Brian Nagele
La-La Land, LA, LotusLand; Whatever you call Los Angeles, it’s one of the most famous cities globally and easily one of the most famous cities in the United States (no shame, New York).
From attractions to celebrities to some of the best restaurants in the world, LA has got it all, which can make finding what you need daunting.
Whether you’re visiting LA or staying here for good, it’s critical to know where you can get good comfort food. For me, that means Italian.
So how do you choose?
Los Angeles has an immense number of restaurants period and plenty of those are Italian.
To avoid falling into a tourist trap or sitting down to eat somewhere without homemade pasta (a crime in the Italian food scene), I’ve found the restaurants that keep Angeleno’s coming back for more.
Check out my list of the best Italian restaurants in Los Angeles below!
Bestia
2121 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Phone: 213-514-5724
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Bestia is a combination of contemporary decoration and raw industrial space.
An homage to modern Italian eateries that combine current culinary techniques and centuries-old buildings, Bestia supplies the best of both worlds.
The restaurant’s name is Italian for beast, emphasized by the spaces hard-edged design.
Bar fight weapons wallpaper, meat-hook chandeliers, and a raw-copper top bar help create an aggressive but whimsical space.
Run by Ori Menashe and Genevieve Geris, Bestia is the product of this husband and wife team.
The food is both classic and innovative, and my favorite dish was the slow-roasted lamb neck with smoked anchovy creme.
Angelini Osteria
7313 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-297-0070
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Angelini Osteria has two locations, Beverly Boulevard and Palisades Village. Angelini’s has been open since 2001 and has become LA’s most celebrated destination for authentic Italian cuisine.
Chef Gino Angelini grew up in the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy and developed his love of food while growing up there.
Angelini dedicated himself to becoming a chef at 14 years old and received many accolades in Italy for his work.
The food at Angelini’s is to die for, and they serve brunch, lunch, and dinner.
My favorite plates were the farro salad with cucumber and the grilled swordfish with sun-dried tomatoes.
Felix Trattoria
1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Phone: 424-387-8622
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Felix Trattoria is a bright and contemporary Italian eatery in Venice, California.
The restaurant is on Abbot Kinney Boulevard near Westminster Avenue Elementary School and Plant Food + Wine.
Next door to a burger bar and a new American restaurant, Felix Trattoria is a classy, Southern European option on Broadway Street.
Owners Evan Funke and Janet Zuccarini try to make every single diner feel lucky when they come in, living up to the namesake of Felix, which means happy, or lucky, in Latin.
Felix Trattoria uses regional Italian cooking methods and California-grown ingredients to make beautiful and filling dishes for every customer.
Osteria Mozza
6602 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: 323-297-0100
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Osteria Mozza is an upscale Italian restaurant on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.
The restaurant is open for dinner and dessert five nights a week and is proudly women-owned.
Osteria has a second location in Los Cabos, Mexico, and their owner Nancy Silverton is a long-time restaurateur in Los Angeles.
She is also the founder of the famous LA bakery La Brea Bakery.
Osteria Mozza is on Melrose Avenue and North Highland Avenue.
The restaurant sits next to two of Nancy Silverton’s other projects, Pizzeria Mozza and Chi Spacca.
My favorite plates from Osteria Mozza were the goat cheese ravioli and the oxtail ragu.
The Factory Kitchen
1300 Factory Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: 213-996-6000
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The Factory Kitchen is an open-spaced reclaimed factory space that serves handmade pasta and other traditional Italian dishes.
The restaurant is on Factory Place in the arts district of Los Angeles.
The Factory Kitchen is a winner of the 2019 Michelin Bib Gourmand Award, food critics of the LA Times rate it highly.
Chef Auriana transports diners on a culinary journey through the Italian Peninsula with her natural and traditional ingredients and wild experimentation.
If you’re trying the Factory Kitchen for the first time, I recommend the handmade Casonzei pasta with pork sausage or the slow-roasted pork belly (porchetta).
Rossoblu
CITY MARKET SOUTH, 1124 San Julian St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone: 213-749-1099
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Rossoblu is a fresh and modern take on Italian cuisine serving a bolognese-inspired menu, including handmade pasta and Italian wines.
Rossoblu is in the fashion district of Los Angeles, surrounded by boutiques, showrooms, and clothing stores.
Chef Steve Samson grew up with his grandparents in Bologna, Italy. Rossoblu is a distinct homage to his Italian heritage.
The menu includes homemade pasta, market-fresh produce, and in-house butchered meats and salumi.
When I tried Rossoblu, I realized why the restaurant is a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award winner.
The seafood fritto misto and the chicken al mattone are my two must-try dishes.
Union Restaurant
37 East Union Street, Pasadena California 91103
Phone: 626-795-5481
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Union is a rustic brick-walled Italian pub serving farm-to-table meals.
The restaurant is in Old Town Pasadena, East Union Street, and North Raymond Avenue.
Union is right down the street from Memorial Park and the Armory Center for the Arts, perfect for a bite to eat after the park or catching a show.
The restaurant serves seasonally appropriate Californian interpretations of Northern Italian cuisine and, Chef Chris Keyser’s menu is simple and elegant.
I recommend Union’s endive salad to start and the 14-day dry-aged rib-eye steak for an entree.
Union also has family meals big enough to share with friends or bring home for dinner.
Osteria La Buca
5210 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: 323-462-1900
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Osteria La Buca is an Italian tavern with fresh and airy decor, serving up authentic Italian staples using local ingredients.
The eatery is on Melrose Hill near the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and the Hollywood Historic Hotel.
Osteria La Buca focuses on Italian comfort food, California farmed products and natural and sustainable business methods.
The restaurant runs on core values of hospitality, honesty, and integrity.
Osteria is open for lunch and dinner, so everything possible is made in-house, including the pasta.
I adored the crispy brussels sprouts and the Nero spaghetti, but try anything on the menu, and you won’t be disappointed.
Drago Centro
525 Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone: 213-228-8998
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Drago Centro has been serving Downtown LA innovative takes on traditional Italian recipes for over eleven years.
The restaurant boasts incredible service and fresh Italian Sicilian cuisine in a 9,500 square-foot open kitchen with gorgeous outdoor dining areas.
On Flower Street and West 6th Street, Drago Centro is a dynamic place for lunch or dinner if you’re staying at the Standard Downtown LA.
Chef Celestino Drago designed a menu that is both comforting and unconventional.
Including the chef’s house-made pasta.
My recommendation? The herb-roasted shrimps with lemon zest risotto and the lime cheesecake with white chocolate, pineapple, and cherry sorbet.
Jon & Vinny’s
412 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-334-3369
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Jon & Vinny’s is a relaxed Italian restaurant with a contemporary atmosphere.
The menu includes hand-tossed pizzas, pasta, and market-fresh entrees, plus polenta, meat dishes, and tasty desserts.
The diner also holds private pizza classes where you can learn to toss your pizza and wine classes.
Jon & Vinny’s serves small plates, breakfast pastries, and pizza from 8:30 to 11:30 am.
Jon & Vinny’s is on North Fairfax Avenue and Oakwood Ave, near the Baba Sale Congregation and Dolls Kill.
I loved the “Ham and Yeezy” pizza with ham, vodka sauce, smoked mozzarella for dinner, and Sal’s mini Cannoli for dessert.
Alimento
1710 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Phone: 323-928-2888
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Alimento is a laid-back Italian restaurant with great Italian wines and an outdoor patio.
The restaurant is on Silverlake and North Occidental Boulevard near Yakuza Sushi and Physical Education Studio fitness center.
Chef and owner Zach Pollack has designed an Italian-inspired menu that isn’t afraid to break the rules.
The food dances near Italy’s regional traditions but is brought to new life by Pollack’s inventive experiments with local ingredients.
The food of Alimento pairs well with the eclectic wine list and rotating microbrews sourced from the US and Italy.
My favorite dish was the Fusilli with clams, smoked butter, and serrano chilies.
Chi Spacca
6610 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: 323-297-1133
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Another restaurant from the mind of Nancy Silverton, Chi Spacca, brings together three famous chefs to make meaty Italian meals in a Tuscan-inspired space.
The restaurant is near Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, two of Silverton’s other restaurants on Melrose Avenue and North Highland Avenue.
Chi Spacca is primarily an Italian steakhouse, which has expanded into a successful cookbook and private dining opportunities.
Chi Spacca is “an ode to meat, beautiful meat,” and the menu reflects that vision.
I had spiced salami for an appetizer and tried the grilled lamb sausage for dinner.
For dessert, I wholeheartedly recommend raspberry and lemonade sorbet.
Hippo
5916 1/2 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042
Phone: 323-545-3536
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Hippo is a new American restaurant on North Figueroa Street in Los Angeles that serves modern American and Italian recipes in an open kitchen with fashionable decor.
Hippo is neighbors with several other local restaurants and collaborates with Highland Park Wine, Triple Beam Pizza, Everson Royce Bar, and more.
The restaurant has been well-reviewed by the Michelin LA guide, the Infatuation, the LA Times, Timeout, and Eater, with many commenting on the airy space that focuses on the kitchen.
I recommend the New Zealand Tai snapper ceviche and the herbed ricotta tortellini.
For something sweet, try the Basque-style cheesecake.
Maccheroni Republic
332 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Phone: 213-346-9725
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Maccheroni Republic is a place nestled in Downtown LA on South Broadway Street.
The restaurant is near Biddy Mason Memorial Park and the Million Dollar Theater.
The Maccheroni Republic combines the wind of passion with the skill of one of the best pasta makers on earth.
Making fresh in-house pasta with wheat expertly selected from farms across the US isn’t the only thing that keeps diners coming back.
The eatery has a casual family-like atmosphere and encourages diners to bring in their wine to share over a meal.
I highly recommend the Polettine Di Manzo and the Ravioli di Zucca.
Dan Tana’s
9071 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: 310-275-9444
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Dan Tana’s is a landmark of Italian food in Los Angeles.
The restaurant has been open for fifty-six years, welcoming celebrities, billionaires, working-class people, and everyone in between.
Dan Tana’s is off the Santa Monica Boulevard, an ideal spot for dinner after a show at the Troubadour or lunch after a workout at Fedele De Santis.
The diner has an intimate, cozy atmosphere and serves up traditional Italian fare and a selection of delectable wines.
I think the Linguini al Pesto is the best in the city, and the shrimp Diavolo is perfect for a date night or upscale night with friends.
Jame Enoteca
241 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: 310-648-8554
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Jame Enoteca is a cozy and fashionable restaurant serving Italian dishes, hand-rolled pasta, and small plates.
What makes Jame Enoteca special is its commitment to using local, market-driven ingredients and Michelin-trained chef Jackson Kalb.
Chef Kalb worked in the kitchen from 13 years old and has worked at several other well-known restaurants in the city, including the Factory Kitchen.
The eatery is on Main Street and West Franklin Avenue, near Citizens Business Bank and El Segundo Brewing Company.
If you’re eating here for the first time, I recommend the hand-rolled squid ink Bavette pasta and the charred octopus with a glass of Moscato.
Pasta Sisters
3343 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
Phone: 323-870-5271
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Pasta Sisters is an Italian deli serving up handmade pasta staples and fresh paninis.
The restaurant is in the Mcmanus district of LA, near Syd Kronenthal Park and the historical Helms Bakery District.
Chef Paola Da Re and her siblings grew up in their mother’s kitchen in Northern Italy learning, the restaurant’s oldest recipe (Gnocchi) comes from her.
Today, Chef Paola and her team create Italian specialties that are affordable to everyone and are quickly making their mark on Italian food in LA.
Choosing between the fresh-made pasta was tough, but I loved the gnocchi most of all with in-house-made pesto.
Cecconi’s West Hollywood
8764 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: 310-432-2000
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Cecconi’s West Hollywood is a vintage Venetian-style restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating.
The restaurant is on Melrose Avenue and Robertson Boulevard, a fantastic place to get lunch after a walk in West Hollywood Park or a trip to the West Hollywood Library.
Part of a famous restaurant chain with locations in London, Barcelona, Miami Beach, Amsterdam, and more, Cecconi’s is an elegant eatery that feels at home in LA.
The restaurant’s menu includes brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert accompanied by delicious cocktails.
I thought the eggplant parmigiana was tasty, and for dessert, I got the lemon sorbet with berries and lime.
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Multiple locations
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Maggiano’s Little Italy is another Italian chain of restaurants with multiple locations in Los Angeles.
The restaurant is known for its popularity with celebrities who enjoy private dining and fantastic meals.
Maggiano’s Little Italy focuses on rich flavors and traditional recipes with current flavors and family-style service.
The restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and dessert as well as cocktails.
When I tried Maggiano’s Little Italy, I had the classic tomato bruschetta to start and the eggplant parmesan for dinner.
For dessert, I recommend Gigi’s butter cake or the creme Brulee.
Maggiano’s also has a dessert sampler, where you can try a portion of all their desserts.
BRERA Ristorante
1331 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Phone: 213-553-8006
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Brera Ristorante is a sophisticated modern restaurant serving rustic Italian dishes with handcrafted cocktails.
The restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Angelo Auriana and Matteo Ferdinandi, who designed the informal osteria to be elegant but relaxing.
To create Brera Ristorante, Chef Auriana and Ferdinandi gained inspiration from the artsy and cool Brera neighborhood in Milan, Italy.
Head chef Auriana displays his unique culinary identity while creating innovative dishes with fresh ingredients.
I recommend trying multiple dishes at Brera Ristorante.
My favorites were the meatballs, the quail with purple cabbage, and the pappardelle pasta with wild boar and shaved black truffles.
Osteria Mamma
5732 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Phone: 323-284-7060
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Osteria Mamma is a family-run restaurant that serves Italian comfort food and handmade pasta.
The restaurant is on Melrose Avenue and North Lucerne Boulevard, near the Royal Thai Consulate-General and Hollywood Urgent Care.
Osteria Mamma’s focus is to bring the authentic taste of the Veneto region to Hollywood with every bite of food.
On top of the delicious menu, Osteria Mamma also serves a variety of wines overseen by an internationally certified sommelier.
I recommend the fried gnocchi balls (gnocco fritto) to start and the handmade Reginette Della Mamma for the main dish.
For dessert, I tried the baked apple and pear strudel.
