On any given day or night Canon Drive on the corner Brighton is buzzing behind the green- hedged façade with a cacophony of laughter and clinking glasses. Plates of pasta and salads pour out of the kitchen and onto the crammed dining room tables and the small outdoor patio space at ebaldi.
Around the corner, it’s like a little slice of Europe at the brand’s casual café spin-off, edo. Here you can find a walk-up counter and bar with only a few tables where you can nip in for a coffee or a quick sandwich during the day. Mind you, there is also a long line with a wait by about 12pm.”
“Every day the same people come and it’s always busy,” said longtime employee Enrique Sosa who worked at the Beverly Hills flagship before setting off to help with the current expansion.
This Italian staple has spread further west in 2018 with edo little bites at Palisades Village in Pacific Palisades owned by Caruso. Renowned chef and celebrated restauranteur Edoardo Baldi recently entered into his second venture with Caruso to open edo by edoardo baldi at The Grove in late December of 2019.
“It is a dream come true to have a restaurant at The Grove,” said Edoardo Baldi. “We have a location at another Caruso property, Palisades Village, which has been a tremendous success for us and I am looking forward to replicating that success here at The Grove.”
The popular and endlessly crowded outdoor mall offers plenty of foot traffic for seated service akin to the Canon Drive restaurant but also grab-and-go options including a walk-up espresso and pastry counter all under one roof. Menu highlights include the edo croissant, e. baldi’s famous chicken salad, and fusilli Al Pacino.
Located down a charming cobble-stone path on Bow Street with twinkling lights next to See’s Candies, the new location embodies Edoardo’s signature culinary excellence while combining the beautiful balance of his Tuscan-style Beverly Hills fine dining establishment with his more playful cafés.
Born in Tuscany, Edoardo Baldi grew up learning how to cook true Italian food from his mother and grandmothers. At the age of ten, he moved to Los Angeles with his family, where his father opened Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi, which quickly became and remains one of the city’s most coveted and exclusive fine dining establishments located in Santa Monica. Today, Baldi continues to celebrate and share the passion of his culinary heritage, rooted in Italian cuisine using simple ingredients. Or as Baldi describes it, “Tuscan food with an accent of Emilia-Romanga.”
Even with the other cafe locations, the pizza dough and pastas are still prepared every day at ebaldi on Canon Drive to keep the same quality that has made this eatery a landmark in 90210 for decades.
Back at The Grove, they are building on the energy of the café that complements Caruso’s experience-driven mission. “We have been so pleased with the incredible success of edo little bites at Palisades Village, so bringing Edoardo Baldi’s newest creation to The Grove was a natural next step for us,” said Julie Jauregui, Senior Vice President, Retail Operations and Leasing at Caruso. “We’re excited to offer our guests a place to enjoy some of Baldi’s famous Italian staples as they relax on Bow Street, or grab coffee and pastries as they explore and shop at The Grove.”
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, edo by edoardo baldi offers a relaxing respite from a hectic lifestyle anytime of the day or night with Italian favorites from the original menu plus a curated selection of wines and specialty cocktails such as the Limoncello, lemon sorbetto and prosecco, which could also double as a dessert.
This sleek location was also personally designed by Baldi. The restaurant’s interiors encompass a stylish modern lounge, furnished by Ligne Roset, while outdoor seating spills onto the street where diners can people watch The Grove customers. AO served as the official architect for the space and are also partnering with Baldi for the edo little bites location coming to Manhattan Village in Manhattan Beach this year.
“The Grove was a natural fit for our next café. It’s a magical place, that goes so much beyond just shopping and I love watching the guests here make memories together with friends and family. We are now beginning construction on our next location in Manhattan Village, and are in discussion to bring the edo line of cafes to the San Fernando Valley,” confirmed Baldi. edolittlebites.com.
