19 editor picks in Santa Monica.
19 italian places in Santa Monica we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Santa Monica | Italian across every city.
Fia fills a big garden dining room on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica with coastal Italian cooking, burrata with prosciutto and figs, raw fish and steaks.
OrderBurrata with prosciutto and figs, then the Wellington steak
TipThe garden brunch with pastries and bottomless pours is the weekend play; book OpenTable for patio seats.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Capo is Bruce Marder's almond-wood-fired Italian room on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, open since 1998 with a cellar of more than 2,500 wine selections.
OrderRigatoni with white truffle meat sauce and something off the wood fire
TipThe wine list has held Wine Spectator's Grand Award every year since 2015; budget accordingly.
Cosetta cooks wood-fired Italian on Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, porcini-rubbed wagyu tri-tip and vodka arrabbiata shells with burrata.
OrderPasta shells in vodka arrabbiata with burrata
TipTwo hours of validated parking off 31st Street takes the sting out; happy hour runs 16:00-17:00 on weekdays.
Piccolo Ristorante hand-rolls its pasta on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, chef Antonio Mure's Venetian-leaning dinners with a deep Italian cellar.
OrderHomemade pasta of the day with a glass from the Italian list
TipThe room is candlelit and small, better for two than six; Prosecco by the glass opens the night properly.
Bay Cities Italian Deli, family-owned since 1925, bakes and stacks the Godmother on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica behind hour-long lunchtime queues.
OrderThe Godmother with the works, hot peppers included
TipOrder the Godmother online ahead and skip the queue; it is debit or cash only and closed Monday and Tuesday.
Colapasta sheets fresh organic pasta on 5th Street in downtown Santa Monica, beef ragu lasagna and beet ravioli in brown butter at bargain prices.
OrderBeet ravioli in brown butter and the ragu lasagna
TipSeating is first come, first served; last seating is fifteen minutes before close, so do not cut it fine.
Capo is Bruce Marder's almond-wood-fired Italian room on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, open since 1998 with a cellar of more than 2,500 wine selections.
OrderRigatoni with white truffle meat sauce and something off the wood fire
TipThe wine list has held Wine Spectator's Grand Award every year since 2015; budget accordingly.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Sogno Toscano stacks an espresso bar, Italian market and wine bar into one Montana Avenue corner in Santa Monica, panini by day and aperitivo by night.
TipBookable wine tastings run in the evenings; otherwise take a Bufalina panino and a glass at the window.
Sogno Toscano stacks an espresso bar, Italian market and wine bar into one Montana Avenue corner in Santa Monica, panini by day and aperitivo by night.
TipBookable wine tastings run in the evenings; otherwise take a Bufalina panino and a glass at the window.
Bay Cities Italian Deli, family-owned since 1925, bakes and stacks the Godmother on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica behind hour-long lunchtime queues.
TipOrder the Godmother online ahead and skip the queue; it is debit or cash only and closed Monday and Tuesday.
Bay Cities Italian Deli, family-owned since 1925, bakes and stacks the Godmother on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica behind hour-long lunchtime queues.
OrderThe Godmother sub, takeout counter
TipOrder the Godmother online ahead and skip the queue; it is debit or cash only and closed Monday and Tuesday.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Bay Cities Italian Deli, family-owned since 1925, bakes and stacks the Godmother on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica behind hour-long lunchtime queues.
OrderThe Godmother
TipOrder the Godmother online ahead and skip the queue; it is debit or cash only and closed Monday and Tuesday.
Fia fills a big garden dining room on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica with coastal Italian cooking, burrata with prosciutto and figs, raw fish and steaks.
OrderBurrata with prosciutto and figs, then the Wellington steak
TipThe garden brunch with pastries and bottomless pours is the weekend play; book OpenTable for patio seats.
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
OrderWhipped eggplant dip with flatbread, then a pizza as the sun drops
TipGo before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
Bay Cities Italian Deli, family-owned since 1925, bakes and stacks the Godmother on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica behind hour-long lunchtime queues.
TipOrder the Godmother online ahead and skip the queue; it is debit or cash only and closed Monday and Tuesday.
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