Netflix Is Branching Out Into The World Of Pop-Up Restaurants
Netflix is getting into the restaurant business. The online streaming giant will open a pop-up restaurant called Netflix Bites in Los Angeles on June 30. In a statement released by Netflix, Josh Simon, Vice President of consumer products, said: "Netflix is already a destination for beloved food programming, from documentaries to competition shows ... From episode to entrée, with Netflix Bites we are creating an in-person experience where fans can immerse themselves in their favorite food shows."
This isn't the first time that Netflix, still the dominant force in streaming for movies and TV shows, has brought its programming into the meatspace. Fans of shows like "Bridgerton" and "Stranger Things" may recall that both properties have already launched their own immersive experiences in several global cities, including Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, and Toronto.
As of the time of writing, Netflix Bites is only scheduled in Los Angeles, but the location will be nonetheless auspicious. The restaurant, which will be open seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and for weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be at the Short Stories Hotel, just across the street from the famed Grove shopping center, where Netflix also opened its first retail store in 2022.
The pop-up will feature some familiar chefs
As the statement from VP Josh Simon says, Netflix has become a go-to for food-based programming. As such, Netflix Bites will prominently feature dishes from celebrity chefs recognizable from these programs and beyond. This will include Dominique Crenn, famed owner of the three-Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, and a familiar face in the "Iron Chef" universe. Other participating celebrity "Iron Chef" regulars — who, like Crenn, have served as chefs on "Quest for an Iron Legend" — include Ming Tsai, Andrew Zimmern, and Curtis Stone.
Netflix Bites will also include contributions from Nadiya Hussain, winner of Season 6 of "The Great British Bake Off" and host of two cooking shows available on Netflix, including "Nadiya Bakes" and "Nadiya's Time to Eat." Barbecue pitmaster Rodney Scott and pizza maestra Ann Kim, both James Beard Award-winning chefs who have been featured in Netflix's "Chef's Table," will also be creating dishes for the pop-up. Lastly, the restaurant's menu will include cocktails created by mixologists of Netflix's "Drink Masters," specifically Frankie Solarik, Julie Reiner, Kate Gerwin, and L.P. O'Brien.
Though the Netflix Bites website has yet to announce any specific dishes, reservations are already available through Resy.