Melrose Avenue is about to get a Bay Area accent. San Francisco chef Coskun Abik is bringing a new restaurant to Los Angeles, confirming plans to move into a storefront on the busy Melrose corridor. Abik told local reporters he has a concept lined up for the 7505 Melrose Ave. space and that his team is aiming for an end-of-June opening. If the schedule holds, Los Angeles gets another Bay Area player on one of its most trafficked food and retail strips.
According to What Now Los Angeles, an ABC filing lists 7505 Melrose Ave. as the planned site, and Abik confirmed the plan in a message to the outlet. Commercial listing materials for 7501–7507 Melrose Ave. note that the unit comes with a Type 47 full-liquor license, a large outdoor patio, and a fully equipped chef's kitchen, perks that would make the space essentially turnkey for a chef-driven debut. LoopNet lists the property details.
In the Bay Area, Abik is best known as the chef behind Blind Butcher in San Francisco and as executive chef at Opelia in Los Gatos. Blind Butcher's site highlights hand-cut prime steaks, seafood, and New American plates, while Opelia markets an Aegean-Anatolian approach. For more on his Castro project, see Hoodline's earlier coverage of Blind Butcher's Castro debut, and check Blind Butcher and Opelia for current menus and hours.
What the Melrose space offers
Property and marketing documents for the 7501–7507 Melrose block show indoor seating, an expansive patio, and kitchen infrastructure that is already in place, including wood-burning ovens and rated hoods, which cuts down on build-out time for whoever takes the keys. Those features have helped keep the corner attractive to multiple tenants over the years and should let a chef like Abik focus more on the menu and less on a long renovation. The listing materials spell out the layout, capacity, and licensing details for prospective operators.
Timeline and next steps
Abik told What Now Los Angeles that he and his team are "aiming for an opening at the end of June," although the outlet notes it is still waiting on confirmation of the concept's name, the menu, and the design. Until Abik or his team shares those details, diners are left to guess whether the Los Angeles outpost will tilt toward Blind Butcher's steak-heavy profile, Opelia's Aegean flavors, or something in between.
For now, Angelenos will be watching Melrose to see what Abik brings down from the Bay Area, whether that is prime steaks, Anatolian dishes, or a completely new direction. This story will be updated when the chef's team releases the official name, menu, or a firm opening date.
