Empire Building

Andre Guerrero Plans Homemade Pasta and Pasadena Brews in Highland Park

The Oinkster is coming to a location in Downtown
The Oinkster is coming to a location in Downtown Photo: Arnold/Inuyaki via Flickr

Andre Guerrero, who bid The Valley adieu last May when he closed his lauded Marche, is laying back in the Northeastern cut, with plans to open a new Italian restaurant, Maximiliano, on York Blvd. in Highland Park. Guerrero already has The Oinkster in Eagle Rock and his family was briefly trying to open Buttertart Bakery in Glassell Park, showing the chef’s allegiance to this region of L.A. As usual, the new project, which could open in the next few months, will be a family affair. So who’s in and what will be served here?

Guerrero tells us his sons Fred and Max (the restaurant’s namesake) will be the management team here, while Guerrero’s trusted associate Jan Purdy (Linq, Max) runs the pastry department. Guerrero is taking over the Casa Blue space with hand-made pastas like cavatelli, agnolotti, and gnocchi, along with hand-tossed pizzas in ten-inch and sixteen-inch sizes.

But even “old school” Italian, as he calls it, can’t escape the demands of today’s brew-hounds, and Squid Ink reports that Maximiliano will only stock Pasadena’s Craftsman on tap, along with a selection of wines and coffee from Intelligentsia. The chef, who left BoHo and now stands solo, also tells us he’s close to signing a lease for a Downtown location of The Oinkster.

Maximiliano’s, 5930 York Blvd. Highland Park.

Andre Guerrero Plans Homemade Pasta and Pasadena Brews in Highland Park