A new upscale restaurant will open Aug. 15 in the Pacific Palisades, marking another step in the recovery of a neighborhood devastated by the January 2025 fires.
Alphabet Bar & Grill, a partnership between the Los Angeles hospitality company The h.wood Group and James Beard Award-winning chef Tim Hollingsworth, will debut at Caruso's Palisades Village. The opening coincides with the reopening of the village itself, a milestone in the property's restoration after the fires.
"On August 15, alongside the reopening of Palisades Village, we'll officially welcome our first guests as we open our doors to the community," said John Terzian and Brian Toll, co-founders of The h.wood Group.
The restaurant will operate seven days a week from 11 a.m. until late, with roughly 70 seats. It will serve lunch, dinner and drinks.
Alphabet marks a departure for The h.wood Group, which built its reputation on high-end nightlife and destination restaurants such as Delilah and The Nice Guy. The founders described the grill as their first true neighborhood concept.
"While people know us for destination restaurants and nightlife, we've always wanted to bring our signature hospitality to the everyday lives of a community," Terzian and Toll said. They described the restaurant as an all-day gathering spot where families, neighbors and friends can share classic dishes, whether "grabbing lunch after school drop-off or getting out for dinner."
The restaurant takes its name from the Alphabet Streets, a well-known enclave in the Palisades. The founders said they hope Alphabet becomes a neighborhood staple while also drawing visitors from across Los Angeles to support the area's return.
The fires that tore through the Palisades in January 2025 shaped much of the project. The founders, both Los Angeles natives who grew up on the Westside, said the disaster hit close to home.
"When the fires hit, both of our homes were under direct threat, and we had countless friends who lost their homes, which makes the opportunity to be part of the community's return that much more meaningful," they said.
In the weeks after the fires, the company ran a donation drive at Bootsy Bellows and partnered with the Why Not? Foundation to feed first responders on the beach in the Palisades and Malibu. "Helping wasn't optional for us, it was mandatory," the founders said.
As plans for the reopening came together, the founders said they heard from residents and families who were rebuilding. They described the response as encouraging, citing messages from people eager to see businesses return. "While the fires were definitely top of mind throughout this process, Alphabet's opening symbolizes new growth and an optimistic future," they said.
Hollingsworth, who was born in Texas and raised in Placerville, California, built his culinary foundation at The French Laundry, where he earned the James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef. He has represented the United States in the Bocuse d'Or competition and appeared on television programs including "The Final Table" and "Beat Bobby Flay." His other ventures include the French-American brasserie Hundredfold and, in Washington, the restaurants The Oak Room and Bernadette's.
His menu for Alphabet reimagines the American neighborhood grill through California produce and the farmers market at Palisades Village, featuring rotisserie chicken, all-day classics, seasonal dishes and nostalgic desserts. The food is paired with crafted cocktails and a wine list.
"With Alphabet, I wanted to bring that personal philosophy to the Palisades, blending thoughtfully sourced ingredients with comforting, classic dishes that become weekly staples," Hollingsworth said. "The goal was to create the kind of place people return to again and again."
Hollingsworth said he was honored to take part in the community's recovery. "I'm honored to be part of the community's inspiring story of renewal," he said.
The restaurant's design, led by Alexa Nafisi-Movaghar of Adean Studios, aims for a warm but elevated atmosphere, with green marble countertops, gold brass accents, ambient lighting and linen-topped tables. The company said Alphabet will also host social and dining events intended to help residents connect.
Palisades Village, which originally opened in 2018, is home to more than 40 boutiques along with dining venues, the historic Bay Theater, a specialty grocer and landscaped green space. It was the first business district in California to be certified LEED Gold for environmental sustainability.
For updates, the company directed the public to the Palisades Village website and to Alphabet's Instagram account, @alphabetgrillpalisades.