Nonna Ristorante Italiano & Craft Cocktail Bar opened in Westlake Village on March 26th

Nonna Ristorante Italiano & Craft Cocktail Bar opened on March 26, 2018 at the former home of Bellini Osteria at 951 S. Westlake Boulevard, Suite 102, Westlake Village (between Townsgate and Agoura Road). Nonna offers, well, you know, a selection of Italian foods such as pastas, antipasti, pizza, main courses such as sea bass, salmon, filet mignon, bone in ribeye and more.

Check them out at nonna.restaurant.

So long to Bellini Osteria, which originally opened in the fall of 2009. Prior to that it was Mandevilla Restaurant

Jersey Mike's to Open a New Location Soon at the Oakbrook Plaza in Thousand Oaks

Update: Location to open 4/11/18.

Posted 9/29/17: Blair Breger of Thousand Oaks drove by and witnessed it...a Jersey Mike's Subs sign was being placed in the former Round Table Pizza location next to P & L Burger at the Oakbrook Plaza in Thousand Oaks (2000 E. Avenida de Los Arboles). No word yet on specific timing, though the Jersey Mike's website says "Scheduled to Open Soon."

Jersey Mike's appears to be doing well in the Conejo Valley, opening another Thousand Oaks location on the hills of opening a 2nd Newbury Park location in late July of this year.

Jeanette's Edelweiss in Newbury Park Under New Ownership and Renamed Julie's Alps

Jeanette's Edelweiss at 2160A Newbury Road in Newbury Park is under new ownership and has been renamed Julie's Alps - A Bavarian Fun Fest!

Menu items include a wide range of Bavarian specialties as well as vegan and vegetarian options.

Menu items include Goulaschuppe (beef goulash soup), bratwurst, giant pretzels, schnitzel, sauerbraten, leberkaese, pork roast, currywurst, weißwurst, käsekrainer (bratwurst infused with cheese), käsespätzle, sandwiches, strudel and much more. 

juliesbff.com

Habanero Mexican Grill Opens 2nd Location in Thousand Oaks (Oakbrook Center)

Habanero Mexican Grill, a popular eatery that opened its doors in Newbury Park in February 2017, has opened a new location in the former, albeit brief, home of Cinqo in the Oakbrook Center in Thousand Oaks (Avenida de los Arboles at Erbes).

Smashburger Simi Valley Opened on March 5th

Update: Smashburger Simi Valley did not last very long…it closed sometime in 2019. There is now just one Smashburger in Camarillo, at the Premium Outlets.

Smashburger fans in the Conejo Valley have another Smashburger option in Ventura County. The new Simi Valley location opened at the corner of First Street and Los Angeles Avenue on March 5, 2018. More on Smashburger at smashburger.com.

The Thousand Oaks Smashburger location closed mid-summer 2017 after operating for five years. The Camarillo Smashburger opened at The Promenade section of the Camarillo Premium Outlets on November 26, 2014. 

If you're looking for a Smashburger bargain, look no further than the Costco website at www.costco.com/Smashburger-Four-%2425-Gift-Cards.product.100143270.html to purchase four $25 Smashburger gift cards for $74.99. Free shipping. Not a bad way to save 25%.

City of Camarillo Planning Commission Approves Cracker Barrel at Camarillo Premium Outlets

UPDATE 1/11/20: “Opening February 3rd” sign is up.

UPDATE Aug 18: City of Camarillo indicated 8/23/18 that this new Cracker Barrel is coming in the spring of 2019 in the Promenade section of the Camarillo Premium Outlets (near Las Posas, across the street from a planned new hotel and conference center). Ground breaking was anticipated for Sept/Oct time frame with an anticipated opening date of March/April 2019.

The City of Camarillo Planning Commission recently approved construction of a 10,486 sq ft Cracker Barrel restaurant and retail store in the Promenade section of the Camarillo Premium Outlets, Ventura Boulevard and Promenade Drive.

The business will consist of 9,170 sq ft of restaurant and retail space and a 1,316 sq ft covered porch.

No other details at this point re: timing.

The first Cracker Barrel Old Country Store opened on September 19, 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee.  It has grown over the years to 650 restaurants in 45 states. The eatery brought its homestyle Southern cooking to California for the first time this year in Victorville. The Camarillo location will continue this trend.

Cracker Barrel is a publicly traded company, stock symbol CBRL. Its current market valuation is nearly $4 billion, with revenue in its most recent several years totaling just under $3 billion. That's a lot of chicken fried chicken, meatloaf and biscuits and gravy!

Dave & Buster's Thousand Oaks Looks to Open in March 2019

UPDATE 11/6/18: Dave & Buster’s Corporate office has indicated the grand opening time frame has been pushed to the early March 2019 time frame. (Specifically, as of 12/26/18, March 4th…subject to change.)

As we heard in May 2017 (has it already been that long!?, Dave & Buster's will be opening a Thousand Oaks location in the former Sports Authority at 145 West Hillcrest Drive #130.  When?

Dave & Buster's has five managerial jobs for this new location listed on its site. The listings indicated they are "OPENING November 2018! Interviews start in October - apply today!"

For those of you unfamiliar with Dave & Buster's, it is a restaurant chain headquartered in Dallas with over 100 locations, offering a full-service restaurant and bar with a large arcade area for kids and parents alike. Many locations also provide pool tables.

Learn more at www.daveandbusters.com/careers.

Drive Thru Starbucks Coming to Southwest Corner of Thousand Oaks Blvd and Auto Mall Drive

UPDATE: Opened on February 15th!

As if we didn't need another Starbucks in the Conejo Valley, here comes another one, this one another of the extra-popular drive-thru variety. This new Starbucks is located at the southwest corner of Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Auto Mall Drive. It looks to be opening quite soon.

Let's take a look. Other drive-thru Starbucks locations in the local area: Thousand Oaks & Rancho Road (T.O.), Lindero Canyon & Kanan (T.O./Oak Park), Hillcrest & Ventu Park (NP), Country Club & Wood Ranch (Simi), Los Angeles & 1st (Simi), Hwy 118 and 1st (Simi), Cochran and Galena (Simi), Wendy & Grande Vista (NP), Arneill & Las Posas (Cam), Lewis & Las Posas (Cam), Gonzalez & Rose (Oxnard), Channel Islands & Rose (Oxnard - open 24 hrs), Saviers & Channel Islands (Oxnard), Palm & Harvard (Santa Paula), Highway 126 & A St (Fillmore), Telegraph & Day (Ventura),  16 other drive-thru Starbucks locations in Ventura County, soon to be 17.

www.starbucks.com

101 North Eatery & Bar Opening Soon at The Shoppes at Westlake Village

101 North Eatery & Bar is opening soon in the former home of Olio Pizzeria at The Shoppes at Westlake Village, 30760 Russell Ranch Road, Westlake Village.

Stay tuned at www.101northeateryandbar.com or www.facebook.com/101NorthEateryandBar.