Restaurant Information:

Hours

Sun-Thu 11:30am-10pm Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm

Northern Italian comfort food served in the heart of Santa Monica's shopping district.

The Scene
Accented by a palette of burgundy and gold, the welcoming dining room filled with paintings and artifacts from Bellagio provides a comforting respite from bustling Third Street Promenade. Weekends are usually packed with tourists, but the spacious, wraparound sidewalk patio offers an excellent people-watching spot.

The Food
Hearty and flavorful northern Italian dishes are inspired by traditional cuisine of the Lake Como region. Baked eggplant with buffalo mozzarella and tangy marinara is a crowd-pleasing appetizer, but the antipasto featuring thin slices of house-smoked sturgeon and sautéed trout appeals to more refined palates. Pastas are served al dente, like the wild-mushroom ravioli doused in zesty cherry-tomato and white-wine sauce. Thin, crispy pizzas feature simple, fresh ingredients like bright tomatoes and basil for a pleasing harmony of flavors. Slow-cooked osso buco, a fork-tender veal shank served with creamy saffron risotto, proves the restaurant's commitment to authenticity.