1. We’ll say it again: This space is a total stunner.
The striking space was designed by Dean Levin of design group 22RE. The floor-to-ceiling windows are covered in thick red velvet drapes to maintain the vibe, but once you’re inside you’ll immediately be struck by the sleek, minimalist lines, red travertine bar, and wood paneling throughout. “Bar di Bello is very much inspired by Italian restaurants in L.A. that I grew up going to,” says Levin, noting legends like Musso & Franks, Dan Tana’s, and Giorgio Baldi.
It also pulls subtly from New York institutions like The Grill, with the use of American walnut throughout and the circular light fixtures on the ceiling, inspired by similar ones at the now-closed Met Breuer. Wilmot and Kassar grew up together in New York, and Levin spent 12 years there as well — accordingly, Bar di Bello wouldn’t be out of place in Manhattan with its dimly lit, hush-hush vibe.
“We were trying to make it feel very word of mouth. Behind the curtain, it reveals itself,” says Levin. “You can spend five hours there and have no sense of time.” Millwork/fabrication firm Set Acronym is responsible for the gorgeous wood paneling throughout.
Curves are essential to the design of the space: they’re apparent in everything from the wooden booths to the circular Disderot light fixtures on the ceiling, to oblong portholes on the kitchen door. “I love using curves with wood because it’s a nod to the material’s original shape,” says Levin. Hans-Agne Jakobsson table lamps adorn the bar while the furnishings draw from the school of Italian modernists with Afra & Tobia Scarpa sconces, Vico Magistretti chairs, and marble and stone mosaic flooring. Comfy velvet banquettes are the main seating option, along with five upholstered bar seats, reserved for walk-ins.
Dining and Cooking