Marmalade Cafe seeks Chapter 11 protection as SoCal locations dwindle

Marmalade Cafe, founded on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica in 1990, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, attributing the move to unresolved rent issues and rising debts to suppliers. At its peak the chain operated eight Southern California eateries, but four have shuttered recently, with the Calabasas outlet closing on August 1 and the Santa Monica Boulevard location closing a month before that. The filing lists total assets of $12.7 million and a net loss of $680,314, along with unsecured debts exceeding $2.4 million to vendors such as Gilmore Farmers Market and US Foods Inc. Employment fell from over 200 workers to roughly 50 by mid-2026. Currently, four sites remain open in Malibu, El Segundo, Sherman Oaks and Westlake Village, though their future under the bankruptcy process is uncertain.