José Andrés’s already massive culinary empire is about to get bigger: Eater reports that the renowned chef is opening an outpost of his popular Mediterranean restaurant Zaytinya—which currently operates in New York, Miami and D.C.—inside the Shay hotel in Culver City by the end of this year.
The new eatery at at 8801 Washington Boulevard will take over the 10,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Prima Donna, the short-lived successor to Italian restaurant Etta.
“Culver City is a hub of entertainment studios, where people in film and television come together to tell stories much in the way that we at Zaytinya see sharing the diverse culture of cuisines through food,” said Sam Bakhshandehpour, the CEO of José Andrés Group (JAG), to Eater, referring to the Turkish, Greek and Lebanese dishes that Zaytinya is known for.
According to the outlet, both the look and menu of the novel destination will mimic its counterparts across the nation. Look-wise, expect “warm bronze metals, white oak and blue accents” that call out to cities by the Mediterranean Sea. When it comes to the food, bestsellers like the kebab platter and the Brussels sprouts will share menu space with unique items developed for this location specifically given the wood-fired oven left behind by Etta.
Although the Culver City hotel actually opened back in 2021, JAG has just recently taken over the destination’s food and beverage program (it also operates the restaurants at DTLA’s Conrad). In addition to the new Zaytinya, the group is looking to debut a new rooftop destination some time in 2025 while also revamping the culinary offerings available in the lobby, in-room and poolside dining options.