Soon-to-Open Cafe NoHo Is Yet Another Sign of the Growing Arts District

Magnolia Boulevard east of Lankershim was hardly the way to go for a bite to eat.

For a while, the and were Magnolia’s only options when I first moved to the NoHo Arts District four years ago. Walking just around the corner to grab some food was never an appealing idea that crossed my mind. It seemed that section could credit its walkability to its numerous theatres and the corner Starbucks, or the fact that sidewalks even existed there in the first place.

When I spotted the sleek, illuminated neon blue-and-white sign of Café NoHo and its matching “Coming Soon” banner hanging just below it a few weeks ago, memories of what Magnolia once was in the short time I’d lived in the NoHo community flashed in my mind.

Royal Garden was out, and took its place not too long after.  Less than a year later, Rainforest was gone, and the arts-focused is slated to open in the near future. 

, which took over Ned’s (they made the wise decision to keep their predecessor’s tasty zucchini shreds), has been going strong since it opened in 2007. I have yet to try Best Philly, but they must be doing something right if they’ve been their since 1980. And there’s not much more I can say about  a few doors down without sounding like their unofficial spokesperson.

Over a decade ago, my teenage self would never have thought to look to the Arts District for something to do – as a kid growing up in the late ’90s, Melrose Boulevard or Burbank’s Media Center mall were my hangouts of choice. Now, Magnolia is a frequent stop when my husband and I are looking to fill our hungry stomachs and stop into a few local boutiques afterwards to beat our food comas. 

As I checked out the soon-to-open eatery earlier this week, I could see over a dozen square wood tables and décor made of manzanita branches when I peered into the windows from behind the storefront's gate. The daylight’s reflection on the glass kept me from seeing much else; property records available online show the building as just under 2,000 square feet.   

The details on Café NoHo are slim, but according to one early Yelp reviewer, the place’s menu will include Mediterranean food and hot wings. Its categories include “Jazz & Blues”, “Lounges” and “American (New)”, and its business hours are supposedly until midnight.

Be sure to stay tuned as North Hollywood-Toluca Lake Patch finds more about the new restaurant.

Café NoHo is located at 11040 Magnolia Boulevard in the Arts District.