Trends come and go, but pizza and pasta will always be at the forefront of our minds. And with nights that are getting progressively chillier, there's nothing we want more right now than to carbo-load with heavy Italian food. Thankfully, L.A. recently received a spate of brand new Italian restaurants just in time for winter. This weekend, head to a couple newcomers and pop-ups for some seriously tasty gorging.
O+O Sicilian Kitchen (Santa Monica): Opening today at 11:30am, O+O is a Sicilian eatery that sits just a block away from the Santa Monica Pier. Owner and chef Georgi Yaneff is cooking up classic like arancini, pizza alla pistachio, puppetto (meatballs) and eggplant parmigiana. Cocktails and wine round out the drink list, so now you have another excuse to get liquored up by the beach.
Nerano (Beverly Hills): This weekend, Beverly Hills welcomes a new Italian restaurant with the arrival of Nerano, courtesy of the Toscana Restaurant Group. Here you'll find dishes inspired by the Amalfi Coast, like a spaghetti alla Nerano made with zucchini, squash blossoms, provolone and basil. There's also plenty of fish, Toscana-style pizza, a gorgeous upstairs cocktail bar and over 200 wines to choose from. Nerano opens this Saturday at 5pm.
Roberta's Pop-Up at Marvin (Beverly Blvd): New York's famous pizza joint Roberta's is popping up this Sunday at Marvin, slinging pies from 11am to 11pm. Choose your type of pizza and pair it with a glass (or bottle, not judging) of wine from Marvin's fantastic wine list.
Andare by Cento (Hollywood): We recently wrote about this, but it's worth a reminder. Downtown's Cento Pasta Bar has launched a second location called Andare by Cento, located inside Birch and available during lunch throughout the week (Mon-Fri 11am-3pm). Chef Avner Levi is serving some of L.A.'s best pasta right now, and with affordable plates that boast luxury ingredients like uni, it's worth a trip.
Angelini Alimentari (Beverly Blvd): Part Italian coffee bar, part grocery store, part gelato shop, Angelini Alimentari offers breakfast, lunch and imported Italian products for purchase at this new Beverly Boulevard eatery. There are meatballs and open-faced toasts to ogle at, but Angelini's most popular item has been their house-made gelato, featuring six traditional flavors and six seasonal specials.
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