Cockroach violation shuts down Erewhon’s luxury tonic bar in Santa Monica

Erewhon, the luxury grocery chain famed for $20 smoothies, faced a setback when its Santa Monica tonic bar was shuttered for a cockroach infestation on April 8. 

The tonic bar at Erewhon’s Santa Monica location, 2800 Wilshire Blvd., known for crafting Hailey Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter smoothies, was closed after inspectors from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health found two live nymph German cockroaches and one dead cockroach in a cabinet beneath a Simonelli coffee machine. 

The closure was classified as a “major” vermin violation under California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1, which requires food facilities to be maintained free of vermin. Inspectors also cited other issues, including improper food storage and inadequate facility maintenance, such as unclean surfaces, faulty plumbing, and poor ventilation.

The store received a “B” grade with a score of 84 out of 100. The inspection report required the elimination of all cockroach evidence, including egg capsules and fecal markings. The tonic bar closed on April 8 but reopened on April 10 following a successful reinspection with no further cockroach evidence.

Food safety enforcement in Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health oversees approximately 30,000 food facilities, conducting routine inspections to ensure compliance with health codes. High-risk facilities, like those with full-service kitchens, are typically scheduled for three inspections annually, though staffing shortages occasionally disrupt this schedule. Vermin violations, such as cockroach or rodent infestations, remain a common cause of temporary closures.

Consumer reactions
News of the violation spread quickly on social media, particularly on Reddit’s r/FoodLosAngeles subreddit, where users highlighted the contrast between Erewhon’s premium branding and the health code issue. A food safety professional commented on April 9, “Ongoing vermin and pest control should be at the top of the list for a grocery chain, especially one as upscale and all about quality as Erewhon. … They’ve also been looking to hire a Food Safety manager for months now … so no wonder things are slipping.” Another user quipped on April 9, “If they just charged $20 per rat people would be flocking over there.” While some mocked the chain’s $19 strawberries and $20 smoothies, loyal customers returned for Coconut Cloud smoothies and other offerings upon the reopening.

On April 9, Erewhon issued a statement: “We deeply regret that a roach was found in our tonic bar, and we sincerely apologize for this lapse in our standards.” The company voluntarily closed the bar for thorough sanitation, emphasizing its weekly pest control visits and third-party food safety consultations. The bar passed a follow-up inspection on April 10 and reopened the same day.

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