Best Italian Restaurants in Downtown

Always a favorite to come to Bestia, their food is stellar and they just do it right! Arriving right before restaurant opens is always a fave of mine, caught the tail end of their service staff pre shift and it totally warmed my heart. It really does make a difference when employees seem like they like where they work. I heard and felt energy, excitement and fun from each person I encountered.

Thoroughly enjoyed Vespaio from the time we were greeted by the hostess, to the time we left the restaurant. We enjoyed 2 delicious entrees - Wild Boar Pasta and Risotto with Filet Mignon. We will definitely be returning.

700 – the name of the restaurant and the address on 5th street. This restaurant is a wonderful respite in the concrete jungle of Downtown Los Angeles. The indoor décor is marked by its location – the indoor columns are stacks of recognizable books while violins and French horns float above the bar area – indicative of the LA Philharmonic and also that this is a place that welcomes those who appreciate food as a culinary art. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. The chef is from Italy and pasta is made fresh. On the day of my reservation, I was welcomed with open arms and felt like I was a VIP and old friend. The lunch specials are phenomenal. As of this writing they have a $25 lunch special that includes one appetizer and either one pasta or one pizza. Portions are generous. For an extra $5, dessert is an option. I chose the caprese salad and the cannelloni. Three large cannelloni stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth beef in a decadent bechamel was rich but light. My brother opted for the salad and the gnocchi with cream and guanciale. Both dishes were exquisite. Opted for the dessert – rum sponge cake with a dollop of ice cream along with a gorgeous cappuccino. Delizioso! This was such a pleasant experience that I will definitely be coming back bringing friends and colleagues from the office down the street. Hopefully one day I will be a true VIP by being a regular, but even now they treated us like old friends. This will no doubt be a very popular restaurant in the days and years to come.

Loved the whole experience and look forward to returning. Every dish was perfectly prepared. Ingredients were of the highest quality, so fresh and well seasoned. Salad with dates and goat cheese was delicious. Prosciutto and burrata amazing. The pesto pasta was a dream. The seafood ravioli was divine. The pork and sausage stuffed pasta was savory and flavorful. Drinks and wine were excellent - if a bit over priced. And the service friendly and attentive. The panna cotta was a perfect finale. So many other fabulous looking desserts, but we were too full to try anything else...next time. We appreciate the attention to acoustics as we were able to have a conversation - even as the tables around us filled - due to the sound absorbing ceiling. Not a small thing.

The goods and services were excellent. We definitely will come back.