With Herb & Wood five months into a successful run in Little Italy, celeb chef Brian Malarkey and business partner Chris Puffer have introduced a second concept, Herb & Eatery, a new neighborhood cafe and chef's market attached to the restaurant that spans a 3,500-square-foot space on Kettner Boulevard.
Designed as a casual counterpart to the swanky restaurant, the 50-seat cafe features all-day counter service-style menu that starts with a coffee program featuring Copa Vida and fresh-baked pastries and breads; breakfast offerings include smoothies, croissant egg sandwiches, house cured lox on bagels, and hearty slices of loaf-shaped baked eggs made with whole eggs and cream, egg whites, or eggs and sliced potatoes and accompanied with everything from roasted hot, sweet and pickled peppers to goat cheese, mushrooms and kale.
Custom-made salad bowls come from a prepared food counter, where an array of greens can be paired with a variety of toppings — from vegetable and grain mixes, including cauliflower ceviche and farro with roasted grapes and herbs, to fresh poke, charcuterie, and chicken curry. Skewers, from shrimp and preserved lemon to grass fed beef with chimichurri, offer additional protein while lunch sandwich options range from a Reuben with house cured pastrami to kimchi-topped fried chicken and a version of a banh mi with chicken sausage and chicken liver. Herb & Eatery will serve Bloody Marys and mimosas, as well as beer, wine, and a special cocktail on tap.
The market portion of the concept is still developing, but currently retails mixed six-packs of beer, wine, juice from local Stehly Farms, and housemade snacks and treats, from gelato to pickles and hot sauce. Goods from farmer's market vendors will be featured, along with cookbooks and home decor. Malarkey also told Eater that they plan to offer pre-made meal components and full dinners, enabling customers to heat or cook restaurant-quality dinners at home.
Now open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Herb & Eatery will extend its hours significantly 30 days from now. Malarkey and his team will add a dinner service featuring nightly specials and keep the cafe running late, until Herb & Wood closes, to utilize the cafe as a dessert and coffee venue.