Chainsaw Café
Restaurant · Larchmont ·
Venezuelan cafe with pies, empanadas, arepas, and coffee
Venezuelan cafe with pies, empanadas, arepas, and coffee
"Pint-sized and intentionally eclectic, this East Hollywood cafe from Karla Subero Pittol pairs purple-and-yellow tilework, a patchwork yellow accent wall, mismatched stools and milk crates, and a lush produce display behind the bar to evoke the small, vibrant neighborhood hangouts of Europe and Latin America. The limited menu runs savory dishes and caffeinated drinks inspired by her Venezuelan heritage, alongside the cult-favorite passionfruit lime icebox pie (whole or by the slice) and other seasonal sweets. For a proper lunch, I go for the Pead & Barnetts pork collar milanesa with lemon pepper nata (the Venezuelan take on crema), tamarind barbecue sauce, and a lightly dressed ensaladita topped with hearts of palm—slice into the craggy, crunchy cutlet, dab it in the sauces, and intersperse bites of the refreshing salad for the best effect. While the passionfruit lime icebox pie put Subero Pittol on the map, the seasonal apple, date, and strawberry double-crust pie offers a subtle yet sublime twist on a classic dessert and is the pie to visit for now. Pint-sized arepas stuffed with bean and cheese, jamón serrano and cheese, or slow-cooked beef pair well with lemon pepper nata and make a comforting but not particularly filling snack (order two if you’re actually hungry), and espresso tonic fans will appreciate the Xtina (orange) or the Karlita (grapefruit). Given the extremely limited space, come solo or with one other person, max; it’s best for a quick afternoon snack or morning pick-me-up in East Hollywood, with a wine bar planned next door in the future." - Patricia Kelly Yeo
"Chef Karla Subero Pittol has given her popular dinner party pop-up a permanent home in Melrose Hill, where the pint-sized cafe serves savory dishes rooted in her Venezuelan heritage—arepas, empanadas, and pabellón criollo—alongside Chainsaw’s famous passionfruit lime icebox pie and a double-crust fruit pie; the cafe runs morning service until 3 p.m., then reopens at 5 p.m. for dinner." - Rebecca Roland
"After years as one of Los Angeles’s most popular underground dinners, this long-awaited Melrose Hill home arrives as a tiny, warm micro cafe built around a pick-up window, a few sidewalk stools, and a seat or two inside. I come for the pies and ice cream Chainsaw is famous for and stay for the Venezuelan-leaning savory menu—arepas as a staple, golden empanadas, and pabellón criollo—plus occasional Sri Lankan-inspired specials like black pork curry and a chicken curry. The desserts read like greatest hits: the signature passionfruit lime pie, a marquesa de chocolate, seasonal double-crust fruit pies, ice creams, and a Jammy Strawberry Matcha dessert cup; a tight coffee program by Stephanie Quevedo uses Post Era beans. The space feels well-worn and lived in, with rich wood doors and cabinets, cured meats and pots hanging behind the counter like a classic deli, and a hand-painted wall layered to look decades old. Small by design and proudly malleable, it channels the pop-up’s creative spirit while finally giving it a permanent address." - Oren Peleg
"Chainsaw started in 2019 as a dinner pop-up from a former Here’s Looking At You pastry chef who used to serve icebox cakes and grilled pork sandwiches out of a garage (we even named it one of theBest Pop-Ups Of 2020back in the day). Now, it's morphed into a cafe in Melrose Hill with pies, ice cream, and other desserts, as well as empandas and arepas." - Cathy Park
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