A New Hollywood Distillery Makes Vodka from California Dates in a Former Cemetery

Hollywood’s first legal distillery is now open, serving up delicious California flavors — and history — in a former cemetery. At Hollywood Distillery, the owners source grains from Southern California growers and use Coachella Valley history to sweeten and sour their award-winning vodka.

“You can taste that this is not your typical vodka that you get from other brands around the world,” said co-owner Jeff Zarennam. “It’s very special and unusual.”

The remains of their stills can be seen from Santa Monica Boulevard, with large windows overlooking the distillery across the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The place itself was originally the morgue of the Pearce brothers, but is now home to spirits of another nature.

Hollywood Distillery’s gin, Nopalera, takes its name from LA’s primitive topography of cactus fields and prickly pears; The latter is used in distilled spirits, as are native herbs and spices such as sage. Their Zanja-Madrid Rye and Bourbon was named for one of the first waters to power Los Angeles. Lebanon-born co-founder Ferris Wehbe wondered if vodka could be created using dates, another regional inspiration and an ingredient for his upbringing.

Hollywood Distillery opens its facility and taproom in late 2025 with gin, vodka, bourbon and rye – with more spirits to come.

(Stephanie Brijo/Los Angeles Times)

“In Lebanon in late September and October, it’s time to celebrate,” he said. “They dispense ouzo [arak] There, and it’s about relationships, it’s about music, and different villages collect different things.

Wehbe, who owns the property Hollywood speakeasy next door loungeasked a distiller if they could make vodka with dates, the fermented date sap often found in arak. What became the Hollywood distillery’s first product, called Oasis Vodka, won two gold medals at the 2019 competition. The owners knew they were onto something.

The project began long ago, when Governor Jerry Brown signed the Craft Distillers Act of 2015, which allows local distillers to sell a limited number of bottles of their spirits on-site and offer distilled spirits straight and in cocktails. Seeing this as a viable business model, longtime friends Webby and Jeff Zrinnum decided to build their own distillery.

Through a separate business venture, Zernam met Larry Newberg, who owns the building where the Hollywood Distillery now resides. The trio – who call themselves “Partners in Hooch” – come from a range of backgrounds that include hotel operations, import and export, and children’s education.

“We all have other things we do, so we call it a passion project,” Newberg said. “Boy, don’t we know what we’re getting into?”

After a decade of planning, research and extensive construction of custom equipment, the Hollywood Distillery is now open. The roughly 5,500-square-foot operation offers tasting flights, cocktails, a “private barrel club,” food pop-ups and experiential programming such as murder mystery nights. The owners plan to eventually expand their offerings with rum and an agave-based spirit, and future collaborations with local businesses — including a cemetery. Hollywood Distillery’s taproom is open Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

5975 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, hollywooddistillery.com

Spanish restaurant Casa Leo in Los Feliz offers wine, tapas and coca, or Iberian flatbreads, with the likes of lardons, queso, caramelized onions, passion fruit, corn and more.

(Stephanie Brijo/Los Angeles Times)

Casa Leo

The longtime student of José Andrés recently launched Casa Leo in Los Feliz after years of cooking at Spanish chef restaurants in Los Angeles and Washington, DC, including Minibar, Bazar, Cafe Atlantico and Zetinia.

Rabo de Toro, or slow-cooked oxtail with potato chips at Casa Leo.

(Stephanie Brijo/Los Angeles Times)

At his new Spanish restaurant, chef-owner Joshua Wiggum offers a range of tapas and other classics, including gambas al ajello, seasonal gazpacho, boquerone with potato chips, and pan con manchego. But his signature piece, the Love Kokas work, took years of study and work to complete.

Casa Leo’s Catalan flatbread is topped with local and LA-inspired ingredients, as well as Iberian ingredients for combinations like summer corn with katsuobushi, mint and Fresno chiles. lardons with caramelized onions and fresh berries; and canned tuna with Manzanilla olives and tomatoes.

On the menu, find the full Cocas menu as well as bagel and luxe varieties, pastries, Spanish tortillas and more. Casa Leo is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Friday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

4500-C Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 284-8990, casaleola.com

Meerut has been named one of the best bars in the world

One of LA’s best bars for agave-based spirits has just been named one of the world’s best places for cocktails. Marat, in Los Feliz, was recently ranked in the world’s 50 best Top 100 bars.

Merritt’s Atrium Dining Room, an agave-focused cocktail bar and restaurant.

(Joel Barhamand/For The Times)

The bar features spirits, wine and beer sourced entirely from Mexico, and Launched in late 2022. It is the 7,500-square-foot sibling of Sherman Oaks’ Daisy Margarita Bar and has a Best restaurant patios in LA

“Dad, artisan distillates personally sourced by the bar team lie at the heart of these cocktails,” the guide reads.

No Los Angeles bars were named in the World’s 50 Best Bars Top 50 list this year

The same publication also recently published a guide Top 50 Bars in North America. Meerut ranks 12th on this list, while the historic Philippinestown bar the thunder Dropped in on the 24th. On the list of the top 100 bars in North America, West Hollywood bar next door 100 places.

In September, the same publication published its opening list Of the 50 best restaurants in North America, with three in the LA area: Cato, Providence and Holbox.

Meerut is open Sunday to Thursday from 5pm to 11pm and Friday and Saturday from 5pm to midnight.

1712 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 649-7937, mirate.la