Los Angeles has one of the most multifarious culinary scenes in the US, not to mention, some of the best Italian restaurants you can find anywhere.
From wood-fired pizzas in a laid-back Italian eatery to fresh, handmade pasta in a fine-dining restaurant to revivifying gelato, we have an all-inclusive list of the best Italian restaurants in Los Angeles right here.
1. La Bruschetta
Successfully stepping into its 38th year, La Bruschetta is an authentic Italian restaurant where you can get pasta made from scratch, homemade Italian breads, and more on a rotating, seasonal menu. The interior is simple yet modern, and the ambiance is quiet and sophisticated, perfect for a sweet date night.
Ravioli di Carciofi is homemade artichoke ravioli tossed in a simple white wine sauce. The pasta is pillowy soft with just the right amount of filling, and the sauce, though simple, tastes refined and delicious.
The Lasagne alla Bolognese is an exemplary traditional creation. The pasta, again, is made from scratch, and the meat sauce is right, meaty, and impressively tasty.
Their Rigatoni Bolognese comes in two versions – with traditional beef bolognese sauce and with lighter turkey bolognese sauce. Not to mention, both versions taste absolutely heavenly.
For dessert, get the chef’s homemade Gelato in your favorite flavor, and enjoy the yumminess.
What to order: Ravioli di Carciofi, Lasagne alla Bolognese, Rigatoni Bolognese, Gelato
Address: 1621 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024
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2. Rossoblu
Inspired by the Italian city of Bologna, Rossoblu in Downtown LA serves authentic Italian cuisine, with a menu that pays homage to the chef/owner’s childhood memories and heritage. With a huge mural in the main dining room, an exclusive chef’s cellar, an all-gold bar, a heated and covered garden, handmade pastas, wood-grilled entrees, and family-style servings, this place easily sits among the best.
The star of the menu here is Anna’s Minestra Nel Sacco. This is a parmesan dumpling dish, made traditional bolognese style, swimming in a light and delightful broth/soup. This is the kind of dish that will warm your soul any day!
Their Braised Pork Meatballs make an excellent starter. Presented in skewers, the meatballs are juicy and flavorful, and the single slice of garlic pizza bianca you get on the side makes the dish come to life.
The restaurant’s signature dish – Olympia’s Tagliatelle – will blow your socks off! Unlike any typical pasta dish that comes covered in sauce, this one is relatively drier, and this makes the al dente pasta shine, and also lets you enjoy the beef and pork chunks in their true flavor.
From Rossoblu’s grill, one must-try dish is Ilario’s Grigliata. You get a HUGE 20oz. Bone-in pork chop and housemade sausage along with a few other charred accompaniments. Apart from the fact that this one dish is enough to feed an entire family, we are obliged to mention that everything on the plate tastes astounding.
What to order: Anna’s Minestra Nel Sacco, Braised Pork Meatballs, Olympia’s Tagliatelle, Ilario’s Grigliata
Address: 1124 San Julian Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015
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3. Maccheroni Republic
A Michelin-recommended restaurant, Maccheroni Republic takes pride in making everything, from their appetizers to pastas to desserts, in-house, from scratch, every single day. The interior is rustic and the homey atmosphere of the place makes you feel at home, enjoying your favorite comfort food.
Bianchi E Neri is the restaurant’s signature pasta dish. This is black and white vermicelli noodles topped with perfectly cooked, plump shrimp, earthy mushroom, and smoky roasted pancetta in a decadent cream sauce.
The Agnolotti di Ossobuco, with its beautifully charred marrow filling and rich and delicious veggie-forward sauce, can easily become your personal favorite.
The Bigoli Della Nonna comes with perfectly cooked tubular strands of pasta tossed in a bold, punchy, and well-balanced angus and sausage ragu.
For dessert, the Tiramisu here comes highly recommended. Not heavy on the liquor, the dessert is well crafted with a nice balance of flavors.
What to order: Bianchi E Neri, Agnolotti di Ossobuco, Bigoli Della Nonna, Tiramisu
Address: 332 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013
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4. Chi Spacca
A small meat-forward Italian restaurant that tends to the carnivorous at heart, Chi Spacca offers countless versions of beef and pork dishes that are best enjoyed shared. The intimate space is dimly lit and has a warm glow, and the tables are candlelit, making the space even more elegant.
When you’re in an Italian restaurant, of course, you start with bread, and there’s nothing better than the delectably cheesy Focaccia di Recco.
While their Grilled Octopus comes char-grilled to perfection, with a slight chewiness to it, it is Pollo Alla Diavola Su Crostone that intrigues us more. This is spicy roasted chicken that has been brined and marinated for 24 hours and is served on toast. Needless to mention, the chicken remains wonderfully juicy, and the spice kick from the marination makes it taste outworldly.
The Porcini Rubbed Short Ribs have an enjoyable earthy flavor that makes them taste like an expensive dry-aged piece of meat. The salsa verde does add an extra oomph to the ribs.
For the dramatic finale, get Chi Spacca’s AMAZING Tomahawk Pork Chop. Seasoned perfectly and rubbed with aromatic fennel pollen, the pork chop is grilled for 45 whole minutes, which makes the meat extremely juicy and tender. There’s no beating the feeling that you get when you taste that first piece of the pork chop!
After chowing down an endless array of meaty goodness, the ideal way to cleanse your palate would be with their rotating selection of Seasonal Gelati & Sorbetti.
What to order: Focaccia di Recco, Grilled Octopus, Porcini Rubbed Short Ribs, Tomahawk Pork Chop, Seasonal Gelati & Sorbetti
Address: 6610 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
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5. Antico Nuovo
The newly revamped Antico Nuovo will take you to Italy’s countryside, a place you’d be more than happy to bring your family, friends, and anyone you’re fond of. The new interiors are elegant, offering a casual, laid-back vibe, ideal for dates and all types of gatherings.
When you order the Focaccia, it comes with olive oil and sea salt. But, what you should add is the whipped ricotta and pistachio pesto. Try the combination and thank us later!
The restaurant’s version of Caesar salad – Broccoli Chicory Caesar – is super indulgent by itself.
If you like your pasta thick and full-bodied, Pappardelle is for you. Paired with gloriously delicious and mouthwatering beef cheek and veal tongue ragu, the dish tastes divine.
And the ultimate finale to your meal at Antico Nuovo would definitely be their freshly churned ice cream. The Honeycomb and Pistachio Crunch are both incredibly delicious flavors and a must-try.
What to order: Focaccia with Whipped Ricotta and Pistachio Pesto, Broccoli Chicory Caesar, Pappardelle, Honeycomb ice cream, Pistachio Crunch ice cream
Address: 4653 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
6. Angelini Osteria
Fully packed with patrons almost every night of the week, Angelini Osteria is one of the most celebrated Italian food destinations in the city, alluring people with delicious food for more than two decades now. The interior is charming and old-school, and you can feel a welcoming and friendly vibe in the space.
A single bite of their Veal Shank Agnolotti, and you’ll find yourself in a different world! Drenched in a creamy, rich, and slightly salty parmigiano reggiano sauce, this dish is insanely delicious.
The Linguine Santa Barbara Sea Urchin graces you with fresh uni (sea urchin), still beautifully carrying the flavor of the sea. The simple sauce combining garlic and chives accentuates the sweetness of the sea urchin, adding a phenomenal touch to the pasta.
The Lasagna Verde ‘Nonna Elvira’ is likely to be one of the best lasagna dishes you’ve ever had. This spinach pasta comes with a generous amount of beef and veal ragu and is a hearty dish you’ll enjoy.
While the Tiramisu here is perfectly legit and authentic, their Panna Cotta, however, is one of the main reasons people come back to Angelini Osteria. It is faultless!
What to order: Veal Shank Agnolotti, Linguine Santa Barbara Sea Urchin, Lasagna Verde ‘Nonna Elvira’, Tiramisu, Panna Cotta
Address: 7313 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036
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7. Bestia
Translating to “Beast” in Italian, Bestia makes heads turn with its sophisticated modern industrial decor, along with a raw-copper bar. While the menu here contains the standard Italian fare, what the restaurant offers is a souped-up version of the same, a version you’ll find difficult to forget.
The Roasted Marrow Bone is a must-order dish at Bestia. Served with spinach gnocchetti, the bone marrow will be scraped out tableside and is the main element that makes the whole dish taste sublime. It is so good that, if you’re sharing it with someone else, you wouldn’t mind fighting for that last bite.
One dish that will please everyone at your table is the Spicy Lamb Sausage pizza. The pizza crust is slightly crispy and chewy, and the inclusion of confit tomato adds a little sweetness, striking a beautiful balance with the spicy sausage.
A deeply comforting dish, and perhaps among the top pasta dishes you can find in LA, is Bestia’s Cavatelli alla Norcina. The sauce is rich and creamy, with a little bit of zing, and the addition of black truffle shavings gives the dish a delicate umaminess.
No, no matter how full you are, you cannot not order the Bar au Chocolat Bittersweet Chocolate Budino Tart. It is transcending!
What to order: Roasted Marrow Bone, Spicy Lamb Sausage pizza, Cavatelli alla Norcina, Bar au Chocolat Bittersweet Chocolate Budino Tart
Address: 2121 7th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90021
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8. The Factory Kitchen
Located in the heart of LA’s arts district, The Factory Kitchen, yet another Michelin-awarded restaurant, serves traditional Northern Italian cuisine, where the main players are the traditional and natural ingredients. As the name suggests, the restaurant operates in a space that was previously a factory, and the atmosphere here is casual and lively.
A swell version of the traditional Caprese Salad, The Factory Kitchen’s Peperú has sweet and spicy peppers stuffed with soft, melt-in-the-mouth cheese, and comes drizzled with arugula oil. The dish is light, fresh, and just the perfect appetizer.
One word to describe Ravioli di Mare – angelic! Fresh pasta, made in-house, comes filled with juicy wild shrimp and plump littleneck clams, tossed in a savory and flavor-packed crustacean reduction sauce.
Mandilli di Seta, or handkerchief pasta, comes layered on the plate and covered in a nutty and fragrant basil-almond pesto sauce. The portion is so generous, your tummy will thank you!
With a slow-roasted pork belly that’s not too fatty and just melts in your mouth, along with carrots, celery, and red onions for a change of texture and flavor, the Porchetta is one delicious entree.
Two strong contenders from their Dessert menu are Cannoli and Paciugo. Go with what your heart (or tummy!) desires.
What to order: Peperú, Ravioli di Mare, Mandilli di Seta, Porchetta, Cannoli, Paciugo
Address: 1300 Factory Place #101, Los Angeles, CA 90013
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9. Osteria La Buca
Located right next to the popular Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, Osteria La Buca celebrates Italian country food, with a menu that celebrates fresh local produce. With its brick exterior, floor-to-ceiling windows, high ceilings, and rustic interior, this place is trendy, rustic, and frisky.
If you want to start with a salad, we’d recommend the Artichokes. This warm salad contains crispy artichokes tossed with oregano, lemon oil, and some parmesan – classic, simple, and delicious.
The Nero Spaghetti, popularly known as the squid ink pasta, is a luscious bowl of thick pasta strands decked with seafood and tossed in a tasty savory sauce.
If you don’t order Bucatini Carbonara at Osteria La Buca, there’s no point in dining here! With perfectly cooked pasta, poached egg, and pancetta, this plate of pasta is pure ecstasy.
With so many incredible pasta dishes, you could easily overlook their pizza menu, and that would be a sin! Osteria La Buca serves some pretty damn good pizzas, like the Guanciale.
What to order: Artichokes, Nero Spaghetti, Bucatini Carbonara, Guanciale pizza
Address: 5210 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
10. Osteria Mozza
Sitting in the center of Los Angeles, Osteria Mozza has been a constant hit since its opening 15 years ago. The menu features a wide range of Italian dishes flaunting fresh mozzarella, and a one-of-its-kind mozzarella bar decks the space, making your dining experience in this cheerful restaurant a truly memorable one.
Burricotta – the cheese baby of burrata and ricotta, this gem of a dish from the restaurant’s Mozza bar has creamy ricotta filled inside a mozzarella shell and topped with a superb mint pesto and crunchy pine nuts.
The Ricotta & Egg Raviolo is a celestial invention on a plate. Drenched in a brown butter sauce, the Raviolo is rich with creamy ricotta and egg filling and gets a nice sweetness from the sauce.
Another marvelous creation at Osteria Mozza is the Orecchiette. A nostalgic dish for many, the meaty and salty sausage paired with the mildly sweet swiss chard makes it a decade-old wonder.
Do save room for dessert because you don’t want to miss nonna’s tart (Torta della Nonna) and the most refreshing Meyer Lemon Gelato Pie.
What to order: Burrata, Ricotta & Egg Raviolo, Orecchiette, Torta della Nonna, Meyer Lemon Gelato Pie
Address: 6602 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
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11. Palermo Italian Restaurant
A family-owned Italian-American eatery, Palermo rolls out consistently good pasta, pizza, and other classics in a vibrant, old-school, family-friendly setting. Delicious food, homey vibe, and attentive service have been the secret sauce to the restaurant’s success over the decades.
Pizzas at Palermo are mind-blowingly good. Whether you choose the classic Plain Cheese Pizza, Palermo Special Pizza loaded with all things delicious, or the thick crust Pizza A La Siciliana, you are guaranteed to have one of the best pizzas you’ve ever tasted in your entire life – crispy, cheesy, gooey, and delicious in every possible way.
The Manicotti A La Siciliana is one of their specialties. Large, perfectly cooked pasta tubes come stuffed with creamy spinach and ricotta filling and are served with your choice of meat sauce or tomato sauce. What’s not to like here?!
The Lasagna A La Bolognese is meaty and cheesy deliciousness, nothing more, nothing less!
Made fresh every day, the Cannoli Alla Siciliano is the dessert of everyone’s dreams; it is crispy, crunchy, creamy, sweet, and BOMB!
What to order: Plain Cheese Pizza, Palermo Special Pizza, Pizza A La Siciliana, Manicotti A La Siciliana, Lasagna A La Bolognese, Cannoli Alla Siciliano
Address: 1858 N Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
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12. Cento Pasta Bar
A neighborhood wine and pasta bar, Cento is an exciting place that not only excels in offering fusion comfort food but is also where you can find some of the best Italian offerings in the city. The space is chic and warm, with an upbeat atmosphere, and the food is polished, fun, and delicious.
One dish from Cento’s menu that should be on your table is the Squid Ink Mafaldine. This complex and vibrant pasta dish has nduja – spicy pork sausage, serrano for heat, and a little bit of sweetness from the prawns, which together form an extremely sophisticated and titillating bowl of pasta.
The Beet Spaghetti is one of the most popular dishes that contributed hugely to the restaurant’s popularity. The pasta has an earthy flavor from the beets, and the ricotta and brown butter add beautiful sweet notes to make the dish unique and irresistible.
If you like your pasta spicy, go for the Spicy Pomodoro. Yes, you can taste the spiciness instantly; but, the dish is equally creamy, sweet, and herby, and certainly delish.
What to order: Squid Ink Mafaldine, Beet Spaghetti, Spicy Pomodoro, Strawberry Tiramisu, Banana Pudding Tiramisu
Address: 4921 W Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016
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13. Rao’s
Established in 1896, Rao’s is a legendary Italian place that’s recognized for its authentic Southern Neapolitan Italian food. With a homely ambiance and exquisite food, the restaurant is still going strong, as the only generations-old restaurant in LA where acquiring a table is still difficult.
As legendary as the restaurant itself is its Lemon Chicken. Doused in Uncle Vincent’s famous lemon sauce, the chicken is tender and juicy and goes well with the citrus sauce. This is one nostalgic dish that never goes out of style!
Baked Clams, and Meatballs are two crowd favorites that tick all the boxes.
The Shrimp Scampi comes with jumbo shrimps – plump and juicy, with perfectly cooked angel hair pasta tossed in a silky, lemony, and garlicky white wine sauce. It is utterly butterly delicious!
Don’t forget the Bone-In Veal Parmesan. Tenderized and lightly breaded veal chop is fried to become crispy on the outside and still juicy on the inside and is served with homemade marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella and parmesan on top. Now, if that’s not a textbook Italian dish that anyone would crave in the middle of the night, we don’t know what is!
The golden rule when dining at Rao’s is to always get their New York Cheesecake. It is wickedly good!
What to order: Lemon Chicken, Baked Clams, Meatballs, Shrimp Scampi, Bone-In Veal Parmesan, New York Cheesecake
Address: 1006 Seward Street, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Having seen a lot of growth in the past decade, LA’s once burgeoning food landscape is now rampant, with bucket loads of amazing eateries bedecking almost every corner of the city. Here’s another list of the best restaurants in Santa Monica from our repository.