L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele
Tens of thousands of followers tune into Caroline Juen’s Instagram to get a glimpse of the best of food and dining in Los Angeles. Perhaps better known by her blog and user name Love & Loathing LA, Juen has chronicled all things food, fashion, fun and more in Los Angeles for more than 10 years .
Back in 2023, we caught up with her to learn more about her favorite places to eat and drink. Now, we decided to dive into the art of Italian fare.
“Italian food is my favorite cuisine. It's so comforting. For me, it's good for the soul,” she shares over a phone call. “We're lucky in L.A. to have so many different types of Italian cuisine and to have new ways of interpreting [it].”
Read on for four of Juen’s favorite Italian restaurants in Los Angeles.
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Website/ 9071 Santa Monica Blvd 90069
It's just one of those experiences that every Angeleno needs to go and [do]. It's kind of like Chateau Marmont and Tower Bar and Musso and Frank; it's up there. It's just part of L.A. history. It still holds up. It's so fun. The food is great. But it's so quintessentially Italian, too, with the checker tablecloths, the menu, the staff. It's like stepping back in time in the best way possible. It’s just such a great way to appreciate… L.A. history by way of Italian food.
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Website/ 1538 Sunset Blvd 90026
L.A. is kind of having this moment with… Italian red tomato sauce restaurants. And Donna’s is totally part of that. But it’s an updated take on the red sauce classics. It's in Echo Park. It's darling inside. It's very hip, very cool, great bar. But the food is really amazing. I was really blown away. So their thing is the garlic bread. Oh my gosh. It's just this massive, giant piece of bread that's sliced with a bunch of cheese and garlic. That's the mandatory thing to get there. But their pasta is [also] great. Oddly enough, I was obsessed with their salads. Their salads were totally to die for. And also what I appreciated about Donna’s is they're not doing the small plate thing. They do absolute normal portions, like I think what you'd expect at a red sauce restaurant…I went in and sat at the bar. That is the key move because it is so busy. It's hard to get reservations there, probably still. But if you go early enough, you can get a seat at the bar, which is first come first serve.
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Website/ 1545 Wilcox Ave 90028
It’s the best pasta in Los Angeles. We are so fortunate to have Evan Funke call Los Angeles home and share his incredible creations with us. Between Funke and Mother Wolf and Felix, you have your pick of the litter. But I personally love Mother Wolf because it's just such a grand experience. There are not many buildings in Los Angeles like [the Citizen News building]—talk about history. That's in a very historic building, as well.
It's new fine Italian dining. It kind of reminds me of Balthazar in New York. Obviously the Italian-L.A. version. It’s incredible. Truly the best pasta, in my opinion. The cacio e pepe and the all'Amatriciana, I think about those pastas more than I'd like to admit. I think about those pastas all the time. In a dream world, I just go sit at the bar and I have a Negroni and a plate of cacio e pepe. That's all I could want. That's a perfect meal for me. There's just nothing [Funke] does that's not 10 out of 10, 100 out of 10.
Website/ 1534 N McCadden Pl 90028
They were founded in 1870 in Naples. Francesco Zimone, who's the owner, brought it over here to L.A. and opened in Hollywood. For so many reasons, I just adore this place. I adore the team, the space is very, very cool. It’s like a hidden gem. You wouldn't know what it was from the street. It's a little bit tucked away and it's in a courtyard. It's very grand, but it's very cozy. Th pizzas are the best Neapolitan-style pizzas in L.A., in my opinion. They've been doing this for literally hundreds of years, and we're fortunate enough to experience one of the best pizzerias by way of Naples in Los Angeles.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
See also: Caroline Juen's Guide To Eating, Drinking, More In Los Angeles
Photography by: L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele Hollywood
