Rose Cafe Looks to Get Full Bar, Stay Open for Dinner

Fans of Rose Cafe have long wondered why the brunch favorite is not open for dinner.

Wonder no more. The owner of Rose Cafe, Manhar Patel, presented a plan to the Venice Neighborhood Council's Land Use and Planning Committee on Tuesday night that would keep the restaurant open late, as well as put in a full bar.

"We're planning to add evening services," Patel said. "And part of the service that is important to us, because of the big footprint we have, is to add a full line of alcohol."

The California fare cafe, which opened in 1979, currently has a license to serve beer and wine only.

Under the slight redesign, the gift shop area will be used for dining, and a bar will be installed along the wall parallel to Hampton Drive.

"I think it continues that development down Rose Avenue and kind of connects everything," chef David Wolfe said. "I'm very excited."

Rose Avenue has seen a burst of development in recent years, including two restaurants at Rennie Avenue—Venice Beach Wines (opened in 2009) and Oscar's Cerveteca (2011)—and the Venice Ale House on the boardwalk (2010).

Rose Cafe "has a big following in Venice," Wolfe said. "People have been licking their chops to have us stay open."

All the public comment at the meeting was in favor of the plan, as were members of the committee, although they did not vote on the project, instead asking the applicant to clarify parking requirements and hours for the Department of City Planning conditional use permit.

"We're unclear on the actual parking rights," Land Use and Planning Committee chair Jake Kaufman told Patch, "but there is unanimous support for the project."

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