Cassia

Name: Cassia
Address: 1314 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, US
Telephone: +1 310-393-6699
Price range: $$$
Rating: 4.6

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Cassia

Cassia is an award-winning Southeast Asian brasserie located in a beautifully restored Art Deco building in downtown Santa Monica. This critically-acclaimed restaurant celebrates the fresh, vibrant flavors of Southeast Asia with a California sensibility and the best quality ingredients from local farmers. Enjoy comfortingly familiar dishes like steak frites, house-cured charcuterie platters, and chilled seafood bar, while also experiencing unique ancestral cuisine from Chef Bryant Ng.
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Recent social media posts

11/20/2025

Chinese American restaurants.
One big question: are they “real” Chinese food?

new article answers it in a way most people have never thought about.

David R. Chan is a 3rd-gen Angeleno and Chinese food historian who’s documented more than 8,000 Chinese restaurants across North America.

If you want to learn more about Chinese American food and …read.

Link in bio.

10/07/2025

Thank you for the feature on and ❤️We’re excited to keep sharing this new chapter with you all.

09/04/2025

Finally… is OPEN 🐇💚

Kim and I have been fortunate to open some really great restaurants like The Spice Table and , but this one’s the one we’re most proud of. We don’t come from privilege or generational wealth…we wanted something for “regular” people like ourselves. We believe delicious, convenient, affordable, fresh, high-quality food with lots of value should be accessible to more people. That’s what is all about.

We serve Chinese American food. My grandparents proudly served Chinese American food, opening “Bali Hai” in the 1950s–60s, and my parents had “Wok Way” in the 1980s–90s. With , we’re carrying on a family tradition into a 3rd generation.

Hope to see you soon!

03/06/2025

Scenes from our last night at Cassia. After 10 unforgettable years, we’ve officially closed our doors. We are eternally grateful to our incredible team, guests, and community. ❤️

With love and gratitude,
& Kim

Stay tuned for our next chapter in Santa Monica: Jade Rabbit 🥡

02/24/2025

Cassia is now closed. Thank you for all of your support over the years.

02/23/2025

Tonight is officially our last night! Although this chapter is coming to a close, the story of Cassia, and the incredible team behind it, will live on in the memories of everyone who walked through our doors. We are immensely proud of what we’ve built and the legacy we leave behind.

There are so many people to thank; but first, we want to thank all the guests we’ve had at Cassia over the years. Your amazing support, especially during the pandemic, kept us going.

We are also deeply grateful for the unique partnership we’ve been able to pull off, one that was always about friendship and respect. For the RC team, working with Bryant and Kim has been a wonderful journey of collaboration. The fact that we got to eat their food and problem solve with them over the past decade has been a true gift. For Bryant and Kim, collaborating with Josh, Zoe, Colby and the RC Family has been one of the most rewarding experiences of our journey. Together, we created something special that, we hope, helped move the culinary landscape in Los Angeles forward, or at the very least, provided some unforgettable meals and memories. And to share a hallway with Esters and be neighbors for these past years has built a special connectivity that we will miss.

We especially want to thank the incredible team members who’ve worked at Cassia over the years and made it the special place it has been, one that puts respect, positivity, and inclusivity at the forefront. We weren’t perfect, but we always tried our best. We’ve never worked with a more dedicated group of people. Together, we’ve weathered the natural ups and downs of the industry, survived a pandemic that made us stronger, and accomplished so much. It’s been inspiring to see what this team has achieved over the years.

With love and deepest gratitude,
Kim, Bryant, Zoe, Josh, Colby and the RC Family

02/21/2025

For those who know us, you know we’ve never chased accolades, it’s not in our nature to dwell on them. But as we reflect on what Cassia has meant to us and others, we want to acknowledge some of the incredible milestones we’ve achieved:

• LA Chefs for Human Rights: Our fundraising platform raised over $1.5 million to support local nonprofits.
• LA Times Gold Award (2019): Recognized for our culinary excellence and community work with LA Chefs for Human
Rights.
• New York Times 3-Star Review: The first-ever review outside of New York in the paper’s history.
• James Beard Awards: Finalist, Best Chef: California; Semifinalist, Best New Restaurant.
• Bon Appétit: Best New Restaurant 2016.
• LA Times: Top 10 Best Restaurants in 2015.
• LA Magazine & LA Weekly: #1 Best New Restaurant in 2015—a rare double honor!
• Travel + Leisure: Best Places to Eat in LA.
• GQ Magazine: 12 Best New Restaurants in 2015.
• Michelin Guide: Bib Gourmand.
• Jonathan Gold (LA Times): In his unforgettable review, he said we were “Colonizing the Colonizers.” That comment alone feels like it surpasses all the accolades above.

Although this chapter is coming to a close this weekend, on February 22, the story of Cassia, and the incredible team behind it, will live on in the memories of everyone who walked through our doors. We are immensely proud of what we’ve built and the legacy we leave behind. Moving forward, Bryant and Kim will turn their attention to their exciting new venture, Jade Rabbit, a new fast-casual restaurant in Santa Monica celebrating Chinese American food - a cuisine
Bryant’s family has been cooking in LA since the 1950s. The Rustic Canyon team will continue operating their group of Santa Monica (and Ojai) restaurants and will be looking for continued ways to adapt their group to the challenges of the new restaurant economy with the hopes and goals of being a forever company. And when they’re not doing that, they’ll be over at Jade Rabbit eating delicious food. We love and appreciate you all so much. One door closes and another opens.

02/19/2025

We have incredible an incredible team of Front of House and Back of House employees that we'd love to help find a new home! Please email us at [email protected].

02/09/2025

We are closed this evening for service. We will be open tomorrow. See you then!

01/30/2025

Happy Lunar New Year! 🏮🐍 Tonight, we welcome a year of abundance, joy, and fresh beginnings! Celebrate with us and enjoy dishes rich in symbolism and flavor—each one crafted to bring prosperity, health, and happiness. From Kon Loh Mee to Spicy Wontons and Sunbathing Prawns for Good Fortune! Walk-ins welcome, or head to the link in bio to reserve your spot.

01/27/2025

After nearly a decade of serving the community, we’ve made the difficult decision to close Cassia. We were fortunate to survive the pandemic and have enjoyed our wonderful 10-year run, but like many restaurants, we faced new challenges over the past few years, mainly the rising costs of operating a large-scale restaurant, but also entertainment industry strikes, and now fires. We are not unique, but it’s been a challenge for sure. While we’ve done our best to adapt, these circumstances have rendered us unable to continue to operate. Regarding the fires, we want to extend our deepest sympathies to everyone who has lost their homes or been affected by the recent destruction. It’s an unprecedented event that will reshape our city and the lives of so many people we know and care about for years to come. Our hearts are with you.

It breaks our hearts to share this news. This year marks Cassia’s 10th anniversary - a milestone that few restaurants ever reach. This closure is not just the end of a restaurant; it’s a deeply personal and profound loss for many of us at Cassia.

Cassia has been more than a job - it’s been a place where friendships were built, skills were honed, and memories were made. Some members of our staff have been with us since Day 1. Saying goodbye to them will in many ways be the hardest part of all of this.

From all of us - Kim, Bryant, Zoe, Josh, Colby, and the RC Family— thank you for your unwavering support. These years have been truly special, and we’re so grateful for every moment shared with you. To celebrate Cassia’s great run, give our long-time customers time to dine with us one or a few more times, and give our staff time to find other employment, we’ll be staying open through most of February, with our last service being Saturday February 22nd.

Address

1314 7th Street
Santa Monica, CA
90401

Directions:

Public transport: The nearest bus stop to 7th Street in Santa Monica is the 7th St / Wilshire Blvd stop, which is serviced by various local buses. From there, it's a short walk to the restaurants.

Driving/parking: If you're driving, you can park at the nearby parking lots, such as the Santa Monica Parking Structure #5 or #6. There may also be some street parking available on 7th Street and surrounding streets.

Vietnamese restaurant: Once you arrive at 7th Street in Santa Monica, head towards the intersection of 7th St and Broadway. The Vietnamese restaurant should be located on one of these streets.

Singaporean restaurant: Similarly, from 7th Street, make your way to the intersection of 7th St and Santa Monica Blvd. The Singaporean restaurant should be located near this intersection.

Asian fusion restaurant: Finally, for the Asian fusion restaurant, continue down 7th Street until you reach the intersection with Arizona Ave. The restaurant should be located nearby.

Telephone

+1 310-393-6699

Website

http://cassiala.com/

Alerts

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What people say

Asian fusion restaurants are known for their unique blend of flavors and ingredients from different parts of Asia, creating a culinary experience that is both exciting and satisfying. Cassia, located on 7th Street in Santa Monica, is a shining example of an exceptional Asian fusion restaurant.

Cassia is a critically-acclaimed Southeast Asian brasserie that celebrates the fresh and vibrant flavors of Southeast Asia while incorporating a California sensibility. The restaurant is a collaboration between two husband-and-wife duos, Bryant & Kim Luu-Ng and Josh Loeb & Zoe Nathan, who have brought their culinary heritage and experiences to create an unforgettable dining experience.

The menu at Cassia strikes a perfect balance between soulful ancestral cuisine and contemporary California sensibility by utilizing the best quality ingredients from local farmers and suppliers. From chilled seafood bar to house-cured charcuterie platters, steak frites to handcrafted beers, every dish at Cassia is comfortingly familiar yet uniquely flavorful.

The restaurant's restored 1937 Art Deco building adds to the ambiance of the place, making it an ideal spot for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends, Cassia has got you covered with its 180-seat capacity.

In conclusion, if you're looking for an exceptional Asian fusion restaurant in Santa Monica that offers fresh and vibrant flavors with a California twist, look no further than Cassia. With its award-winning cuisine and comfortable ambiance, it's no wonder why this restaurant has become one of the most popular spots in town.

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