New Driftwood Kitchen will replace Beach House

A new Laguna Beach restaurant, the Driftwood Kitchen, will be ready to open this holiday season after replacing long-time establishment The Beach House, which shut its doors in early October after 45 years of operations.

Driftwood Kitchen will be run by executive chef Rainer Schwarz and director of operations John Nye, who have been operating neighboring restaurant, The Deck.

Schwarz previously served as executive chef at Los Angeles’ Roosevelt and Viceroy hotels. Nye has been the director of food and beverage for the Roosevelt Hotel and culinary director at the Cohn Restaurant Group.

The eatery will feature a new bar in the dining room while the outside patio will feature couches and fire pits, according to a news release.

— Beau Nicolette