10 New Venues in Los Angeles for Fall 2020 Meetings and Events

Inglewood's highly anticipated SoFi Stadium opened in September as the new home to the Rams and the Chargers. The first football stadium to be built in Los Angeles in nearly 100 years, the 3.1 million-square-foot venue is now the largest stadium in the NFL and the first to be an open-air, indoor-outdoor venue. It holds 70,000 for games or as many as 100,000 for events, and is slated to host the Super Bowl in 2022, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Highlights of the massive space include 260 suites, 12 club spaces, and a 90,000-square-foot digital LED screen. The stadium is the centerpiece of Hollywood Park, a 300-acre sports and entertainment complex that, upon completion, will feature a 6,000-seat performance venue and 25 acres of public parks, plus office space, a retail district, and a hotel.

The Glenmark, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, opened in Glendale in July. The property features 85 stylish guest rooms and 7,900 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. There are also four distinct food and beverage options, including Mediterranean eatery Olia and Mila, Glendale's tallest rooftop bar offering views of the Los Angeles skyline; the outdoor space spans 4,500 square feet. Designed by Santa Monica-based firm Hirsch Bender Associates, the hotel features rotating artwork from both well-known artists and local creators.

In August, Felix chef Evan Funke opened Fingers Crossed in Hollywood. Funke's version of a Roman pizzeria, the alfresco dining experience is located adjacent to the Dream Hotel and accessible via rustic patina ironwork gates. The Relevant Hospitality-designed courtyard eatery, which holds 70 people, has a romantic feel with lush greenery, ivy-wrapped walls, and strands of outdoor lighting.

Restaurateurs Heidi and Alan Jackson opened Bull & Butterfly in Playa Vista in August. The steakhouse, which bills itself as a "heartfelt Californian ode to Baja ranch cooking," features a bright and airy layout, with a horseshoe-shaped bar, an alfresco patio, and a color palette of blush pink, emerald green, and rose- and brassy-golds. The kitchen is helmed by executive chef Robbie Nowlin, formerly of Otium in DTLA.

In October, Fellow restaurant reopened with a new team of operators and an all-new art gallery and exhibition space. Called The Galerie at Fellow, the venue displays a rotating selection of visual artists, debuting with pieces from Sam Milgrom of Hollywood’s Mr. Musichead Gallery, as well as street artist James Goldcrown. The gallery is designed to tie into the dining experience; it serves as the primary entrance to Fellow and also houses an expansive wine cellar that doubles as a private dining room. The two-year-old restaurant, located in a Westwood Village building built in 1929, serves modern Cal-French cuisine with global influences. It offers alfresco dining for 40, plus indoor space for 250 guests.

Popular Santa Monica eatery Forma Restaurant & Cheese Bar debuted a second location in October called Forma Venice. The menu features signature pastas served “dalla forma,” a preparation method where freshly cooked pasta is tossed in large hollowed cheese wheels just prior to being served. (In fact, a massive cheese bar, offering over 70 types of cheese, serves as the focal point of the main dining room.) There's also a full bar and cocktail list created by local mixologist Vincenzo Marianella, known for the cocktail programs at Fia and Providence. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant has four garage-style doors to create an indoor-outdoor flow to the patio, which has a beachy color palette of white, gray, and midnight blue; inside has a darker look with rich walnut veneers and midcentury modern furniture. A semiprivate dining room seats 24.

Chef Enrique Olvera's much-anticipated new Mexican eatery, Damian, opened last week after several years of development. The downtown Los Angeles eatery currently seats 40 on an expanded patio, and it will eventually seat 160 inside. Named for a third-century Catholic saint, the space has an industrial feel with a polished concrete bar and brick and wood details. In addition to Cal-Mexican cuisine, there's a cocktail program featuring a selection of mezcals sourced from Mexican distillers. The team plans to open an adjacent taqueria, Ditroit, once COVID-19 restrictions lift.

Opening this month is FOUND Hotel Santa Monica, a modern, two-story property geared toward Gen Z and millennial travelers. The hotel has 88 rooms; options range from private rooms with flat-screen TVs and work desks to dormitory-style shared rooms with bunk beds and storage lockers. In addition to a communal kitchen and workspaces with high-speed Wi-Fi, the property has a 55-seat guest lounge and a 20-seat restaurant. The budget-friendly hotel, located adjacent to Blue Jam Cafe and Mom's Bar, plans to offer a patio for yoga and other outdoor activities in the future, as well as bike rentals.

Yours Truly chef-owner Vartan Abgaryan’s new outdoor restaurant, Post Script, opened in Venice in September. The semi-enclosed parking lot setup aims to evoke a festive backyard dinner party; Abgaryan cooks meat on an open flame, while an on-site food truck serves sides and other dishes. Located in a large tent next to Brig Bar on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the colorful space, which seats 116 guests, has a painted floor, greenery, and hanging lights.

Looking to get out of Los Angeles? JW Marriott opened its first Orange Country property in August. Located blocks from Disneyland, the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort has 466 guest rooms (including 19 suites), plus a design inspired by Orange County's diverse agricultural history. It also has 43,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including 15 meeting rooms and a ballroom that holds 1,400. There's also a swimming pool with three large cabanas, plus Parkestry (pictured), the hotel's rooftop bar and lounge. A unique touch? The JW Garden is an augmented reality-fueled sculpture garden; the digital experience allows guests to play with digital butterflies, nurture trees, and more.