Considering L.A.’s reputation as a carb-phobic town, the city remains loaded with great spots for pasta, pizza, and everything else the sun-kissed shores of Italy bring. Restaurants across Woodland Hills and other neighborhoods are serving silky strands rooted in Italian tradition and fusing it with the Golden State’s pristine produce and seasonal sensibility – indeed, it’s a winning Cal-Ital formula that is relevant as ever, even in these pandemic-centric times.
The following represents our picks for eateries serving some of the best Italian cuisine in Woodland Hills.
Adagio Ristorante, located at 22841 Ventura Boulevard, identifies as a premier and authentic Italian restaurant that has been proudly serving Woodland Hills and the Los Angeles area community since its inception, its mission always being to provide exceptional Italian cuisine including fresh pastas, chicken, seafood and veal entrees, tableside Caesar salad preparations, and more to its legions of happy customers in an upscale casual setting. While Adagio’s dining room remains closed due to COVID restrictions, the eatery is open for takeout Tuesday through Sunday from 5 pm to 8:30 pm.
Nicola’s Kitchen, located at 20969 Ventura Boulevard, is a purveyor of fine Italian food with influences ranging from the California coast to the shores of Thailand. Established in the “good old days” of 1990, Nicola’s has been serving the San Fernando Valley since that era, and in that time has developed a style of Italian cooking that attracts fans of this cuisine like moths to the proverbial flame. The lunch and dinner menu includes everything from salads and appetizers to soups, sides, house specialties, pasta, sandwiches, specialty chicken dishes, Thai pasta dishes, seafood, desserts, and wines/beer. Nicola’s is open from 11 am to 7:45 pm, and it is recommended you check with the restaurant to confirm its schedule during COVID.
H.O.M Eatery, located at 21136 Ventura Boulevard, crafts 100-percent homemade dishes, from regional pastas to the dough for its scrumptious pizzas. The restaurant’s representatives regularly express their intention to make every customer feel right at home – thus the eatery’s name – and this group of individuals are also the ones responsible for introducing Da Pasquale and House of Meatballs. As an upscale casual Italian eatery nestled in the heart of Woodland Hills, H.O.M serves dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm and Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 9:30 pm.
Paoli’s Piano Bar, located at 2201, 21020 Ventura Boulevard, has been nicknamed “Hidden Hollywood in Woodland Hills” and boasts a unique, old-time cozy atmosphere that welcomes hungry diners and private parties alike. This charming little spot serves lunch and dinner seven days a week, its renowned bar – also open daily – offering glass or bottled wine, beer, and a fully-stocked liquor wall. Since its opening in 1984, Paoli’s has been a staple authentic Italian restaurant in the Valley, boasting delicious family-friendly dishes, generous portions, and swanky, high-energy entertainment with piano players, and a variety of entertaining singers – and that’s just the beginning. The restaurant is open from Monday through Sunday 11 am to 2 am (entertainment restrictions may be in place due to COVID).
Il Fornaio, located at 6320 Topanga Canyon Boulevard Suite #1640, offers outdoor dining and contactless curbside pickup and delivery Monday through Thursday 5 to 9 pm and Friday through Sunday 12 to 9 pm, the restaurant’s locations continuing to follow the guidance of the CDC and local health departments to adhere to all safety best practices. On the Il Fornaio Woodland Hills menu, you’ll find a plethora of antipasti, pasta, pizza, salads and soups, specialties, and more, each of the restaurant’s part of the corporate family striving to provide guests with the most authentic Italian experience outside of Italy.
Guido’s Pizza and Pasta, established in 1987, uses only the finest ingredients to create meals that consistently satisfy its legions of customers, its owners priding themselves on excellent service, quality, and delicious food. All pizzas are hand-tossed and all pasta dishes are homemade – and all are served at a reasonable price. In using the finest ingredients and presenting generous portions, Guido’s delicious dinners will satisfy your entire family…and Woodland Hills Magazine can put a seal of approval on that.
When you think about it, can there even be such a thing as bad Italian food? Even at its worst, it’s still carbs and cheese and all kinds of bright, herby flavors. Yet, there are some places that take what’s inherently good and make it something else entirely, and we believe the restaurants in this roundup do just that…especially during these crowd-challenged times.
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