Incredible Southeast Asian-Inspired Restaurant Cites Rising Costs, Financial Challenges
Cassia, the acclaimed Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant, will close its doors in February after nearly a decade of operation, the owners announced on Instagram. The restaurant, which first opened in 2015, cited financial challenges, rising operational costs, entertainment industry strikes, and the recent wildfires as contributing factors to its closure.
This is 2025 second high profile closure in the month of January, following Culver City’s Lustig’s farewell last weekend. It is concerning that such a popular and amazing restaurant that has been around for nearly ten years would be moved to shutter the eatery for these reasons and a few weeks of light customer traffic.
It is an alarming and unfortunate trend for anyone who loves food culture in Los Angeles as well as a loss to the Westside community.
To give customers a final chance to dine at Cassia and provide employees time to transition, the restaurant will remain open through most of February, with its final service scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22.
Owners Kim, Bryant, Zoe, Josh, Colby, and the RC Family thanked patrons for their years of support. “These years have been truly special, and we’re so grateful for every moment shared with you,” they said.
“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,” the owners said in a statement. “While we’ve done our best to adapt, these circumstances have rendered us unable to continue to operate.”
Cassia, located in downtown Santa Monica, became a staple in the city’s dining scene, known for its French- and Vietnamese-inspired dishes. The restaurant’s team also expressed sympathy for those impacted by the recent wildfires, calling the devastation an “unprecedented event that will reshape our city.”
“Cassia has been more than a job—it’s been a place where friendships were built, skills were honed, and memories were made,” the statement said. “Some members of our staff have been with us since day one. Saying goodbye to them will, in many ways, be the hardest part of all of this.”
