Gott's Roadside, the acclaimed Napa Valley-based restaurant chain, will open a Santa Monica location in summer 2026, as part of its entry into the Southern California market after 25 years of success in the Bay Area.
The 6,600-square-foot restaurant, with an additional 2,200 square feet of outdoor patio space, will be located at 401 Wilshire Boulevard, just blocks from the beach and steps from the Third Street Promenade. The space, formerly occupied by Osteria, will serve the greater Santa Monica area, including Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Venice Beach and Marina del Rey.
The Santa Monica join Gott's Los Angeles debut at The Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax, now scheduled to open in winter 2026. Located at 6333 W. Third Street, the Farmers Market location will sit next to the legendary Du-par's Restaurant & Bakery at one of the city's most historic culinary landmarks.
The Farmers Market site will feature bright, welcoming interiors, communal seating and an expansive patio designed for gathering with family and friends, bringing Gott's signature indoor-outdoor California charm to the market. Unique to this location, guests can look forward to a dedicated soft-serve window, adding a playful, nostalgic touch to the experience.
The two distinct locations represent Gott's first expansion outside the Bay Area, where the family-owned business has built a devoted following for its upscale take on classic American roadside fare.
Gott's traces its roots to 1949, when the Taylor family opened Taylor's Refresher, a drive-in hamburger stand in St. Helena. In 1999, brothers Joel and Duncan Gott leased the 50-year-old venue, preserving its retro charm while updating the menu. The brothers initially operated under the Taylor's Refresher name, expanding to a second outlet in San Francisco's Ferry Building in 2004 and a third at Napa's Oxbow Public Market in 2007.
A trademark dispute with the Taylor family led the Gotts to rebrand the business as Gott's Roadside in 2010. The chain continued to grow across Northern California, adding locations in Palo Alto in 2013 and later in Walnut Creek, Marin County and at San Francisco International Airport. As of 2024, Gott's operates eight Bay Area locations, and the company remains privately owned by the Gott family.
The restaurant has built a strong reputation for quality and consistency over the past two decades. In 2006, when still known as Taylor's, it earned a James Beard Foundation "America's Classics" Award, a prestigious honor for beloved regional eateries. Food & Wine magazine dubbed Gott's an "idealized version of the American roadside stand," praising its blend of nostalgia and California culinary flair.
The menu features burgers made with locally sourced ingredients and creative twists. The signature California Burger comes topped with a fried egg, bacon and local cheese, served alongside ahi tuna tacos, shakes and regional wines and microbrews. The chain has been featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and frequently appears on "best burger" lists. Eater San Francisco has ranked Gott's among the top burger spots in the city.
Since 1999, Gott's Roadside has sold more than 12 million burgers across its California locations. Despite relatively premium prices for a burger stand, the value perception remains positive. Company President Clay Walker has described the concept as offering "the high end of the low and the low end of the high" in terms of dining experience.
Company officials said the Farmers Market site was chosen for its iconic, high-traffic status, similar to how Gott's earlier outlets opened in landmark public markets like San Francisco's Ferry Building and Napa's Oxbow Market.
Gott's operates in a crowded fast-casual and roadside dining segment, facing competition from regional favorites like In-N-Out Burger and The Habit Burger Grill, as well as national premium burger brands such as Shake Shack. The chain differentiates itself through its Napa Valley roots and emphasis on quality ingredients, positioning itself as a unique hybrid of classic roadside nostalgia and modern California cuisine.