Reeds of Poppy & Seed to Launch Barbecue and Brunch Stalls at Katella Commons

Michael and Kwini Reed, the husband-and-wife team behind Anaheim’s Poppy & Seed and Los Angeles’ Poppy & Rose, will open two new dining concepts at Katella Commons. The couple signed on to operate a barbecue stall and a breakfast-and-brunch spot within the planned 50,000-square-foot food market hall located near Honda Center.

The new venture, Poppy & Park, will adapt the smoked dishes that Chef Michael Reed has tested at Poppy & Seed for the past two to three years. The menu will emphasize vegetables and sides inspired by the backyard barbecues from the couple’s childhood. Reed described the food as including “really good mac and cheese, collard greens, all the fun things like that.”

The second concept, Little Poppy, will bring over “all the heavy hitters from Poppy & Rose,” according to Reed. The location is designed to serve office workers and residents who need early morning meals, though specific operating hours have not yet been set. The Reeds expect to open in spring 2027, with one stall situated on each floor of the building.

Kwini Reed stated that OCVibe, the developer, approached them with the idea. She noted that the smaller stall format made it more manageable to expand with two different ideas simultaneously. “They reached out to us early on, but we recently got back in touch with them about a couple of months ago,” she said. She added, “We’ve had these concepts in our back pocket, so it felt like the perfect marriage.”

The announcement took place at a Visit Anaheim Reconnect event on October 29. Katella Commons is scheduled to open in 2027 and will house an estimated 21 kitchens and six bars and lounges across two floors. The market hall is part of a larger development that includes a new 5,000-person concert hall.

The Reeds opened Poppy & Seed in 2021. The greenhouse-inspired restaurant serves seasonal American cooking using ingredients from its own garden. In 2023, Reed, who has worked in kitchens in New York City and Los Angeles, was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the Best Chef: California category. According to Michael Reed, the restaurant recently signed a new five-year lease in Anaheim.

The couple joins a group of established chefs and operators already committed to Katella Commons. Other announced names include Zach Scherer and Drew Adams of Darkroom and Chrysalis, Debbie Lee, Danielle Duran Zecca and Alessandro Zecca from Amiga Amore, and Alberto Bañuelos of Burritos La Palma. The list also features Alex “Pobre Diablo” Garcia and Elvia “La Bruja” Huerta from Evil Cooks, Gelato Paradiso, and MFK or Modern Filipino Kitchen.

Additional operators include Kanate Ungkasrithongkul and Anita Lin of Manaao Thai Comfort Food, who will open a khao soi-focused project called Khao Soi. Other confirmed names are Don Churros Gomez of Santa Ana, Guoming “Sam” Xin, who will lead Mojo and Pull & Roll, and Holy Basil’s Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat. Elsewhere in the OCVibe development, Roy Choi will open a version of Best Friend, and Tim Hollingsworth will open a wood-fire concept. Damon Cho of Izakaya Osen will lead the new Osen Urban Table, and José Andrés’ restaurant group will open a location at Sena, a hotel expected to open in 2029.

OCVibe is a $5 billion, 100-acre development surrounding Honda Center. The project will combine restaurants and entertainment venues with housing, hotels, a museum, offices, and parks. The first phase of the development is expected to open in 2027.