a day ago
Michelin-Starred Gwen Is Closing in Hollywood and Moving to the Westside
Gwen, the Michelin-starred restaurant, butcher shop, and bakery in Hollywood from Australia-born chef Curtis Stone, is closing in Hollywood after eight years and looking for another location on the Westside, according to a statement emailed to Eater. Stone opened the restaurant with his brother Luke in 2016 as a follow-up to his Beverly Hills tasting menu destination, Maude, which debuted in 2014. According to Stone, he and his brother, who will remain business partners, have a few different locations in mind but haven't settled on one yet. The last day of business for Gwen will likely be in early-to-mid August, depending on negotiations with the landlord, giving fans almost two months to visit the restaurant before it leaves Hollywood.
In 2016, Eater awarded Gwen 'Most Beautiful Restaurant of the Year' for its gorgeous modern Art Deco design, soaring ceilings, and blend of industrial features. The menu incorporated tasting menu elements and a la carte options but centered around the wood-fired grill, which was fully visible from the dining room. Eventually, it settled into a high-end steakhouse with meats dry-aged on the premises. Over the years, Stone expanded the butcher shop to become one of the top destinations for meat in the city, with house-made charcuterie and salumi, pastries, and sandwiches. The restaurant was featured in an Eater video earlier this year as one of the world's top steakhouses..
Gwen's move from Hollywood signals an overall weakness in the neighborhood's dining scene as a result of the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes and the January 2025 wildfires. In the emailed statement, Stone said, 'We've made the difficult decision to move the restaurant because we believe there's an even greater opportunity to grow, develop, and evolve. The heart of Gwen will never change, but we're always seeking ways to refine, reimagine, and raise the bar.' The chef also thanked front and back-of-house staff as well as loyal regulars. Stone elaborated to Eater over text that 'Hollywood is still such a challenge.'
Stone also closed Maude in 2024 after a 10-year run and morphed the Beverly Hills space into the Pie Room, a casual daytime pastry, cafe, and wine bar. Over the years, Stone has been busy with television projects in addition to operating his LA restaurants, serving as a judge on Crime Scene Kitchen on Fox, Field Trip with Curtis Stone on PBS, and hosting My Kitchen Rules on Fox. In 2024, he also opened Woodend by Curtis Stone at the Maroma resort in Mexico's Riviera Maya near Cancun. See More: LA Restaurant Closings
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