Best Girls Night Out Italian Restaurants in Los Angeles
15 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Primo Italia
Upscale Southern Italian cooking with live music and a moody bar.
Notable Picks
#1
Primo Italia
8.7
Primo Italia is a polished, Southern Italian restaurant and cocktail bar where house-made pastas, tableside moments, and live music make it one of the area’s most sought-after date-night reservations. The kitchen leans rich and classic—think cacio e pepe, osso buco, and tiramisu—executed with more finesse than most neighborhood red-sauce joints.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Wild boar pappardelle, Veal chop Milanese
What Makes it Special: Upscale Southern Italian cooking with live music and a moody bar.
#2
Ronan
8.7
Ronan is a chef-driven Italian restaurant on Melrose known for wood-fired pizzas and seasonal share plates in a lively, design-forward space. It blends high-level technique with an energetic dining room ideal for date nights. The kitchen delivers consistent execution validated by professional recognition.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Sweet Cheeks pizza, Seasonal arancini
What Makes it Special: Wood-fired pizzas and share plates executed with high culinary technique.
#3
Casa 12
8.5
Casa 12 is an intimate Italian ristorante just off the Venice Pier, combining candlelit tables, live-music nights, and handmade pastas for a classic romantic date formula. Guests praise the lobster ravioli, slow-cooked Bolognese, and grilled octopus as much as the warmly lit room and European-feeling sidewalk seating.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Ravioli, Fettuccine Verdi alla Bolognese, Grilled Octopus
What Makes it Special: Cozy Italian spot near the pier with handmade pastas and live music.
8.4
This family-run room from chef-owner Sandro Oliverio leans into Calabrian-leaning pastas, rich sauces, and a house-baked dessert program in a low-lit Beverly dining room. It’s the kind of place where gnocchi pesto, pear-and-gorgonzola salad, and a serious Amarone by the glass turn a neighborhood dinner into a longer evening.
Must-Try Dishes:
Gnocchi al Pesto, Pear and Gorgonzola Salad, Tiramisu
What Makes it Special: Cozy, family-owned Calabrian spot where handmade pastas, rich sauces, and a focused wine list anchor long Beverly dinners.
8.4
Venetian-inspired small plates from Chef Lior Hillel create shareable Mediterranean experiences across multiple dining spaces. Natural wines and craft cocktails complement creative dishes from lamb hummus to truffle mac, all served in a rustic-chic setting with courtyard seating.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb Hummus, Truffle Mac & Cheese, Glazed Pork Belly
What Makes it Special: 90-minute open bar special and innovative Mediterranean small plates perfect for sharing
#6
Pura Vita
8.4
Pura Vita is a plant-based Italian restaurant offering pastas, pizzas, and comfort dishes that appeal to both vegans and non-vegans. The space is energetic and intimate with a strong wine program. It has a large and loyal customer base driven by creative plant-forward interpretations of Italian classics.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna Pura, Cacio e pepe, Truffle pizza
What Makes it Special: Plant-based Italian cooking executed with surprising depth and richness.
8.4
At Zinc’s Arts District outpost, a vegetable-focused menu hides a surprisingly rich spinach lasagna alongside grain bowls, salads, and wine-friendly snacks. The leafy courtyard and all-day format make it a reliable pick when you want lasagna in a lighter, more California-leaning setting.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spinach Lasagna, Funghi Pizza, Seasonal Grain Bowl
What Makes it Special: Vegetable-forward cafe where spinach lasagna meets one of DTLA’s most pleasant courtyards.
8.3
Across from its breakfast sibling, Met Him At A Bar is a compact pasta bar where rigatoni vodka, slow-simmered Bolognese, and shareable starters meet a tight list of wines and spritzes. The room is small, lively, and geared toward casual dates or friend meetups who want proper pasta without a white-tablecloth feel.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rigatoni Vodka, Tagliatelle Bolognese, Crispy Brussels Sprouts
What Makes it Special: Lively pasta bar built around rigatoni vodka, shareable plates, and a fun, wine-forward atmosphere at a buzzy La Brea corner.
8.3
Mona Pasta Bar is an intimate, design-forward room where house-made pastas meet a tightly curated natural wine list. The menu leans on rich, saucy classics and seasonal vegetables, making it a stylish spot for pre-show dinners or slow nights over a bottle.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pappardelle Bolognese, Lumache alla vodka, Burrata & Tomato with warm focaccia
What Makes it Special: Minimalist, wine-bar-style pasta counter with in-house noodles and natural wine.
8.3
Sara, an Italian native, brings her mother's authentic recipes to this cozy wine bar where homemade bucatini and flatbreads pair with an excellent selection of Italian wines from all 20 regions. The intimate space draws locals for its warm service and genuine Italian home cooking, from handmade pasta to traditional desserts like pecorino-stuffed pastries.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bucatini with Pancetta, Burrata with Tomatoes, Sardinian Pork Ragu
What Makes it Special: Owner Sara uses her mother's authentic Italian recipes and sources wines from every region of Italy
8.2
Chef Antonio Murè reimagines his original Piccolo concept with signature fig and potato tortelli alongside creative homemade pastas and fresh seafood. The charming back patio provides intimate neighborhood dining with specialty cocktails and an impressive wine selection focused on Italian varietals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fig and Potato Tortelli, Squid Ink Pasta with Clams, Grilled Lamb Sirloin
What Makes it Special: Chef Antonio's signature dishes from his original Piccolo with creative seasonal twists and full bar
8.1
Sogno Toscano’s Grove outpost brings a full-service Tuscan dining room and patio to the heart of the shopping center, pairing antipasti boards, pinsa-style pizzas, and house pastas with a deep lineup of imported products. It feels part Italian market, part wine bar, and part all-day restaurant where visitors linger between shopping runs.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fichi Burrata e Crudo, Pinsa Margherita, Beef Meatballs with San Marzano Sauce
What Makes it Special: Tuscan import shop turned full-service restaurant where antipasti, pinsa, and pastas share space with retail shelves and a central Grove patio.
#13
De La Nonna
8
A casual Arts District wine bar built around Roman-leaning pinsa, crisp focaccia sandwiches, and natural bottles. The vibe is social and unfussy, with a menu that’s light enough for aperitivo but solid for a full meal. A newer neighborhood staple that’s more about hang time than formality.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pinsa Romana (seasonal), Whipped Eggplant Dip & Focaccia, Focaccia Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Natural wine aperitivo spot with standout pinsa in the Arts District.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Robby’s West Hollywood is a neighborhood wine bar and American comfort-food spot inside a Santa Monica Boulevard complex, pairing by-the-glass pours with burgers, sandwiches, and shareable plates. It reads like a casual weeknight hang that still feels considered enough for low-key dates.
Must-Try Dishes:
House cheeseburger, Fried chicken sandwich, Mac and cheese
What Makes it Special: Relaxed wine-bar setting where approachable American comfort food meets a focused glass list.
7.8
A compact Arts District vineria with natural wines and Italian-snack pacing, ideal for grazing rather than a heavy sit-down feast. Pinsa and small plates are cleanly executed, and the staff leans knowledgeable without being precious. Best framed as a wine-first Italian hangout within the ZIP.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pinsa Romana, Speck Truffle Toast, Charcuterie & Formaggi
What Makes it Special: Natural-wine bar pairing Italian small plates with airy Arts District energy.