July 3, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

James Beard-Nominated Ravi DeRossi Brings Vegan African Eatery, Ubuntu, to LA

Ubuntu to open June or July on Melrose 

By Dolores Quintana

Overthrow Hospitality Group owner Ravi DeRossi is looking to open a new concept in a space where Avant Garden LA used to be on Melrose Avenue as reported by What Now Los Angeles

This new restaurant is to be called Ubuntu and will be a vegan African establishment run by chef Shennari Freeman. 

The plan is for Ubuntu to open by the summer months and Freeman is the chef at Cadence, another one of Overthrow Hospitality’s restaurants in New York City. 

Rossi said that what happened with Avant Garden and the opening of a new space is a “long story” according to What Now Los Angeles. The Avant Garden website says, “We hope to open in a new location soon, but in the meantime are excited to bring you a new restaurant in our Melrose space.” Avant Garden and the future restaurant Ubuntu’s location is at 7496 Melrose Avenue. They briefly added the word Bistro to the end of Avant Garden’s name before its closure. 

Rossi has contributed to several well-known restaurants on the scene like Bourgeois Pig, Death&Co, and Mother of Pearl and has been nominated for a James Beard Award. Most of his time and effort have been devoted to his restaurants in New York City in the past but perhaps he will be turning his eye more toward Los Angeles in the future.

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