A big birthday high five to the team at The Sidewalk!  The Sidewalk Cafe has been serving locals and tourists since 1976!  Check out their story below!

The Sidewalk Cafe on the Venice Boardwalk rules!  In an ever changing Venice landscape, the Sidewalk is our rock.  You don’t stay in business on boardwalk for 46 years unless you are doing it right!  A big fist bump to the team over there!

About The Sidewalk Cafe:  A Venice Boardwalk landmark for 46 years, The Sidewalk Cafe offers fresh, high-quality, well-prepared food with generous portions. And all of their soups and sauces are homemade. The outdoor covered patio provides a beautiful view of the beach and ocean while street performers and an eclectic crowd continuously entertain.

The SWC has satellite sports packages, Ten TV’s including three big screens and is known as “The Best Place to People Watch in Venice Beach.”   The Sidewalk Cafe features a full service bar. Happy Hour from 3-7 p.m.    A fun place for the entire family.

The building sold to the Harrah family (of gambling fame) and was turned into a bingo parlor (later called bridgo because bingo was illegal). During prohibition, Abbot Kinney’s underground utility tunnels were modified to accommodate bootleggers who delivered liquor at night under the pier. In the 1950s and early ‘60s the building housed artists’ studios and served as the crash pad for beatnik writers and poets such as Jack Kerouac. The building stood vacant for many years until 1976 when Mary Goodfader’s bookstore, Small World Books, lost its lease in Marina Del Rey. Bob Goodfader, while bicycling on the bike path, saw the building and called the phone number graffitied on its front. The Goodfaders and their friends, Walter (Skip) and Penny Dixon bought the building as a new location for the bookstore.

Bob and Skip decided to open a small takeout place on the side, not in use by the bookstore. The eatery was such a hit that they expanded it into a patio restaurant. Venice experienced a rebirth with roller skating and skateboarding in the 70s.

The Boardwalk’s unique entertainers, skateboarding’s Z-boys, Muscle Beach’s bodybuilders and Venice’s basketball players attracted worldwide attention. The Sidewalk Café offered great food and a front row seat to the circus. Small World Books is one of the last surviving independent bookstores in Los Angeles and is still run by Mary. See what treasures that their staff can help you discover.

Bob passed away in 2002, but the Sidewalk Café is still being run by the people he trained including his son Jay, his protégé Steve, his general manager Kristen and his head cook Luciano.

Check out photos from their 40th Anniversary party in 2016.  All photos by Venice Paparazzi.

Jay Goodfader and family.  Photo from their 40th Anniversary party in 2016

SWC’s General Manager Kristen Archival and daughter Alex.  Photo from their 40th Anniversary party in 2016

Photo from their 40th Anniversary party in 2016

Re-live the SWC’s 40th Anniversary in 2016!