one more time. We will miss their wood-fired food and craft cocktails quite dearly. 

One of Etta’s many delicious cocktails

We said hello and goodbye to restaurants that we didn’t even get to try due to how fast they closed. We really wanted to try Best Bet and Parmizza - both pizza centric restaurants… and both only lasted around 5 months. Parmizza’s concept was interesting - instead of actual pizza, they served different takes on chicken parm (veal parm, eggplant parm, etc.). If customers went in blind for pizza, I’m sure they must’ve been confused not seeing any pizza on the menu. Best Best looked great and had fantastic reviews and I really wish I could have tried it. Too much compizzatition! 

Konbi was only here for a hot second. The Japanese sandwich spot had an irresistible egg salad sandwich that I could literally eat every single day for lunch. Come back, Konbi. :(

It’s not easy to keep a restaurant open and we don’t want to lose any more of our favorites so make sure to support Culver’s local restaurant scene. 

To lighten the mood, our next letter will be about what we’re excited about coming to the neighborhood this year. The spots that have closed down have incoming replacements that seem promising. Some are already open!

xoxo, best of culver city

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