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.
Mariscos Los Corchos, East Los Angeles
After ending his last residency in November 2025, chef Anthony Plascencia took over a former East Los Angeles beauty salon to open the first permanent home of Mariscos Los Corchos on February 7. It’s a family-run operation with a menu that remains a warm, coastal Mexican celebration of summers spent in Playa Los Corchos and of the Plascencia family’s hometown of Puerta de Mangos in Nayarit, Mexico. The menu spans whole barbecued Mexican pargo (sea bream) or barramundi, spicy shrimp and fish tostadas, along with crab tinga tostadas, with fresh tortillas. Plascencia also leans into sustainable practices such as using the entire fish to make a rich, oceanic consommé.
Celebrated Swedish chef Marcus Jernmark debuted a fresh California-centric restaurant in the former Pico-Robertson Bicyclette space on February 12. The 42-seat Lielle showcases a simple four-course menu designed to shift with the seasons, all for $150 per person. Its sister restaurant, Marée, will open next door later in the year. Jernmark was a partner and owner of New York’s Aquavit before a stint at chef Thomas Keller’s Per Se in 2014. That same year, Jernmark returned to Stockholm to debut Restaurant Frantzén, followed by sister restaurant Zén in Singapore. Though a 36-hour proofed bread course made with Rouge de Bordeaux wheat will remain on the menu for the time being, expect other dishes, such as aged squab, barbecued abalone with seaweed rice, Brussels sprouts, and maitake mushroom sauce to rotate regularly.
Koreatown’s charming Liu’s Cafe opened a new location in Westwood on February 13. Set in the heart of Westwood Village, the second outpost offers the same menu as the Koreatown original, with highlights like Chiayi chicken rice, spicy wontons in chile oil, and Hong Kong–style French toast with lava custard. Pastries, once a hallmark of the Koreatown shop, will no longer be sold at either location. Liu’s Westwood channels the same vintage Hong Kong cafe aesthetic as the Koreatown location, with soft sage greens, warm wood, and tiled floors.
Cattlemen’s Bar, Paso Robles
Charlie Palmer, the notable chef behind New York restaurants including Aureole and Charlie Palmer Steak, opened Cattlemen’s Bar at the historic Paso Robles Inn on February 21. Cattelman’s offers a Western-style interior and updated ranch fare with cornflake-crusted chicken drumsticks, pulled pork croquettes, and chili to start, alongside larger mains like a dry-aged beef burger blanketed in white cheddar, a hot honey chicken biscuit, and steak au poivre. Classic cocktails take a cheeky twist, including the s’mores Old Fashioned with marshmallow syrup, and the Ranch Hand, a play on ranch water that uses pomegranate.
Popular Altadena-based cafe pop-up Bevel Coffee will open as a permanent cafe on Saturday, February 28. Owner Kevin Mejia built out a charming new spot to brew cardamom lattes and cappuccinos directly across the street from Altadena’s Prime Pizza outlet, where it operated a kiosk for almost three years. At the cafe, Mejia uses beans sourced mainly from Honduras and roasted in Monrovia. Drinks include a Speculoos latte, flat whites, mochas, and a vanilla elderflower latte, along with loose-leaf teas and matcha lattes. The cafe will also serve pastries, croissants, cookies, and muffins from Bakers Kneaded, as well as bagels from Culver City’s Mustard’s Bagels.