Buca di Beppo Owner Opens on Santa Monica Pier This Spring | Eater LA

"Occupying a massive 6,500-square-foot space on the Santa Monica Pier that formerly housed Ristorante del Mare, this three-level nautical-themed project from restaurateur Robert Earl (founder of Buca di Beppo and owner of Earl Enterprises) includes two distinct restaurants plus a rooftop bar. Bright blues and floor-to-ceiling windows let passersby peer into the fast-casual first-floor sandwich shop, which focuses on family-friendly fare—hot and cold sandwiches, breakfast items, tortas, salads—and an ice cream bar that serves fish-shaped waffle cones; the sandwich shop's hours are Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–9 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m.–9 p.m. The second floor, operating under a different name, offers table service with a heavy emphasis on seafood dishes and sea-themed cocktails and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Above them, a rooftop bar with high-top tables overlooks the Pier's walking path. Although the full opening was initially slated for May, the second and third floors opened first after health-department approval, and the restaurant and bar are now open." - Mona Holmes