Caffe Primo

Caffe Primo is a restaurant that I like to pretend I had a hand in creating. A couple of years ago, I ate my lunch in the Sunset Millennium Plaza. That plaza was built in 2000 (surprise, surprise!), but had a lot of trouble filling the stores and keeping them full. Equinox, the pricey gym moved in to one corner, and a few stores switched constantly in the smaller spaces. There is this nice area in the plaza with tables and a fountain set just far enough away from the main drag of the Sunset Strip to offset the noise.

A little gelato/sandwich place moved into the the space kitty-corner from Equinox. Since I was in the plaza anyway, I made a point of checking out the restaurant right when it opened. I enjoyed their paninis and the gelato was always a nice treat. I brought others there to try the food too. After about a year in the cramped space, the restaurant closed down and moved to the prime corner location right on Sunset. It was closed for at least a year during renovations.

Finally, after a long wait, Caffe Primo opened. I went to visit immediately. The 'new' space in West Hollywood is huge, with a large counter, a lounge area with TVs, common tables, and a large outdoor patio. At lunch, the cafe fills up with patrons seeking a simple Italian lunch.

I love the salads and sandwiches there, but the prices are a little steep. Well actually, the prices are fine if you're on the Sunset Strip, probably one of the cheaper places you can go, come to think of it. Since I worked within walking distance I have also sampled the coffee (strong and bitter, probably the way coffee is supposed to taste), cookies (delicious), cupcakes (a little expensive for the size, not even close to the cupcake giants, but worth it in a pinch), muffin tops (expensive, but it's the TOP part only!), gelato (eh, I don't know what all the fuss is about gelato, give me some full fat ice cream instead).

Just recently, Caffe Primo opened a new branch in the new Americana at Brand in Glendale. Unfortunately, they changed some of the things that were great in Weho when they moved. They don't have room for the giant patio and as a result the seating is a little cramped and people were confused as to whether they sit down, or go up and order first, or what (you go up and order and then sit anywhere, for the record). They added rotisserie chicken to the menu and showcase a pizza oven along with their gelato case and fancy Italian coffee machine.

The food still tasted good, but the portions were way too small for the cost. The pizza one diner at my table ordered was advertised to be 1o'', but it was smaller than the plate it rested on and it only had four large slices of pepperoni on the entire thing. I got a salad and it was somewhere between a dinner salad and a side salad. The problem is, the prices weren't adjusted when they moved from the expensive Sunset Strip to Glendale. Sure, the new mall is a little bit classier than other areas of the valley, but even so, people expect to see larger portions at those prices. I am hoping they are just still settling in and will live up to my expectations next time I visit.





Caffe Primo
8590 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
Map

Also at the Americana At Brand