Italian Restaurant Westlake Village: A Hidden Gem For Fine Dining
When it comes to fine dining in Westlake Village, there’s one place that consistently stands out among the rest: Bocaccio’s Restaurant. Nestled in the heart of the community, this charming Italian eatery has earned its reputation as a true hidden gem. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, looking for a casual night out, or simply craving a...
L’Oro di Napoli Opening in Petaluma This Week
Santa Rosa’s L’Oro di Napoli will officially open its 8,000-square-foot Petaluma restaurant Wednesday, Feb. 19, featuring a new menu, bar and impressive Italian wood-fired pizza oven. But one thing will be missing — the lasagna. “No lasagna here,” said co-owner Domenico De Angelis, whose mile-high lasagna filled with layers of fresh pasta, Bolognes...
S.F. Italian favorite to close after 40 years
Ristorante Milano, which has charmed diners for four decades in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood, will close permanently. Ristorante Milano’s final day at 1448 Pacific Ave. is March 31, owner Aldo Blasi announced. At 73 years old and after decades working in the restaurant industry, he is retiring, as first reported by the newsletter Tablehopp...
The Oldest Italian Restaurant In The US Isn't Where You Might Expect
New York City has long been a culinary melting pot thanks to the immigrants who arrived from Europe in the 19th century. From Little Italy to Chinatown, the impact of settlers on the food scene is still evident today. However, it may surprise you to learn that the oldest Italian restaurant in the U.S. is not on the East Coast. It's in northern Cali...
A Belmont gem: Vivace Ristorante spreads Italian delight
Vivace Ristorante, a local favorite, continues to serve the Belmont community as it lives up to its name, which means “lively” in Italian. Located just outside the Carlmont Shopping Center, Vivace’s reputation as a beloved community gathering spot has only grown over the years. The restaurant has won the “Wine Spectator‘s Award of Excellence” from...
Inside Alba, the Debut L.A. Restaurant From New York's Prince Street Hospitality
Here in L.A., where restaurant real estate space is coveted and finite, we’ve all too often come to view someplace new as the old someplace else. Which is why I was surprised when I asked Alba co-owner Will Makris (of New York's Prince Street Hospitality) what used to occupy the site of his stunning new Italian gem opening this Thursday, Feb. 6. on...
New York’s Luxe Coastal Italian Restaurant Marea Splashes Into Beverly Hills
One of the best Italian seafood restaurants in New York City, Marea, opened January 16, 2025, in a sleek Beverly Hills space along Camden Drive, where stalwarts Mr. Chow, Cipriani, and Gravitas already serve a well-heeled dining crowd. Marea first opened on Columbus Circle in May 2009, a jolt to the wallet amid the impacts of the 2008 financial cri...
Bay Area coffee icon "Mr. Espresso," Carlo Di Ruocco, passes away
The Bay Area coffee community is mourning the loss of a pioneer this week, as Carlo Di Ruocco, affectionately known as "Mr. Espresso," has passed away at the age of 90. The social media post from the company he founded, Mr. Espresso, announced his death and celebrated his significant contributions to introducing and transforming authentic Italian e...
Carbonaro’s Fast-Casual Italian Coming to SDSU
My college dining experience consisted mainly of cafeteria slop languishing in chafing dishes, supplemented with leftovers from my job working at a wrap and smoothie shop. (I’m still a stealth smoothie-making superstar.) But students at San Diego State University hardly suffer from my barely edible past woes, with spots like Pokedon, Tajima, Woodst...
Legendary Italian sandwich shop, All’antico Vinaio, coming to downtown
All’antico Vinaio, a rapidly growing chain of sandwich shops that originated in Italy in 1991, is preparing to open a new location at 316 Santa Monica Blvd, formally the site of Trejo's Tacos. This marks the third Los Angeles location for the Florence-based firm, following outlets in Koreatown and Venice and co-owner Tanya Bastianich Manuali confir...
Busalacchi family tours real Little Italy
The stereotype of a family-owned restaurant may not include the elaborate bar of Lala or the trendy social scene at Barbusa. The comfort food of Nonna, named after Italian grandmothers everywhere, is more what comes to mind when considering non-corporate dining. Yet the Busalacchi family still proudly owns and manages all three concepts in Little I...
Dinucci’s restaurant has long been a ‘mecca’ for Italian dinners in Valley Ford
In the small, sleepy town of Valley Ford, CA, the building that houses Dinucci's restaurant has remained a constant for over a century — first as a hotel for travelers and ranchers, and then as an Italian dining staple. Around 1908, the Brambani family (also referred to as Brombani) erected a stately hostelry known as the Depot Hotel, according to...
