Popular Venice Eatery Expands to Brentwood as Kalb Shifts Focus From Seafood
Chef Jackson Kalb has decided to switch his Brentwood restaurant, Jemma di Mare, to a new location based on his popular Ospi concept. According to Eater Los Angeles, the restaurant at 11677 San Vicente Boulevard will close on August 26 and reopen as Ospi Brentwood in the first week of September. Jemma di Mare has only been open for about a year, but Kalb decided it was time for a change.
Kalb, a Top Chef, and Santa Monica-based Melisse Restaurant alumnus, decided to make the change after noticing that only two dishes—the fritto misto and sole piccata—were consistently popular among diners. Rather than trying to continue with the seafood-based Jemme de Mare concept, Kalb chose to pivot the restaurant’s identity to align with the success of Ospi, his Venice-based eatery.
“Out of the top 20 best sellers, only two were seafood. That made me scratch my head and think, what the hell’s going on here?” Kalb told Eater Los Angeles. “I just needed to make a business decision and relaunch. I can’t have an ego anymore—it would just be damaging for everybody. People were asking for Ospi, and that’s been going great. People want what they want, so I’d rather just give it to them.”
Ospi, which opened in Venice in September 2020 during the height of the pandemic, quickly gained a loyal following and is now regarded as one of the top Italian restaurants in Los Angeles. Initially focused on Southern Italian cuisine with thin-crust Roman-style pizza, Ospi has since expanded its offerings to include a globally infused Italian American menu.
The new Ospi Brentwood location will retain Jemma di Mare’s layout and seating, with some updates to the artwork and wall accents. The popular fritto misto dish will remain on the menu, ensuring a seamless transition for fans of Kalb’s cuisine. Memento Mori, Jackson and his wife Melissa’s hospitality group plans on opening another Ospi in Orange County this fall.
