In November 1988, the opening crew of Louise's Trattoria posed for a photo that ran in the Larchmont Chronicle. Marty Breverman, who owned the restaurant outright at the time, stood in the center. Thirty-eight years later, as Larchmont Buzz reported, Breverman has shared that photo again because he is about to take the keys back.
Louise's last day at 232 N. Larchmont Boulevard is Wednesday, November 25, the night before Thanksgiving. Layla Bagels is taking the space, with an opening expected in early 2027. On its own, that is a sad goodbye to a local favorite. Set beside the other storefronts that changed hands on Larchmont this year, it fits a clear pattern. The tenants leaving the boulevard had been there for a long time. Most of the ones arriving are built around coffee and a quick stop on foot.
Thirty-eight years, closed on the owner's own terms
The Larchmont Louise's opened in 1988 as the fourth location of a chain that began in 1978. The chain later grew to 13 restaurants, was sold in 1994, and went through bankruptcy after trying to expand to the East Coast. In 2000, Breverman brought in Rob Serritella, an operations executive, as CEO to rebuild the company. Locations closed one by one over the following years as leases ran out and costs went up.
In 2019, Serritella and his wife, Karen, bought several of the remaining restaurants. Eight days later, the COVID-19 shutdown began. The Los Feliz Louise's later became Mess Hall and was sold. The original Santa Monica location became Holy Cow, a barbecue restaurant Serritella still owns. That left Larchmont as the Louise's most neighbors knew. Serritella brought in his grandmother's meatball recipe and developed the signature focaccia. "We must have served over 10 million pieces of focaccia over the years in all the different locations," he told Larchmont Buzz.
The restaurant's own website shows what kind of room it was. It calls the Larchmont location "a favorite for business lunches and local dinners," and its posted hours run from 11 a.m. until 9 or 9:30 at night.
Serritella told the Buzz he was choosy about the handoff. "I wouldn't have sold to just anyone; it's like selling your house. You want someone who is going to be good for the neighborhood," he said. Building owner Fred Leeds approved the deal, which let it close quickly. Serritella is returning the space to Breverman, who has been working with the two brothers who started Layla Bagels. Breverman has worked on the street before, with La Brea Bakery, and most recently helped reopen Sweet Lady Jane. "It's like I'm coming full circle back to Larchmont after 40-plus years," he told the Buzz.
Four storefronts, one direction
Louise's is the fourth Larchmont storefront change of 2026 to show up in Larchmont Buzz's reporting, and the four line up neatly.
| Address | Outgoing tenant | Time on Larchmont | Incoming tenant | Reported timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 148 N. Larchmont | Not reported | Not reported | Go Greek Yogurt | Opened May 16, 2026 |
| 201 N. Larchmont | Pressed Juicery | 13 years | Alfred Coffee | Planned for November 2026 |
| 123 N. Larchmont | Jeni's Ice Cream | Since 2017 | Chamberlain Coffee | Expected in 2027 |
| 232 N. Larchmont | Louise's Trattoria | 38 years | Layla Bagels | Expected in early 2027 |
Three of the four incoming businesses are built around coffee. Alfred Coffee, founded by Josh Zad on Melrose Place in 2013, is taking the former Pressed Juicery space. Chamberlain Coffee is taking over Jeni's spot one block south. It will be the brand's third location, after Century City and Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice. Layla Bagels is known for its lattes as much as for its bagels, according to Eater LA. At least one commenter under the Jeni's story in Larchmont Buzz asked, "How much coffee can one community drink??"
The tenures of the departing tenants point the same way. Pressed Juicery lasted 13 years and Jeni's about nine, while Louise's has been on the street for 38, longer than the other two put together.
Zad explained the reasoning behind this kind of tenant in his interview with Larchmont Buzz. Alfred's Larchmont shop will use the company's walk-up "window format," which it first built on Canon Drive in Beverly Hills and in Burbank. Pass-through windows open the whole storefront onto the sidewalk. "You order, you talk to a friendly barista, you run into someone you know, and you are back on the street in a minute with something great in your hand. The sidewalk becomes the shop," he said. He chose the street for the same reason. "Larchmont is one of the last true walkable main streets in this city," Zad said. "Neighbors run into each other on the sidewalk. The farmers market takes over on Sunday. People are on foot, on purpose."
That describes the street the new tenants are betting on: lots of short visits, made on foot, mostly in daylight. A trattoria that seated business lunches and dinners until 9:30 at night was built for something else.
The storefronts themselves are staying
Turnover on Larchmont does not have to change how the block looks, and this year's newcomers seem to know it. Zad told the Buzz that Alfred plans to keep the original window bays at 201 N. Larchmont, part of a four-store building where three of the four units are still intact. Studio Sucio, the firm that designs every Alfred location, is drawing the shop specifically for this street so that it "reads like it has always been there rather than something dropped in."
The Buzz also pointed out that Larchmont has no design review process to protect historic features. Whether the original storefronts survive depends on each tenant's choices. Alfred is also creating a drink sold only at the Larchmont shop, which goes on the menu the day it opens.
What Layla Bagels brings to 232 N. Larchmont
Layla Bagels was founded by brothers Harry and David Wexner, according to the Los Angeles Times. Sammi Tarantino oversees sandwiches and drinks, and Sergio España leads the bagel program. Eater LA describes the bagels as a cross between Montreal and New York styles. They are served open-faced with toppings like cream cheese, farmers market vegetables and cured salmon. The Santa Monica shop at 1614 Ocean Park Boulevard opened in 2023, and Eater says its front patio has made it "the place for languid weekend hangouts in Santa Monica."
That last detail matters on Larchmont. Most of the year's arrivals are designed for a stop of a minute or two. Layla's reputation in Santa Monica is for the slow weekend morning. If it brings that habit to 232 N. Larchmont, the space will still be a place where people sit down. The busy hours will just move from evening to morning. Breverman has promised more details soon, and the Buzz says it will report the opening date.
Before November 25
If you want a final plate of focaccia, here is what's known:
- Where: 232 N. Larchmont Boulevard, phone 323-962-9510.
- Posted hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant also lists take-out and catering. With the closing so close, call ahead before you go.
- Timing: Serritella hopes to stay open through November 25, but he is also helping longtime staff find new jobs. Larchmont Buzz's advice is to come "sooner rather than later."
- The calendar: November 25 is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so the final week falls during the holiday rush.
Serritella also told the Buzz he is planning a get-together with Louise's alumni before the restaurant closes. Over the years, that group has included Guy Fieri, who once worked for the chain as a district manager. After the 25th, the next Larchmont news from this block will be Layla's opening date.
Rob Serritella compared choosing the next tenant to selling a house, and he picked a successor he trusted to be good for the neighborhood. When you're ready to pass on a home you've held for a long time in Hancock Park, Larchmont or anywhere nearby, Barrentine Group will help you plan that handoff with the same care. Work With Us.
