As Santa Monica continues its push to revitalize Main Street, a new restaurant is betting that what neighborhoods need most isn't just another place to eat, but Santa Monica's next neighborhood gathering place.
The sixth restaurant from owners Mindy and Vinny Kinne, a husband-and-wife duo whose journey blends generations of hospitality with culinary innovation. The new Main Street location is the couple's first venture in Santa Monica, bringing an all-day café concept designed specifically for the Westside. "We didn't come to Santa Monica just to open another restaurant," Vinny Kinne said. "We came here because we believe in Main Street. This is one of Southern California's great neighborhoods, and we want to be part of its next chapter. If we can create a place where locals gather, visitors discover, families celebrate, and other businesses benefit too, then we've done our job."
The story behind the Kinnes' restaurant group begins long before Los Angeles. Vinny grew up surrounded by hospitality. His family owned and operated Russo's Bar & Grill in upstate New York for more than a century, instilling a deep appreciation for neighborhood restaurants that become woven into the fabric of a community.
Mindy brought a different perspective. Before entering the restaurant industry, she spent nine years as a food scientist, combining technical expertise with a passion for creating memorable dining experiences.
Together, they launched their first café, Met Her at a Bar, in 2017 in Los Angeles' Miracle Mile neighborhood. What began as a brunch café quickly evolved into one of the city's most distinctive independent restaurant groups.
Today, the couple operates five neighboring concepts clustered around La Cienega Boulevard and Eighth Street:
Met Her at a Bar – an all-day brunch destination known for its Belgian waffles and signature Thai chicken & waffles.
Met Him at a Bar – serving homemade pasta, family recipes and authentic Neapolitan pizza crafted by a Naples-certified pizzaiolo.
Her Thai – inspired by authentic Thai street food.
The Night We Met – a Pan-Asian dining concept.
Her Little Bar – an intimate neighborhood cocktail bar.
Rather than expanding across Southern California, the couple intentionally built a walkable culinary district where guests can experience multiple concepts within a few blocks.
Now they're bringing that collaborative philosophy to Santa Monica, a culmination of all their properties with one restaurant, multiple personalities. The new Main Street location isn't simply another outpost of an existing restaurant, but a flagship concept that combines the most popular dishes and experiences from across the Kinnes' restaurant portfolio into one all-day destination.
Guests can enjoy coffee and brunch favorites in the morning before the menu transitions into handmade Italian pasta, authentic Neapolitan pizza and select Pan-Asian dishes later in the day. A robust cocktail program rounds out the experience, making the café equally suited for breakfast meetings, afternoon gatherings and evening dinners.
Perhaps its most distinctive feature is tucked behind the restaurant. A hidden "secret garden" patio features lush greenery, a fireplace and a tranquil water feature, creating an intimate outdoor space for approximately 50 to 60 guests. Even before opening, the venue has generated strong interest for private events and celebrations.
The vision is to create a restaurant that naturally evolves throughout the day, where families gather for brunch, neighbors meet for lunch, remote workers enjoy coffee, and friends linger over cocktails long after sunset.
For the Kinne's, the investment extends far beyond opening another restaurant. The Santa Monica location is expected to create approximately 100 jobs, while the menu will emphasize seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers markets whenever possible. "California has some of the best produce in the world," Vinny said. "We want to work with local farmers, use the freshest ingredients we can find, and invest in the community we're joining. Great restaurants don't exist in isolation, they become part of the neighborhood."
That philosophy aligns closely with Santa Monica's broader efforts to revitalize Main Street by attracting locally owned businesses that create both economic activity and neighborhood identity.
Rather than simply occupying a storefront, the Kinnes hope to become active participants in the community, collaborating with local organizations, supporting nearby businesses and helping restore energy to one of the city's most iconic commercial corridors.
Independent restaurants often become the heartbeat of a neighborhood by creating jobs, activating sidewalks, supporting nearby merchants, hosting celebrations and giving residents another reason to stay local.
The Kinnes believe that's exactly what Main Street deserves. "We're here for the long haul," Kinne said. "I hope years from now, people don't just remember the food, they remember the birthdays they celebrated here, the first dates, the business meetings, the family brunches. That's what restaurants are really about. They become part of people's lives."
For a couple whose hospitality roots span more than a century and whose entrepreneurial journey began with a single café in Miracle Mile, Santa Monica represents more than their sixth restaurant. It represents the next chapter in building places where community happens. If that vision takes hold, Met Her at a Bar may become more than Main Street's newest dining destination, but one of Santa Monica's newest living rooms.