Best Fine Dining Italian Restaurants in Los Angeles
22 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura
The only Michelin-starred Italian restaurant on Rodeo Drive
Essential Picks
Michelin-starred temple to Italian creativity where chef Mattia Agazzi transforms seasonal ingredients into playful masterpieces under the guidance of Massimo Bottura. The rooftop setting above Gucci's flagship store creates an exclusive escape where risotto masquerades as pizza and tortellini swim in liquid Parmigiano pools.
Must-Try Dishes:
Risotto Camouflaged as Pizza, Emilia Burger, Tortellini in Parmigiano Reggiano
What Makes it Special: The only Michelin-starred Italian restaurant on Rodeo Drive
#2
Da Barbara
9.1
An intimate, reservation-only Italian dining room where Chef Barbara Pollastrini serves a seasonal tasting-style menu of handmade pastas and refined secondi in an apartment-like space. Portions are composed and elegant rather than oversized, and the experience leans more toward a special-occasion dinner than a casual neighborhood meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tagliolini al Pomodoro, Polpettine di Barbara, Seasonal Gnocchi of the Day
What Makes it Special: Chef-driven, tasting-style Italian served in a tiny, home-like space.
9.1
Josef Centeno’s tasting-counter destination blends Italian structure with Japanese precision, delivering a paced, quietly inventive menu. The room is intimate and minimalist, letting the multi-course progression do the talking. Its current one-star Michelin status marks it as the ZIP’s true special-occasion Italian-leaning anchor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Uni Pasta / Sea Urchin Course, Seasonal Pasta Flight, Sake-Paired Dessert Course
What Makes it Special: A Michelin-starred Italian-Japanese tasting menu led by Josef Centeno.
Notable Picks
8.9
Chef Gino Angelini’s longtime Beverly Grove osteria turns out deeply flavored pastas, grilled fish, and Roman classics in a compact, always-booked dining room. Locals use it for serious Italian dinners where the lasagna verde, seasonal specials, and a tight wine list still feel worth planning around after two decades.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna Verde "Nonna Elvira", Linguine alle Vongole, Whole Mediterranean Branzino
What Makes it Special: A long-running chef-driven osteria where Roman-leaning pastas and grilled fish set the standard for upscale Italian on Beverly.
Family-run for over three decades, Giorgio Baldi is a celebrity-beloved Italian hideaway known for rich pastas and coastal romance just off PCH. Dim lighting, white tablecloths, and tightly packed tables create an old-world date-night feel that still draws Hollywood regulars.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sweet corn agnolotti in white truffle sauce, Spaghetti bottarga, Langostine grigliate
What Makes it Special: Classic coastal Italian with decades of star-studded regulars.
8.9
Locanda Veneta is an old-school Venetian dining room where polished Northern Italian classics, including a deeply savory baked lasagna, have been drawing locals since 1988. White tablecloths, a serious wine list, and hands-on hospitality make it a go-to for celebratory pasta nights in Beverly Grove.
Must-Try Dishes:
Classic meat lasagna al forno, Ossobuco con risotto allo zafferano, Wild mushroom risotto
What Makes it Special: Refined Venetian classics and lasagna in a long-running 3rd Street institution.
#7
Antico Nuovo
8.8
Antico Nuovo delivers refined Roman-inspired cuisine in a relaxed, modern setting. With a focus on handmade pastas and wood-fired meats, the kitchen led by Chef Chad Colby is a destination for thoughtful Italian cooking. Locals appreciate its intimate dining room and seasonal menu changes.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna al forno, Smoked Gnocco Fritto, Dry-Aged Ribeye Fiorentina
What Makes it Special: Handmade pastas and refined wood-fired mains.
8.8
Evan Funke’s pasta temple centers a glass-walled laboratorio, turning out regional Italian shapes with taut textures and deep sauces. Reservations are coveted; couples come for handmade pastas, an Italian-leaning wine list, and low-lit buzz.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e Pepe, Pappardelle Ragù, Sfincione
What Makes it Special: Handmade pasta crafted in a visible, temperature-controlled laboratorio.
#9
Mother Wolf
8.8
Mother Wolf channels Roman trattoria cooking into a cinematic Hollywood dining room inside the historic Citizen News building. Handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and a deep Italian wine list draw both industry power players and food-obsessed locals. The room hums with energy most nights, making it one of the buzziest reservations in 90028.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Rigatoni all’Amatriciana, Squash blossoms fritti
What Makes it Special: High-drama Roman cooking in a grand, buzzed-about Hollywood dining room.
#10
Capo
8.7
An intimate Italian hideaway where a Tuscan-style fireplace sets the stage for exceptional homemade pasta and grilled meats. Wine Spectator's Grand Award winner with museum-quality art and only 16 tables creates exclusivity perfect for special occasions.
Must-Try Dishes:
White Corn Ravioli with Truffles, Wood-Grilled Branzino, Osso Buco
What Makes it Special: Secret club ambiance with fireplace cooking and Grand Award wine list.
8.7
Established in 1990 inside the historic 1906 First National Bank building, L'Opera features Chef Walter Cotta's award-winning Northern Italian cuisine with live opera performances on weekends. The stunning restoration showcases marble columns on mahogany floors with an exhibition kitchen, while the Wine Cellar basement offers intimate private dining in the original bank vault.
Must-Try Dishes:
Veal Piccata, Homemade Ravioli, Butternut Squash Ravioli
What Makes it Special: 35-year institution in stunning historic bank with Chef of the Year
#12
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.
#13
Barrique
8.6
Chef Antonio Murè’s townhouse restaurant leans romantic, with Northern-leaning pastas, tableside warmth, and a serious cellar. It’s a quieter, candlelit setting tailored to conversation and lingering courses.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tagliolini al Tartufo, Red Beet Tagliolini with Quail Ragù, Tiramisù
What Makes it Special: Chef-driven pastas in a charming 1900s house with intimate rooms.
8.6
Vibes:
Luxury Dining Elite
Date Night Magic
Birthday & Celebration Central
Business Lunch Power Players
Upscale modern Italian steakhouse specializing in land and sea pairings with housemade pastas, premium cuts, and fresh Mediterranean seafood. Restaurateur Stelian Tasu elevates his Pagliacci's heritage with white-toqued chefs in an open kitchen and sophisticated heated terrace dining.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chilean Sea Bass, Swordfish, Housemade Rigatoni Bolognese
What Makes it Special: Elevated Italian seafood-steak concept in former Bellwether space with open kitchen
#15
Chi Spacca
8.5
Nancy Silverton's nose-to-tail Italian steakhouse built LA's first certified salumi program and continues to anchor around bone-in cuts: 42-ounce tomahawk pork chop, 36-ounce dry-aged bone-in NY strip, 50-ounce porterhouse. The focaccia di Recco and beef-bone-marrow pie open meals before the meat arrives. Counter seating facing the open kitchen runs lively on weekends; earlier seatings trend calmer.
Must-Try Dishes:
Focaccia di Recco, Bistecca Fiorentina, Costata alla Fiorentina
What Makes it Special: Nancy Silverton's whole-animal Italian steakhouse with dry-aged beef program
#16
La Dolce Vita
8.5
Frank Sinatra's former haunt maintains its retro Italian charm with leopard-print carpets and vintage chairs from 50 years ago. This storied trattoria serves classic red sauce dishes and chopped salads in an atmosphere that channels old Hollywood glamour with modern Beverly Hills energy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti and Meatballs, Veal Parmigiana, Caesar Salad
What Makes it Special: Sinatra's booth still bears his name in this Hollywood time capsule
#17
Pace
8.4
Pace is a hillside Italian restaurant known for organic pastas, pizzas, and rustic entrées served in a candlelit canyon setting. Its intimate ambiance and steady execution make it a favored destination for low-key celebrations and date nights. The menu favors classic combinations over experimental dishes.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Tagliatelle bolognese, Grilled branzino
What Makes it Special: Organic Italian dishes served in a candlelit canyon hideaway.
#18
Osteria Mozza
8.3
James Beard Outstanding Chef Nancy Silverton's Michelin-starred Italian institution has held its star continuously since 2008, anchored by the signature mozzarella bar and housemade pastas like the egg yolk raviolo. The Hancock Park dining room features dark-wood paneling and white marble counter seating, staying loud during peak hours but quieter in back rooms. At $$$$ pricing with refined portions, it rewards regulars who understand the menu's corners rather than first-time visitors expecting abundance.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orecchiette with Sausage and Swiss Chard, Egg Yolk Raviolo, Grilled Beef Tagliata
What Makes it Special: James Beard Award-winner Nancy Silverton's Michelin-starred Italian institution, holding its star continuously since 2008, with an iconic Mozzarella Bar and exceptional housemade pastas.
#19
Rao's Hollywood
8.2
The Hollywood outpost of the 1896 East Harlem original runs on Southern Italian family recipes that reward straightforward red-sauce cravings—pork chops, meatballs, and penne vodka built for repeat orders rather than reinvention. The room skews buzzy and loud, especially on weekends, so couples wanting quieter conversation should aim for the back patio. It draws groups and celebrations who want a known quantity with generational name recognition behind it.
Must-Try Dishes:
Meatballs, Penne a la Vodka, Pork Chop
What Makes it Special: The Hollywood outpost of the legendary East Harlem original, serving the same Southern Italian family recipes that have had a cult following since 1896.
#20
Cipriani
8
The legendary Venetian export brings Harry's Bar glamour with Bellinis flowing freely and carpaccio served as it was invented. Michele Bonan's nautical design features Murano chandeliers while the Jazz Café offers sultry live performances Thursday through Saturday.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Carpaccio Original, Risotto Primavera, Vanilla Meringue Cake
What Makes it Special: Home of the original Bellini and carpaccio recipes
#21
Divino
8
A white-tablecloth Italian holdout in Brentwood where owner Goran Milic has spent three decades rotating guest chefs from Italy through the kitchen, keeping the menu grounded in classical technique rather than trending toward fusion. The regulars come for the kind of unhurried, old-school Westside dinner that rewards repeat visits—bolognese built on slow-cooked ragu, risotto that earns its twenty-minute wait. Expect the prices and pace of a neighborhood fine-dining room that has outlasted every food trend around it.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fusilli alla Bolognese, Medaglioni di Vitello, Risotto ai Porcini
What Makes it Special: A 30-year Brentwood institution where Montenegrin-born owner Goran Milic regularly flies in guest chefs from Italy to keep the kitchen authentic and evolving.
#22
Peppone
8
A 51-year-old Brentwood Italian holdout where chef-owner Gianni Paoletti still runs the kitchen and a Wine Spectator Grand Award cellar backs up the tableside cart service. The draw is old-guard Continental cooking—filet mignon, veal osso buco, chicken piccata—served in red leather booths with dimmed lighting and no rush. Expect luxury pricing with a neighborhood-regular energy that rewards repeat visits over one-off curiosity.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cauliflower Appetizer, Linguine with Special Meatballs, Filet Mignon
What Makes it Special: A Brentwood institution since 1975 with a Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning cellar, tableside cart service, and chef-owner Gianni Paoletti still running the kitchen.