If your idea of a perfect Friday night includes a fresh plate of house-made pasta from one of LA’s most notorious restaurants, this is the list for you. Join us in visiting ten of our top picks across the city, and don’t forget to come hungry. You’re gonna want seconds.
UOVO
Pictured: Cacio e Pepe
A pasta-centric sensation from the founders of Sugarfish, Uovo aims for top quality with fresh pastas handmade in their kitchen in Bologna, Italy, and are flown overnight to LA—they believe the eggs and talent in Italy are crucial to make top-quality noodles. With several small kitchens around the city, Uovo manages to keep their prices affordable, and they may well serve some of the best pastas in town. It’s hard to go wrong with any of them, but one of the most acclaimed is the tonnarelli all’Amatriciana, made with Italian tomatoes and crispy guanciale.
SCOPA ITALIAN ROOTS
Pictured: Trecce with Chanterelles
Chef Antonia Lofaso (Top Chef) brings her Italian-American flair the red sauce classics she grew up with in New York. The timeless menu features fresh ingredients and a wide variety of options that will taste like a return to the heart of Italian Cuisine. The location is nestled in the heart of Venice, but the bricks, warm lighting and tufted leather couches will take you straight to a bustling Borough of NYC—without an available seat in the house.
PASTA SISTERS
Pictured: Pappardelle Bolognese
The Pasta Sisters family comes straight to us from Italy, bringing their favorite family recipes to the table. The menu is based around the freshest ingredients: 100% Italian grain, heirloom tomatoes from the South of Italy, and house-made pasta. The menu features a variety of pasta and sauce options, along with a few delicious sides and desserts. While the entire menu is delicious, we would be remiss not to guide you in the direction of the Mushroom Taliatelle or a Culver City staple, the Papardelle Bolognese.
OSTERIA LA BUCA LA
Pictured: Short Rib Ravioli
This modern Italian spot has some of the best pasta in the city, focused on fresh ingredients, their well-executed menu of pastas (we love the carbonara & short rib ravioli) can also all of which can be made with gluten-free alternatives. Additionally, all of their products (from their produce to the soaps used to wash the dishes) come directly from their private farm in West LA.
FORMA RESTAURANT & CHEESE BAR
Pictured: Spaghetti prepared Dalla Forma
The spot for cheese lovers, Forma is known for their “dalla forma” pastas, where the pasta is finished in a large wheel of cheese right before being served. They offer various options for dalla forma, including spaghetti cacio e pepe finished in a wheel of Pecorino Romano, fettuccine bolognese finished in a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and more.
CAFFE’ DELFINI
Pictured: Fusilli Nasa
Caffe’ Delfini has been a West Side destination for over 30 years. Tucked away in the Santa Monica Canyon inside of a charming building built in 1932, this spot feels like a local restaurant found in any small Italian town. One of our favorite dishes is the Fusilli Nasa, a delicious fusilli pasta served with shrimp and cooked in a tomato cream sauce.
PASTA CORNER LA
Pictured: Tagliatelle Black Truffle Pasta
Located in the Farmers Market, this new pasta restaurant/grocery store providing you the option to buy pasta fresh and cook it at home or have it prepared by their talented chefs. From the pasta to the sauces, everything is made in house daily. Plus it’s our go-to for oils, truffle and cheeses.
RUSTIC CANYON RESTAURANT
Pictured: Handmade Sourdough Cacio e Pepe with Monterey Bay Sea Lettuce
What began as an intimate series of dinners in Founder Josh Loeb’s Rustic Canyon home has blossomed into a variety of dining destinations across Los Angeles. Rustic Canyon focuses heavily on seasonality, making a large portion of the menu in-house using the highest quality ingredients from local farmers and vendors. The Rustic Canyon Restaurant has many sibling locations like Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe, Milo and Olive, Cassia, Birdie G’s, and more.
SUNDAY GRAVY
Pictured: Traditional Spaghetti and Meatballs
Sometimes an old-fashioned red sauce dish is the comfort food you’re looking for, and Sunday Gravy serves up exactly that, served with fresh pasta from a local purveyor and better quality produce. The neighborhood spot keeps portions generous and prices affordable. Each weekend they serve a different lasagna; be sure to order one if they’re not yet sold out.
TOSCANA RESTAURANT
Pictured: House Made Tortellini
A neighborhood trattoria that celebrates the rustic, authentic, farm-to-table flavors of Tuscany for over 30 years. The menu features daily specials alongside signature Toscana classics such as Ravioli Pomodoro, Spaghetti alle Vongole, Truffle and Burrata Pizza, Veal Milanese, Bistecca con Fagioli, and more.
Check out our Instagram for the full 25-restaurant pasta guide!
How was your trip around the city? If you visit each of these restaurants, be sure to take photos and tag @chownow for a chance to be featured on our Instagram. We’d love to share your Los Angeles pasta journey with our friends across the US. Oh, and don’t forget to order through ChowNow! This keeps more money in your pocket and away from third-party delivery apps that charge our beloved restaurant partners unnecessary hidden fees.
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Images by Various | Editing by Kristen Reames
