This post was updated Nov. 18 at 11:12 p.m.
Bread Head – a sandwich shop known for its custom focaccia bread – opened in Westwood Village on Nov. 1.
The shop – which is nestled between Kreation Juicery & Avoholic Bar and TK Nails on Westwood Boulevard – is adorned with framed vintage posters, subway tile counters and turquoise-painted furniture. Bread Head has two other locations and was founded by Alex Williams and Jordan Snyder, who opened the first Bread Head in Santa Monica and plan to continue opening more, according to the company’s website.
Jennifer Lee, a fourth-year computer science student and a former Daily Bruin contributor, said she knew about Bread Head’s previous location in Santa Monica and decided to bring a friend to the Westwood location when it opened. The pair swapped halves of a combo grinder sandwich – an Italian sandwich with meats and cheeses – and a turkey pesto sandwich.
She also said she found the sandwiches to be fresh with crispy bread, adding that she would recommend the shop to her foodie friends.
“The vibe is very young and fresh,” Lee said.“It’s a good addition, and it’s a good spot to come for lunch.”
Williams said Westwood’s combination of office workers, hospital employees and students matched with Bread Head’s “neighborhood sandwich shop” profile. He added that Westwood is a favorite of his to visit for shopping and other activities.
Westwood has a daytime population of 130,000, with 20,000 employees working in Westwood Village in 2023, according to the Westwood Village Improvement Association.
With framed vintage posters of Los Angeles travel ads and UCLA sports, Bread Head’s Westwood location is targeted toward the UCLA community, Williams said. Students receive a 20% discount in November and 10% afterward.
“We honestly believe in the campus and the trajectory of different concepts landing here in Westwood,” Williams said. “In the past, I think there’s been a lack of good options, good concepts that have landed in Westwood, so I was excited to be on the trend upward for that.”
Amanda Dahlgren, a rehabilitation aide at the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center, said Bread Head is an exciting addition to Westwood. Dahlgren added that she was already a fan of the Santa Monica location.
“So excited,” she said. “It’s the best sandwich I’ve ever had. I really love this place.”
Dahlgren said she appreciates how Bread Head is within walking distance of her workplace and added that she believes it is “head and shoulders” above her other Westwood favorites. Williams said convenience is a priority for Bread Head, adding that they aim to serve customers in under 15 minutes.
Williams said word of mouth alone drew a better-than-expected crowd of pleased customers in Bread Head’s first week. He added that while he and Snyder drew on their fine-dining experience in creating Bread Head, their goal is to build a menu of “classic American-style sandwiches” that people can come back to week after week.
“We’re not pretentious. We have an eye for detail, but we’re not taking ourselves super seriously. We’re just trying to let all the food and products speak for itself,” Williams said. “We’re trying to bring that sense of that neighborhood sandwich shop into Westwood.”
Comments are closed.