A Guide to the Top Italian Restaurants in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles area may have a plethora of Italian restaurants to choose from, but it can be a hit and miss when it comes to finding the perfect place for you. Listed below are 10 of the very best, whether you are looking for expensively fine dining, or affordable (delicious) food in a more casual environment.

Carmines II

10463 Santa Monica Blvd.

Open Monday and Saturday 5:30pm-11:30pm, Tuesday - Friday 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-11:30pm

Since 1975, Carmines II has dominated the New York-style Italian flavor in Los Angeles. The consistently delicious, fresh food comes in good portion sizes. They aren't huge, but you probably won't leave without feeling stuffed anyway. Carmines is most popular for its pastas and calamari, the latter of which is said to be the best in the city. A little pricey, but with most of the meals ranging between $15 and $30 it isn't outrageous, either.

A nice, dark ambiance is provided in this small space of a restaurant, but at Carmines small only means cozy. Perfect for a romantic or quiet evening. The laid-back staff is very helpful and welcoming.

On a side note, reservations are definitely recommended on the weekends, when this place will become its busiest.

Website
Menu

Capo

1810 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, CA

Open Tuesday - Saturday, 6pm-11pm

Capo offers rustic Italian food, prepared with the freshest ingredients. The food is absolutely excellent, but this can indeed be a very expensive place, with appetizers running anywhere from $12 - $26 and entrees from $22 - $75. Also offering an enormous wine list, a perk of this restaurant is the option to choose half bottles instead of full ones, so this can save a lot of money if you don't want an entire bottle. Another great way to save money while trying all they have to offer, is to try out the eight-course tasting menu for $85. Considering how much you get and how delicious the food is, this is far beyond a bargain.

The interior is very reminiscent of a winter cabin or ski lodge, with the dim lights, a wooden interior, the visible rafters, and a fireplace near the bar. This place can be considered small, but gives such a cozy and relaxing feeling that this actually adds to the ambiance.

The service is great - somehow the staff can achieve a personal, caring feel without being hovering or intrusive at the same time.

This is a popular place, especially on the weekends, so be sure to make a reservation at least a week in advance if you plan on going on a Saturday or Sunday.

Website
Menu

La Terza

8384 West Third St.

Open Daily from 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-11pm

The gourmet fare of La Terza may be expensive, but this is a part of the same fine dining values that embrace wonderfully fresh, authentic Italian food that are more than worth whatever you spend at this restaurant. The appetizers are a little expensive, most hovering above $10, but meal-wise the pastas (which they do best here) are all under $20. The more expensive entrees can shoot up to just under $40. But all in all, this establishment has something for anyone and nearly any budget.

This place is perfect for romantic dinners, with the candle lit dinners and classy decor. There are two main dining areas: the downstairs, which provides a view to the patio and an upstairs, which is best for intimate groups and couples.

The service is excellent, with a very charismatic staff that is also knowledgeable of the food.

Website
Menu

Vincenti Ristorante

11930 San Vicente Blvd.

Open Monday - Thursday 6pm-10pm, Friday 12pm-2pm, 6pm-10pm, Saturday 6pm-10pm

Vincenti Ristorante follows a classic Italian taste, with a twist of modern taste added to it. This dining is very fine, so expect to drop a lot of money - appetizers have an average of $18, pasta dishes range from $16 - $20 and entrees are from $18 - $39. The Chef's Special Menu of the Day (otherwise known as the tasting menu) offers six courses for $70, which is a great way to save a little money in this expensive establishment. There is also a very extensive wine list, most of them Italian and some domestic.

Two dining areas take up the building, with a busy main room and a quieter, more elegant back room that is great for a romantic date. The kitchen also has a window that diners can look in. The attentive staff puts the happiness of the customers first, doing their best to accommodate without hovering over the table.

As an added bonus, Monday nights are Pizza Night, with authentic Italian thin crusts prepared with flour and dough that is actually imported from Italy.

Website

Angeli Caffe

7274 Melrose Avenue

Lunch: Tuesday - Friday 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner: Tuesday - Sunday 5pm until closing

This eatery is all about simplicity, while preparing it with the finest, freshest ingredients. Traditional Italian dishes like spaghetti and lasagna take up the menu, but the way they are put together gives an experience that is like tasting such foods for the first time. Many flavorsome thin-crust pizzas are some of the most popular menu items. Angeli's Caffe definitely has some of the best Italian food for its very affordable price.

This restaurant is very family-friendly, with a warm and relaxing environment and a friendly, helpful staff.. The atmosphere is perfect either to dine in casual wear or more formal clothes. However, there isn't a whole lot of space in this place, so it's probably best not to take a large group here.

An added bonus of Angeli's is the Thursday Family nights they offer. A family-style dinner is offered for around $35 per person.

Website

Vivoli Cafe & Trattoria

7994 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood

Open Sunday - Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday - Saturday 11:30am-11pm

The large, traditional menu of Vivoli Cafe offers fresh choices of classical Italian dishes. The authenticity stands out so well, even in such food as simple as the sandwiches and wonderful desserts. Considering all meals are under $20, this is an affordable place with some of the purest, most flavorsome Italian food you will find in the city.

The restaurant is small, but very homey. This paired with the wonderfully attentive staff creates a warm and inviting atmosphere for a romantic evening, or a simply night out with friends our family.

Website
Menu

Miceli's

1646 N. Las Palmas Avenu
Hollywood

Open Monday - Friday 12pm-11pm, Saturday - Sunday 4pm-12pm

Miceli's offers a great value when it comes to authentic Italian, while maintaining a classic simplicity. Most entrees are between $10 and $15 and served in large portions, so this delicious food is very affordable and at a great value. The pizzas are more expensive, but they're huge and can feed a few people. There is also a full bar on premises.

This eatery is usually lively, a perfect place for families and fun dates. The serenading waiters and waitresses take turns at the piano and singing tunes for customers' entertainment. This unique addition is not a sight to be missed! Aside from the singing staff, they are also very friendly and make it very apparent that they enjoy working here.

Website
Menu

Anaheim White House

887 South Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim, CA

Open Monday - Friday 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-10pm, Saturday - Sunday 5pm-10pm

This very unique and pricey establishment provides a classic Italian menu with some French tones also added to it. The appetizers are more expensive than most, and many of the entrees linger around the $22 - $40 range - so be prepared to spend a lot of money coming to this place.

That said, the Anaheim White House offers outstanding food in the midst of a huge home built in the early 1900's. Eight different dining rooms take up the building, each one named after a U.S. president. The decor is extremely elegant, with low lights and beautiful candles galore. If you're looking for fine Italian dining in a different kind of environment, this is your place.

Also provided is excellent service, with a very knowledgeable staff, many coming straight from Europe. Guests are generally treated like royalty.

Something extra that comes with this place is the lovely Champagne brunch that takes place every Sunday from 11am-3pm.

Website
Menu

The Stinking Rose

55 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA

Open daily from 11am-11pm.

For anyone who loves garlic, you must try out The Stinking Rose. Everything is prepared with a garlic base, formed around a tasty California-Italian cuisine. Just about everything here has a garlic focus (even the ice cream, which is much more delicious than it sounds!), but of course if you're not a huge fan or just don't want garlic everything, then you can ask to use a little less or none at all of the herb. For fine dining, it's very reasonably priced, with appetizers from $5 - $20, personal pizzas at $10, salads $10 and under, most pastas under $20 and for entrees, a Favorites menu ranging anywhere from $18 - $40 (excluding the Surf & Turf and filet mignon, which are naturally much more expensive).

Different dining areas make up this place, each one of a different theme. Large groups are greatly accommodated here, as well as couples. However this may not be a place you would want to bring a first date to, solely for the reasoning of all the smelly garlic! But overall the environment is great, with Hollywood memorabilia lining the walls and creative decor.

The friendly staff provides service that is beyond efficient, and generally very quick at serving.

For a tip, you can park for free in the parking lot during lunch hours, but during dinner a valet service is available.

Website
Menu

The Kitchen Italian Cafe and Pizzeria

78 W. Union St.
Pasadena, CA

Open Sunday - Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-11pm

Old Town Pasadena, which has much to offer as far as common restaurants go, also has this hidden gem that many people seem to miss. Their main thing is their pizza, coming in New York, Sicilian, or Chicago deep-dish styles, which all have an enormous amount of flavor and are piled with lots of cheese (unless you ask for less). Pizza by the slice is available here, at only $2 for just cheese. Each additional topping is just a quarter more! Of course if you aren't in the mood for pizza, also offered are original Italian meals, pastas, salads and sandwiches.

This is a very casual venue, with a nice laid-back atmosphere that's great for both friends and family or a date night. The quick-serving staff are very attentive and friendly, and seem to really enjoy their jobs.

Website
Menu