Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine WeHo is Moving From Original Location After 27 Years

The Bossa Nova Brazilian Cuisine West Hollywood, located at 685 N Robertson Blvd., is moving from that location after being on that spot for 27 years. Founded in 1993, the restaurant is known for its Brazilian and continental cuisine. Their menu includes pasta, salads and grilled dishes.

“Thank you West Hollywood for 27 wonderful years in that location,” reads a post on their official Facebook page. “Stay tuned!” New location opening soon at Sunset Plaza 8630 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood.”

The restaurant is still open as of the posting of this piece. An employee confirmed that they are moving, but she was not able to give a date when they will close. She believes it will be sooner than later, but for now she says they are open for delivery and take out until 11:30pm.

The closing of that location comes as no surprise to those who have been following the development plans for the property where Bossa Nova Currently stands. The restaurant is slated for demolition to make way for developer Faring’s Robertson Lane project, which will turn The Factory dance club into a nine-story hotel with 241 rooms and a rooftop pool. The developer is also planning ground-level retail and event space, along with restaurants and six levels of underground parking for 750 vehicles for the 1.94-acre space at 9091 Santa Monica Boulevard.

The neighboring Hamburger Haven located on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Robertson Boulevard closed its doors for good on December 24, 2019, after operating in West Hollywood for over 40 years. It has remained vacant since its closure. Faring will replace the hamburger joint with a restaurant in the shape of a birdcage.

According to their website, Bossa Nova’s story started in Salvador and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the early 70’s when chef Francisco developed a curiosity in culinary while growing up in the northern state of Bahia, cooking alongside his grandparents during his young life.
After his young years of “playing in the kitchen”, Francisco started his professional career as a financial and credit adviser in one of the largest banks in Brazil. He also attended physical education college in the 80’s.

Francisco moved to Los Angeles with only $50 in his pocket, in search for new opportunities. His early jobs included working as a pizza delivery person, a residential building manager, painter, and even bought and sold used cars, doing whatever it took to honestly pay the bills.

He started his professional kitchen career in the US at Cafe Brasil, a new Brazilian restaurant his personal friends started, in 1991.

During the 90’s he attended and graduated from the prestigious Cordon Bleu Culinary School. He also worked at Sofitel Hotel and Resorts, one of the most upscale and sophisticated hotels at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.

Aurelio started his career by serving the Brazilian army, attending Reserve Officer Army Academy. After he graduated, he studied accounting at the University of Rio de Janeiro. While attending college, he was admitted at Coopers and Lybrand as a trainee auditor. He worked as an external auditor until 1988, when he decided to move to the US and pursue his American Dream. He started in the restaurant business in 1989, where he worked as a pizza delivery person, busser, waiter, and cashier. He also worked as a tour guide for Spanish and Portuguese speakers.

In 1993, Francisco and Aurelio joined forces and opened the first Bossa Nova restaurant in West Hollywood. The community was extremely receptive and supportive, and it became an instant success.

In 1998, a second Bossa Nova location opened on Sunset Sunset Boulevard. They served the late-night Hollywood area by staying until 3:30am every day.

In 2007, the success in Hollywood led to the a third Bossa Nova restaurant located in the Westside of Los Angeles. That location serves serves the Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Santa Monica, Culver City, and surrounding communities.

In 2018, a Bossa Nova South Bay opened following the success of the first three three restaurants.

The up and coming move puts two Bossa Nova restaurants on Sunset Boulevard, but West Hollywood restaurants will still be able to get their Brazilian cuisine on the West Side of WeHo.