Gladstone’s Malibu celebrating 50 years on PCH
By Dolores Quintana
A popular Pacific Palisades restaurant turned 50 this year.
Gladstone’s Malibu, the venerable staple beachside restaurant, announced their celebration of 50 years in business on their Instagram page on March 26.
The restaurant has been in business since 1972. The post said, “Gladstones is celebrating 50 YEARS !!! Join us and toast to our iconic landmark. Grab your favorite bevy and order from our full menu of savory seafoods. Lobster rolls, oysters, jumbo prawns just to name a few. We’ll be waiting for you.”
The restaurant is owned by former mayor Richard Riordan and, as the website notes, “has stood the test of time, outlived trends, and set the bar for quality and warmth.”
The future of Gladstones, however, remains uncertain.
In 2018, the LA County Board of Supervisors voted to allow the County’s Department of Beaches and Harbors to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with PCH Beach Associates, LLC (PCH Beach) to develop and operate a new restaurant and related amenities at the Pacific Palisades site. PCH Beach’s proposal was selected after a competitive process that began in April 2017, when the County asked for proposals to redevelop the 2.8-acre site at 17300 Pacific Coast Highway, north of Sunset Boulevard.
The proposed project calls for an architecturally attractive waterfront dining destination with easy access to public transit, including the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus. Preliminary plans include casual dining areas serving a changing menu of locally-sourced, farm-to-table cuisine, a lounge, a rooftop bar, a public deck, small retailers including an ice cream shop, and a monument to the site’s well-known current tenant, Gladstones.
The exclusive negotiating agreement is only the first step in a redevelopment effort anticipated to take several years. In the meantime, Gladstones will continue to operate under a two-five year agreement until the execution of the PCH Beach concession contract. That final contract will require approval from the Board of Supervisors.
Under the plan, Gladstones would be redeveloped with renowned architect Frank Gehry as the designer and celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck as the operator.
“We are honored for the opportunity to partner together on such an iconic California property. Drawing inspiration from the communities and landscapes that make Southern California a world-renowned destination, we will work together to deliver approachable, high-quality cuisine in a distinct architectural setting,” Puck said.
