Somni — which closed suddenly in 2020 after a brief but fruitful run — will reopen at 9045 Nemo St West Hollywood, CA 90069, formerly home to a Donna Karan retail storefront and a flower shop.
Prior to the incoming location, Somni resided on the ground floor of The SLS Hotel on La Cienega Boulevard.
The eatery, which opened in 2018, closed due to a combination of pandemic-related problems and a concurrently-filed lawsuit by the hotel’s owners.
Following the restaurant’s cessation, Co-Founder José Andrés granted Chef Aitor Zabala permission to proceed with Somni solo, and Zabala fervently obliged, explaining, “The circle was never closed with Somni; it was interrupted…[There was] something missing, and I was feeling that it’s not the right ending for [my] dream…”
As first reported by Los Angeles Times, Somni’s new West Hollywood home will be twice the size of the original restaurant with a patio “to welcome guests with bites and sips before the meal begins” and a 14-seat counter (as opposed to the original ten).
What’s more, the new Somni will include an expanded, fine-tuned menu with twists on some of the original Somni classics. Eventually, as the operation catches its stride, Zabala will implement additional mystifying items and upscale offerings. Zabala may also experiment with an abbreviated menu “for those looking for a shorter meal.”
