After shuttering her San Diego restaurant last fall, controversial Argentinean former-model and tennis pro Victoria Vannucci has revived her Pachamama South American eatery in Los Angeles' Venice Beach.
Pachamama opened in October 2019 in the space that previously housed Cafe Cabaret in San Diego's Normal Height neighborhood. The mostly-organic South American fusion restaurant was founded by Maria Victoria "Vick" Vannucci, a former tennis professional and model who previously lived in Miami from 2016 until relocating to San Diego. Vannucci had left her home country of Argentina after a series of controversies that included backlash due to the dissemination of images of her and husband & media model Matias Garfunkel posing with hunted wild animals in Africa.
The distribution of the photos of Vannucci with big game animals resulted in the businesswoman filing a successful lawsuit against both her hometown municipality and social media behemoth Twitter. Vannucci's allegedly estranged husband was also charged for smuggling millions of dollars worth of art. Vannucci hoped to start anew in San Diego, even vowing to donate a portion of profits to go toward protecting endangered animal species, but controversy continued to surround her, from being accused of speeding her luxury car around San Diego to allegedly calling the police on former employees. In November 2021, Pachamam abruptly shuttered in San Diego's Normal Heights and the space is currently in the process of becoming Madi, a new breakfast & brunch-focused restaurant from the owners of Madison On Park in University Heights.
Vannucci has resurrected her restaurant concept as the more-casual Pachamama Beach. Sited directly on the Venice Beach board, the eatery has several picnic tables with a walk up counter for ordering and offers a menu of sandwiches, empanadas, tacos, ceviche, juices, tea and coffee.
The distribution of the photos of Vannucci with big game animals resulted in the businesswoman filing a successful lawsuit against both her hometown municipality and social media behemoth Twitter. Vannucci's allegedly estranged husband was also charged for smuggling millions of dollars worth of art. Vannucci hoped to start anew in San Diego, even vowing to donate a portion of profits to go toward protecting endangered animal species, but controversy continued to surround her, from being accused of speeding her luxury car around San Diego to allegedly calling the police on former employees. In November 2021, Pachamam abruptly shuttered in San Diego's Normal Heights and the space is currently in the process of becoming Madi, a new breakfast & brunch-focused restaurant from the owners of Madison On Park in University Heights.
Vannucci has resurrected her restaurant concept as the more-casual Pachamama Beach. Sited directly on the Venice Beach board, the eatery has several picnic tables with a walk up counter for ordering and offers a menu of sandwiches, empanadas, tacos, ceviche, juices, tea and coffee.
Pachamama Beach is located at 1425 Ocean Front Walk in Los Angeles' Venice Beach. For more information, visit whoispachamama.com.
