Michele StuevenHollywood’s first distillery, Hollywood Distillery, opens on Thursday, Oct 2, inside the former mortuary across the street from Hollywood Forever Cemetery, bringing with it a new generation of spirits.
The industrial-design 5,400-square-foot space can accommodate 60 guests and 20 at the bar area surrounded by massive barrels of bourbon on display, and a wall case with rows of bottled house spirits.
The walls are decorated with black-and-white photos of Hollywood legends like Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Humphrey Bogart. The space will offer guided tastings, distillery tours, and event hosting. They’ll also offer a rotating lineup of food trucks and vendors like La Burg and The Basket Taco Co., to complement the tasting experience.
Hollywood Distillery (Jakob Layman)
Each spirit pays tribute to LA history. The Zanja-Madre Bourbon Whiskey, crafted from 100% California-grown grains, is distilled on-site and named after the historic aqueduct that shaped Los Angeles’s early growth and culture. The Nopalera Gin is inspired by Hollywood’s roots in the nopal cactus fields of 1853 and is distilled with locally sourced dates and botanicals.
“At our core, Hollywood Distillery is about friendship,” Co-founder Ferris Wehbe said in a press release. “We all have deep ties to Hollywood and Los Angeles, and this project is a reflection of our shared history and love for the city. We wanted to create something special to bring the rich history of Hollywood through our craft spirits and share that with the community.”
Hours are Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
On Thursday, Oct. 30, in partnership with Dainty Dames, the distillery will hold an immersive ’20s speakeasy murder mystery night with an evening of interactive intrigue following clues and interrogating suspects, in hopes of unmasking the killer. There will be craft cocktails, including Hollywood Distillery’s award-winning Oasis Vodka. Tickets are $65 and include one cocktail, the show, and a complimentary taco stand. Guests are encouraged to dress up in the style of the 1920s speakeasy era; get tickets here.
Hollywood Distillery (Jakob Layman)
Tartine Santa Monica took over the 1933 building that previously housed Gates, Kingsley & Gates Moeller Murphy Funeral Home in 2020, the chapel of which can be traced in part to the Spanish land grant family that once held rights to Santa Monica and much of West L.A.
According to the Santa Monica Conservancy, the chapel was sensitively rehabilitated, preserving its cruciform plan as the basis for the restaurant’s interior layout. A religious-themed stained glass was encapsulated in a wall section. The materials, colors, fenestration shapes, and stucco finish details on the exterior of its Tudor Revival style remained unchanged. According to the conservancy’s website, “The intricate terra-cotta windows required exceptional care. The new use required structural repairs and upgrades of electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems, as well as the addition of fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems, restroom facilities, and interior and exterior accessibility upgrades. The generous open space at the corner provides attractive seating for customers.” Tartine Bakery & Cafe and CIM Group received a 2020 Preservation Award from the Conservancy.
Tartine Pizza (Nicola Parisi)
A decades-old Santa Monica institution, Gates, Kingsley & Gates Moeller Murphy Funeral Home served countless local residents, dignitaries like President Ronald Reagan, his wife Nancy, and my dad.
In addition to its internationally famous breads and pastries, Tartine Santa Monica is now also serving dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5–9 p.m., featuring pizza, salads, savory specialties, wine, and beer. Santa Monica is Tartine’s only L.A. location serving dinner, and it marks the debut of Tartine pizza, already a well-known staple in the Bay Area. The menu features eight pizzas from a classic margherita to a pineapple–pepperoni pie with black garlic plum tomato sauce, and a pepper pizza with arrabiata, shishitos, sweetie drop peppers, and chermoula.
The dough is distinctly Tartine, made with the Biga method, then blended with the bakery’s sourdough starter and durum flour before a two-day cold fermentation, which results in a crispy crust, an evolution of founder Chad Robertson’s levain technique, refined by Tartine’s bread and culinary teams. The cafe plans to expand dinner with live music, happy hour, winemaker events, and chef collaborations.
For a slightly spiritual experience, the Eden Garden Bar and Grill, which was The Turner & Stevens Mortuary in Pasadena until 1986, offers elegant Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare in a romantic setting with live music and belly dancing on weekends. There are a variety of set menus and family-style meals in addition to a regular menu.
Courtesy Tartine