Dinah’s Will Be Reborn in Culver City After 64 Years in Westchester | Eater LA

"After more than six decades in Westchester since opening in 1959, Dinah’s Family Restaurant is closing its longtime spot off the 405 and moving down the street to reopen as Dinah’s Kitchen at 4130 Sepulveda Boulevard on May 6, 2024, with its last day in the original location on April 30. Known for homestyle dishes like German apple pancakes, Belgian waffles and its fried chicken, the restaurant's Googie-style building and iconic fried chicken bucket pylon made it a local landmark. Owner Mario Ernst decided to relocate after development plans along Sepulveda would have forced a multi-year closure on site, and he worried about his roughly 60 employees and the risk of being priced out; instead he found a space in Culver Crossroads and is using the move to evolve the menu, experiment with guest chefs, and shift from canned vegetables and pie fillings to fresh, locally sourced produce and meats. The essence of Dinah’s will remain—accessible pricing and the bucket pylon will feature prominently—though the new location will have a more industrial feel that preserves Googie elements, and it will sit alongside fellow long-running neighbors Tito’s Tacos and Johnnie’s Pastrami." - Rebecca Roland