L.A.'s most charming suburb is welcoming a new music venue
The San Gabriel Valley isn't rich in options when it comes to live music, so Sid the Cat Auditorium will be filling a need for music fans of all ages when it opens this fall. The idyllic small city of South Pasadena is perhaps best known for its old-school Fair Oaks Pharmacy —which has sat on the corner of Mission Street and Fair Oaks Avenue since 1915—and the retro soda fountain is joined by a picturesque row of boutiques and eateries on Mission Street.
And soon, right around the corner from the main drag, you'll find Sid the Cat Auditorium, situated across the street from the South Pasadena Public Library (and boasting ample parking). The new club will bring life back to the former South Pasadena Elementary School, which was originally built in 1885, rebuilt in 1928 and decommissioned as a school in 1979—and now it'll school Angelenos on up-and-coming bands to know.
The shows will take place in the original auditorium in the school's east wing, which has been upgraded with a state-of-the-art sound system and can fit an audience of up to 500. Thirsty patrons can cross a covered arcade and patio to find Sid's Bar, a full bar set up in one of the school's original classrooms.
Sid the Cat Auditorium won't be the only occupant in the old school though. It'll be in good company with an upcoming outpost of coffee roastery the Boy and the Bear, 'craft pubhouse' District Brewing Co. and—most exciting of all—the fourth location of Michelin-recognized and foodie-favorite Villa's Tacos.
Oozing with indie cred, Sid the Cat has been behind countless concerts since 2015, championing songwriters and hosting acts including Bright Eyes, boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers, Big Thief, Jackson Browne, Jim James, Mac DeMarco, Moses Sumney and Ty Segall. Till now, it's been holding its shows in dozens of different venues, from Permanent Records Roadhouse and the Highland Park Ebell Club to out-of-town spots like the Ojai Valley Woman's Club and Pioneertown's Pappy & Harriet's. Earlier this year, Sid the Cat produced an Eaton Fire relief benefit for musicians affected by the fire, boasting a talent roster that read like a who's who of indie rock. More recently, it fittingly curated a lineup of free live music at the Eclectic Music Festival & Arts Crawl —South Pasadena's annual street fair.
And now, the promoter will finally have a home of its own. 'We always knew that we would need our own space in order to produce the highest quality events for concert-goers, and having a home base will give us that,' said Sid the Cat co-owner and talent booker Kyle Wilkerson. 'Our vision is to celebrate music and art the way that sports are revered and celebrated.'
Speaking as a music lover and L.A. concertgoer, Sid the Cat is a local treasure—a breath of fresh air in the age of corporate promoters and algorithmic curation. The founders add a personal, tangible touch to the live music scene, even crafting custom matchbooks and artist trading cards to enhance the experience at its intimate concerts. The company is currently raising money via its GoFundMe to help offset the cost of construction (you can donate here —or get your name immortalized on a bar stool in the venue for a cool $5,000).
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Time Out
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An herbal infusion and a fennel and mint profiterole wrapped up the journey. 'It's like an infusion from the acequia —the greens just grow wild on the banks,' Juan laughs. A delicate, balanced, and flavorful ending. 'You're teaching us to eat vegetables in a whole new way,' someone told Ventureyra after this incredible meal. He smiled and replied, 'What I do is highlight the place—tell the story of what the land gives, through a sensitive lens. That won't change, no matter what color the star is.' A Personal, Sensitive, Joyful Project Beyond the food, Riccitelli Bistró is an emotional experience. 'I invested all my savings to open this place and see what would happen. We were full for four years, then the pandemic hit—but we came back stronger than ever. This bistró is so full of adrenaline, so personal, so family-driven…' Juan shares. There are no Sunday services, no dinner seatings. The restaurant only opens when the whole team is fully energized. 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Time Out
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12 great London restaurants that closed for good this summer
Lots of wonderful new restaurants have opened over the past few months, from the lovely Lupa and Lai Rai in June, to Elephant in Clapton, Shanghai Me in Mayfair and the new Notting Hill branch of Speedboat Bar last month, with loads more set for August. But let's take a minute to pour one out for those that have left us this summer. Here's some of the restaurants and bars that we're going to miss. London restaurants that closed in summer 2025 1. Bruno's, Islington Opened at the end of 2022 by brothers Fin and Lorcan Spiteri, you could find Bruno's bobbing alongside its sister restaurant Caravel on the Regent's Canal, but this barge bar has sadly served its last waterborne cocktail. A fond farewell to their Starliner Martini - a turbo Espresso Martini with tequila and chocolate liqueur which left us unable to sleep until 3am. 2. Chick 'n' Sours, Haggerston and Covent Garden The last two remaining Chick 'n' Sours spots closed in May. The Korean fried chicken joint was known for its excellent sour cocktails, ultra-crispy chicken and addictive seaweed 'crack' seasoning. The owners explained that running two restaurants in London was no longer financially viable. But all is not lost, the brand will continue its residencies at the Roof East and Corner Corner food halls. 3. Norman's, Archway Some loved it, some hated it, but it doesn't really matter now, because Norman's is no more. The gentrified greasy spoon opened in Archway in 2020, beginning life as a sandwich shop before evolving into a caff, serving classic British favourites and childhood comfort meals from kippers on toast to jam roly-poly. It closed in June. 4. Lyle's, Shoreditch This one was a bit of a shocker. After 11 years, James Lowe's excellent Michelin star restaurant closed at the end of May. Before opening Lyle's in 2014, Lowe was head chef at St John Bread & Wine. Lyle's won its Michelin star in 2015 and retained it for the following decade thanks to its quality seasonal British cuisine. 5. Victor Garvey at the Midland Grand, King's Cross We're not quite sure what happened here. Victor Garvey of Soho's Michelin-starred Sola took over this glamorous dining room at the start of the room and by July it was dead as a dodo. The glitzy room was home to Marcus Wareing's The Gilbert Scott for a decade until the pandemic. It was then in the hands of Patrick Powell, who left in 2024. A cursed restaurant? Who knows. 6. Soif, Battersea Rise This much-loved wine bar and nibbly bits bistro shut at the end of July. An atmospheric locals favourite, it started life as an offshoot of the now also departed Covent Garden wine bar Terroirs. 7. Mr Ji, Camden This Taiwanese fried chicken hub moved from Soho to Camden in 2022. 'With the ongoing rises in business costs and running a restaurant, we have now joined the many restaurants that have now closed their doors,' they said before closing in July. 8. Officina 00, Old Street, Covent Garden and Fitzrovia Three branches of this pasta restaurant closed in June. The Covent Garden branch only opened in March. 'I have done everything in my power to overcome the many challenges faced in the last few months, but despite all efforts I have been forced to close down,' commented co-owner Elia Sebregondi. 9. Margot, Covent Garden Rising business rates was also the reason behind the closure of this plush Italian restaurant. Opening in 2026, Margot lasted almost a decade before shutting up shop in June. 10. Goodman, Canary Wharf After 15 years, this far flung steakhouse east London has closed. The Mayfair and City locations remain open if you'd like to splurge a silly amount of money on meat. 11. Pizzeria Mozza, Fitzrovia The London outpost of US chef Nancy Silverton's closed in June. On the ground floor of the Treehouse London hotel on Langham Place, it opened in 2021. The space will be reopening in September as Richoux, the returning all-day French cafe which closed during lockdown. 12. Jeru, Mayfair After four years, this fancy Mayfair restaurant shuts on August 6. The Mediterranean-inspired menu specialised in line-caught day boat fish and had a dry-aged beef and wagyu cabinet. The best new London restaurant openings in August 2025.
