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One of the best things about living and eating in Los Angeles is the sheer variety of the restaurant scene. If you can name it, you can probably find a restaurant serving it — most likely located in a mini mall — and great Italian food is no exception.
When it comes to authentic Italian, the East Coast gets all the love. But the truth is that Italian cuisine has a longer and more established history in LA than most people think. Italian immigrants settled in LA as far back as the 1820s, establishing a noble tradition of gastronomy that continues to this day. And with 61% of Americans eating Italian food at least once a month, there are plenty of Angelenos keeping the Italian restaurant scene in business.
As a result, there are hidden Italian culinary gems in nearly every corner of the city. I’ve been eating my way across Los Angeles my whole life, with a special emphasis on Italian food, so I know firsthand how many great restaurants there are to discover. For this list, I drew on my own experience, which was informed by recommendations from friends and family members. Here are a few of my favorite spots to visit for pizza, pasta, and more, Los Angeles style.
Colombo’s Italian Steakhouse
Tucked away in a sleepy corner of the Eagle Rock neighborhood, Colombo’s is unimpressive from the outside. But step inside those doors, and you’ll feel like you’ve taken a trip back in time, stepping into another era of Italian dining.
The martini variations are enormous and ice-cold. The garlic bread is delicious and free. The steaks are served with a garnish of frilly parsley. The booths are welcoming and deep, inviting you to drift away into a carb coma of happiness. And the food matches the vibe, with oozy, cheesy takes on Italian-American classics like beef ravioli in Bolognese sauce and chicken Parm.
Colombo’s is the ultimate old school red sauce joint, the kind of place that seems to be totally out of time in the best way. I love Colombo’s as a date night spot, especially if you’re lucky enough to visit on a night where there’s live music.
colombos-italian-steakhouse.restaurants-world.com
(323) 254-9138
1833 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Genovese’s Italian Kitchen
Genovese’s is a true neighborhood spot, the kind of place where the waitress might pop into the kitchen to lend a hand with your pizza, or a chef might drop your order himself. It’s family-run, and it feels like it, with the kind of laid-back energy that invites you to settle in and stay a while.
The cozy back patio is decorated with kitschy art and Christmas lights, and they do a brisk business in takeout — always a sure sign of a much-loved local standby. And the food is great, with a solid, briny linguini with clam sauce, and yeasty, crunchy pizzas.
It’s also shockingly affordable, by LA standards. When I visited, they were offering a date night special for two that included two servings of salad, garlic bread, spaghetti, two drinks (including the option of selecting a glass of wine or beer), and a pizza to share, all for a grand total of $50. That’s a pretty unbeatable way to savor an evening in LA.
genovesesitaliankitchen.com
(626) 289-5667
2900 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801
La Pergoletta
Like many of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles, La Pergoletta is located in a mini mall off a busy Los Feliz street. Outside, traffic whizzes by, but inside the energy is serene — all low lighting, red checkered table cloths, and friendly waiters who welcome you to stay a while.
The unfussy space keeps things more affordable than you’d expect, especially considering the quality of what’s on offer. And with a wide array of signature dishes, including a decadent tiramisu, there truly is something for everyone.
The menu includes a delicious selection of house-made pasta, with tender, egg-enriched dough and sauces offered in a sort of choose-your-own-adventure format. Simply pick your pasta shape, including filled options like ravioli or gnocchi, and your sauce of choice, and enjoy. Can’t pick? Don’t worry — the friendly staff is ready to offer options you might enjoy.
lapergoletta.com
(323) 664-8259
1802 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Maccheroni Republic
You can get most things in downtown Los Angeles, from rare plants at the flower markets to rolls of faux fur fabric in the garment district. And hidden amid the hustle and bustle is a spot to pick up some seriously delicious, handmade pasta.
The restaurant has a dining room, but it’s their Christmas light and tree-adorned outdoor patio that really brings out the contrast with the bustling downtown streets. The serenity makes the busy hallways of neighboring Grand Central Market feel like they’re a world away.
There’s a seemingly endless array of handmade pastas on offer, all of them delicious. The focaccia is equally enjoyable, fluffy and crispy-edged, and you can’t go wrong with a panna cotta for dessert. All of this is just bracing enough to help you brave the chaos of downtown once more.
maccheronirepublic.com
(213) 346-9725
332 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Knead Noods
Speaking of Grand Central Market, the next spot on our list is actually located inside those bustling historic hallways. It might be a little bit less serene than the hidden gardens of Maccheroni Republic, but it’s a whole lot of energetic fun.
As you might have guessed from the name, Knead Noods is casual and irreverent, the kind of place where you might not mind ending up with tomato sauce all over your white shirt. Service is friendly and brisk, designed to keep things moving and get you eating as quickly as possible.
The food is flavorful and surprisingly ambitious, with dishes like tender crab ravioli, braised lamb stew with cannellini beans, and a snappy Meyer lemon tart. There’s even a $60 tasting menu that, along with the $10 wine pairing, might be one of the best deals in the city. No nonsense and fun-loving, it’s sure to deliver a meal to remember.
kneadpasta.com
(213) 223-7592
317 S Broadway Stall A3-A4, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Jame Enoteca
Like many of my favorite under-the-radar Italian gems throughout LA, Jame Enoteca is tucked away in a strip mall in the sleepy beachside neighborhood of El Segundo. The surroundings are no-nonsense, with metal chairs and simple two-top tables, white subway tiles, and photo murals of women eating pasta on the wall. That’s because all the real energy here is going towards excellent food, which is high-quality and crafted by hand.
A quick glance at the menu reveals delights like a long list of hand-rolled pasta options, new Italian starters like charred octopus with fingerling potatoes, and ambitious mains including a shatteringly crispy lacquered branzino. Everything is constructed with care and is delicious, elevating the experience beyond its humble surroundings.
If you want to recreate the Jame experience at home, they’ve also got a fridge of premade ingredients in a fridge up front for their Jame to-go section, including fresh pastas and housemade vodka and pomodoro sauces. Pick up a pint or two as the perfect souvenir of your meal.
eatjame.com
(310) 648-8554
241 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245
Fatto a Mano
Because the LA restaurant scene truly does have something for everyone, Jame Enoteca isn’t the only cozy beachside Italian restaurant with take-home fresh pasta available. There’s also the excellent Fatto a Mano.
Located over in Redondo Beach, Fatto a Mano means made by hand, and what they’ve got on the menu is just that — real-deal Roman cuisine with influences from the owner’s family on the Italian coast, with standouts including their crispy, chewy Roman-style pizza dough, fermented for 72 hours for truly complex sourdough flavor.
The dine-in menu is short but sweet, packed with simple pasta classics like cacio e pepe and Amatriciana. The takeout menu is much more extensive, allowing you to shop for everything from handmade pasta and aged meats to pizza dough and even flour. Check out their “what we don’t make” section (no Alfredo here!) for a master class in Italian sass.
pastashoprb.com
(310) 316-5111
610 Torrance Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Angelino Trattoria
Simple and streamlined, Angelino Trattoria feels like the kind of place Toluca Lake families have been patronizing for generations. Every time I’ve been there, I’ve been surrounded by tables full of multi-generational diners, grandmothers, and toddlers trading slices of pizza while the team does a brisk takeout business from the counter.
Angelino feels cozy and lived-in in the best way, with a menu of reliable Italian classics. Think crispy calamari rings and tricolore salad, lobster risotto, and pollo Milanese. Of course, you can get pizza. Of course, you can get an order of meatballs or sausage on the side.
It’s nice, Angelino, but not unapproachably so. It’s a date night spot, but one where you can bring your toddler; the hostess might even offer to hold your baby so you can eat. Angelino Trattoria delivers comfort as much as it serves up tasty food, the kind of place you can envision yourself going back to again and again.
angelinostrattoria.com
(818) 769-5241
4386 Lankershim Blvd, Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Casa Bianca Pizza Pie
Let’s just start with the bad news: You might have to wait in line at Casa Bianca. Although it’s been open for long enough that the buzz should have died down (the restaurant was first established in 1955), each new generation of Casa Bianca diners has only grown more loyal, and the restaurant’s popularity seems to be getting exponentially larger with time.
So be prepared to wait in line, or plan ahead and make a reservation. It’ll be worth it when you do get inside. The Casa Bianca experience is charming and eclectic, with faded posters on the walls and plasticy red checkerboard tablecloths. Ancient wax candles drip from the center of the table, and the menu feels like it hasn’t changed a day since the ’50s.
Some of that is regrettable (I’ll never be convinced that canned mushrooms on pizza are preferable to the real deal), but most of the time, the Casa delivers, with solid takes on red sauce classics like veal Parmesan, ravioli in meat sauce, and minestrone soup. Rib-sticking and hearty, the food here never disappoints.
casabiancapizza.com
(323) 256-9617
1650 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Vito
Romantic and old-fashioned, Vito is a true West Side date night standby. The leatherette booths are cozy, and the napkins are thick, folded, and white, with low lighting making everyone look just a little bit more glamorous. The cocktails are classic and strong, the perfect way to start your meal in style.
While the whole menu is enjoyable, the Vito team has a particularly deft touch with veal — saltimbocca and veal Parm are both standout options. The tableside restaurant Caesar salad is old school in the best way, a fun little piece of edible theater that culminates in a solid salad to share.
If you’re looking for a hidden gem Italian spot that has truly stood the test of time, you really can’t beat Vito. It feels like a place out of time, the perfect location to slow down and enjoy an evening with friends and family, or simply people-watching at the bar.
vitorestaurant.com
(310) 450-4999
2807 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Scarantino’s
If old-school Italian is your thing, Scarantino’s is going to be your kind of place. Family-owned and operated since 1967, Scarantino’s is the kind of legacy business that feels like a neighborhood staple.
The space feels like it hasn’t changed much over the decades. The sign out front looks like it came straight out of the ’60s, with an interior full of chandeliers, dark wood paneling, and checkered tablecloths.
The menu is similarly charmingly old school. From a gigantic slab of classic lasagna Bolognese to the fantastic (and complimentary) minestrone soup, everything you’ll eat at Scarantinos will feel like the culinary equivalent of a warm hug from Grandma. Make sure to save room for the ultra-decadent and creamy New York Cheesecake for dessert.
scarantinos.com
(818) 247-9777
1524 E Colorado St, Glendale, CA 91205
Barone’s
A true San Fernando Valley institution, Barone’s first opened in 1945 and claims to be the first place to serve crispy thin-crust pizza in California. Those crispy, cracker-thin pizzas are still a major draw on the menu, available in saucy varieties like clam, shrimp, or barbecue chicken, or their special unsauced versions for those who truly love the crunch. Whatever you follow it up with, their famous stuffed mushrooms, overflowing with lobster, shrimp, and crab meat, topped with a blanket of cheese and bearnaise sauce, make for a decadent beginning.
The dining room is huge, bigger than a banquet hall, and still managed to be packed on every recent visit, even when I stopped by on a weeknight. With a crispy pizza on every table, it’s clear that Barone’s is still going strong after all these years.
baronesla.com
(818) 782-6004
13726 Oxnard St, Valley Glen, CA 91401
Pinocchio Restaurant
Half Italian market and deli, half cafeteria, Pinocchio is your one-stop shop for all things nostalgically Italian. Order a pound or two of dried meat, some of their tasty breadsticks, and stock up on sweets before you visit the main event: the cozy, no-nonsense cafeteria.
Italian-American red sauce is on the menu here, with dishes like steaming slabs of cheesy lasagna, saucy Alfredo, or a mountain of pasta in red sauce crowned with gigantic meatballs. The food is nostalgic, filling, and unabashedly old-fashioned, familiar in the best way. It’s also a heck of a deal, one of the last places in LA where you can generously feed a whole family for under a hundred bucks, including a carafe of house red and a scoop of gelato from the deli case on your way out the door.
montecarlodeli.com
(818) 845-3516
3103 Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505
Little Toni’s
You can tell from the weather-beaten sign out front, which doesn’t seem to have changed in decades, that Little Toni’s is a true neighborhood institution. The current owner took over in 1956, and the deep leather booths feel right out of another era.
A cocktail from their well-stocked bar is a must, ideally accompanied by an appetizer (or three). The arancini, fried calamari, and bruschetta are all safe bets, although you also can’t go wrong with the spinach and artichoke dip, served piping hot. The Family Dinner is a classic order for your table’s main dish, coming complete with a tossed salad, spaghetti with meat sauce, large cheese pizza, garlic bread, butter, and cheese — all for under $50.
littletonis.com
(818) 763-0131
4745 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91602
Beethoven Market
Drawing on influences from both Italian and Californian cuisine, the menu at Beethoven Market is a little more contemporary than some of my other favorite hole-in-the-wall spots. Still, I’m sure these flavors will stand the test of time.
The space is light-filled and airy, with large windows and trailing plants, bottles of Campari and other digestifs glimmering from above the bar like jewels. The menu matches the elevated vibe, with upscale takes on classics, including a bright and vibrant spaghetti al limone.
Brunch might be the best time to stop by for fresh and flavorful treats like their fig and ricotta toast, crispy polenta, or a fun Italian take on a crunch wrap stuffed with fontina cheese, eggs, bacon, and whipped avocado. Innovative and surprising, there’s always something interesting on the menu at Beethoven Market.
beethovenmarket.com
(323) 579-1391
12904 Palms Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Methodology
Bit245/Getty Images
This roundup features a selection of some of my favorite under-the-radar Italian spots from throughout Los Angeles. In addition to my own experiences dining at these restaurants, I also considered recommendations from Italian food-loving friends and family members, because sometimes it takes a village to pick a restaurant!
My opinions are subjective, but I’ve personally had excellent experiences at all the restaurants on this list. My standards when considering a spot for inclusion were that it has high-quality food and delivers a consistent experience on return visits. A nice atmosphere and friendly service also helped, but food is my first consideration.
Dining and Cooking