Best Bet

This casual A-frame restaurant on Washington isn’t just a comforting place to eat pasta and pizza while surrounded by servers in bright red blazers. It’s our favorite Italian spot in Culver City. Order their smoked eel pasta rolled in pecorino butter, brisket meatballs, and a couple of pizzas. These pies come out of a wood-fired oven with a blistered crust and soft doughy centers that somehow avoid sagging under toppings like sausage and miso mayo. Expect to see dates gulping amaretto sours, friends snacking on zucchini blossoms, and families towing $800 strollers. Reservations may be tough, but you can usually book slots a few weeks ahead without much fuss.