When I first arrived in Santa Monica from New York in 1993, I always opted to eat at a natural…read morefoods café just next-door to Fritto Misto, and I unfortunately never gave them a chance. Last week, I was in the mood for "Italian", and I remembered Fritto Misto, and I looked at their menu. They had meals that sounded delicious, and I was delighted that they served whole wheat and gluten-free pasta options. I wound up having a fantastic meal there, and I ate there again this week. Everything is so fresh, flavorful, and delicious! The environment is very warm and friendly, and the staff is very accommodating and helpful. I didn't feel like I had to choose between health and flavor when I was there; I got both! Bravo, Fritto Misto! A big thank you to Robert, the owner, and the two waiters/servers who helped me; Kevin and Carlos. Though I don't drink, a big thank you to the bartenders who were very friendly and helpful when I walked in.

Ambiance: - Located in santa monica, so parking is a bit…read moredifficult - Lots of seating inside and on the patio - employees friendly and helpful Food: - Artichoke & Mascarpone Stuffed Gnocchi: crowd favorite, good chew in the gnocchi - Black and White Spaghettini with bolognese: standard bolognese sauce, and good texture of the black and white noodles

Ashley was amazing. Hadn't had upscale pasta before and she recommended some amazing options. Would…read morerecommend!

Awesome food (great lasagna). Great ambience and feel. Best of all was the service - thanks Kenya!read more

What a splendid experience! Stopped by for dinner on Friday and I absolutely loved it. The dark,…read moreromantic, and quiet ambience outside is perfect for a date or girls night. Our server was so fun! The dirty martini was one of the best (frankly I normally compare to my own and this was very similar). The carbonara-esque pasta with guanciale was excellent as was the grilled calamari. We also got the duck ragu and prosciutto and burrata which were also great, but the former two were the stars along with the drinks. Might I also add that the bill was a pleasant surprise at the end of the night, so rare to find great food and drinks for a reasonable price these days. I loved it here, if I lived closer it would be j. my regular rotation for weekend dins.

Beautiful restaurant with a very cute back patio and gives such a perfect and romantic date night…read morevibe. The food was fantastic and the service was also very friendly. The seafood squid ink pasta was delicious. The calamari were perfectly grilled and the burrata on eggplants was delicious.

Loved this beautiful restaurant in Santa Monica! It starts when you walk in to a beautiful indoor/…read moreoutdoor patio with ocean views - perfect spot to enjoy the weather and the stunning sunset. We were here for a work dinner so it was a prefixed menu that absolutely hit the spot with excellent service all night! We began with the steaming hot flatbread which is delicious and was served alongside whipped eggplant - that I thought I would love but I was not a fan of the texture! We also had the freshest crudités, and salad alongside the arancini which is a dish I normally don't like but these were small, light and delicious! We then enjoyed the pasta with vodka sauce and branzino - both so so good but the star for me was actually the broccolini which had a selfies char taste with a cashew pesto and crispy shallots! Everything was delicious and made better by the ocean views! Loved it

Went for my birthday and although very loud I did love the vibe and ocean view. They honored my…read morelast minute reservation ocean view so thank you! The hosts in front were all very sweet but the table service was very poor and we all commented separately that our server had such an attitude from the start. Thankfully his shift was ending and we got a new server and nice but not very attentive. We started with the bread and eggplant dip because that's a must. So yummy! My Aperol spritz was refreshing. Slushie mango drink was just ok. We ordered the pesto pasta and so good! The mushroom and pepperoni pizzas also really good. Others shared the spicy vodka pasta and liked it. Top fav was that pesto pasta and the creaminess of it was again just so good. We were here for my birthday celebration which they knew and I thought it was odd the server didn't ask us if we wanted dessert and no special birthday dessert. Maybe it's so busy they just want to move people out quickly. I definitely will be back to try brunch and give the service another try.

I decided to go for dineLA lunch deal here and wow! The service was impeccable from start to…read morefinish. Free parking with validation btw. To start, they gave me a basket of white bread which was amazing. It was fluffy inside and crunchy on the outside. For my appetizer, I got the burrata. This was so good. I do wish they gave me a full burrata rather than half but a fantastic deal and dish. It was super flavorful and I loved every bite. I ordered the capellini for my main since the waiter recommended it as light especially in this heat wave and I had to go back to work after. I'm usually not a fan of angel hair but this was delicious. I loved the fresh veggies in the dish. I only wish there were more shrimp rather than just the 3. For my dessert, I got the tiramisu. It was the perfect way to end this meal. They also have this power lunch deal that I will need to take advantage of next time!

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars…read more Had the pleasure of dining here last night after making a reservation last week for DineLA. My girlfriend and I had always passed by the area and have been around the neighborhood, but had never been able to eat here. We got there a bit earlier than our reservation, about 10 minutes earlier than expected. The restaurant was extremely busy at 7:10 PM, with multiple family dinners and a huge birthday party happening all at once. After about 3-4 minutes of standing in front of the door, our waiter asked if we had made a reservation and immediately sat us down at a table right in front of the kitchen. The DineLA menu wasn't extensive but because of that, we were able to try both appetizers and both desserts. As for the entrees, we decided to get the Tagliolini and the Tagliata di Manzo alla Pizzaiola. The appetizers were both really food, especially the sauce that the Posillipo came with. It was so good that after we finished it, we got the bread and dipped it in the sauce! The entrees were okay; I think the Tagliolini could have used a bit more salt or some cheese, like Pecorino or Parmigiano but the scallops that came with the dish was impeccably seasoned. The Tagliata was also good, especially the sauce that came on top, but I just wished I had more of it. Even though it was supposed to be a filet, I couldn't tell if it was that or a skirt steak. Lastly, I was a bit happy when our waiter came to our table before our dessert and told us that they had ran out of the chocolate cake and that we had the option to choose from their regular menu (whatever they had that was available at the moment). When the waiter mentioned a hazelnut cake, we decided to get that. Again, so happy that there was no more chocolate vanilla cake because the hazelnut lemon cream cake was absolutely divine! I loved the lemon cheesecake-like filling and the hazelnut crumble on the bottom that was so light and compact that it felt like a hazelnut rice crispy treat. At the end of our meal, I attempted to get parking validation, as I was told that parking was free if our meal was under 2 hours. When I tried to get the validation, the machine wouldn't validate and was telling me to pay the entirety of parking. Glad to say that one of the staff members (I'm not sure if he was the owner or the manager or someone high up in the restaurant) saw that I was struggling and had told me that he would help me get the parking issue situated, and he actually followed through and did! There was also another server who offered to take our photos and had posed us inside the restaurant to take the shots. He did a really great job and both my girlfriend and I were so happy with how the photos came out. This place had gone above and beyond our expectation and I think its safe to say that we will definitely be back to try their regular menu!

The food is excellent. Across the board. The service is…read moresolid. Good wine list. The restaurant seating is a little tight. Always try to see if you can sit on the back patio, which is much more relaxed and quieter.

If you love cheese and carbs, Forma is the place to go! We came during happy hour on a Sunday with…read morea group of friends and had a wonderful time. The restaurant was pretty empty when we first arrived at 2pm but quickly filled up within the hour. The servers were very attentive the whole time, even when the place got packed they knew when our drinks were empty without us having to say a word. The only thing was you had to ask for the happy hour menu, they didn't just automatically give it to you upon arrival. We started with a round of drinks, and everyone seemed to have enjoyed their drink. I got a peach bellini that was lightly sweet and very refreshing, it paired well with the heavier food we ordered. Since it was our first time we went a little crazy and ordered a variety of appetizers, flatbreads and pasta. We got 11 dishes to share and there wasn't a single dish that disappointed. I love how well they timed the pacing of serving each dish, making sure we can try everything as it's freshly cooked. They also started from the lighter appetizers then progressed to more flavourful and filling dishes, taking us on a nice food journey. The highlights were the Gnocco Fritto, Mushroom Flatbread and Trofie Al Pesto. Honestly all their pasta were sooo good it's hard to pick a favourite. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce coated every bite beautifully. Each bite was creamy, savoury and packed full of flavour! The Gnocco Fritto was fried to perfection. It was light, fluffy and not greasy at all, the crispy exterior with the airy chewy interior made for a great bite. My only complaint is the sauce container is too small to drunk the gnocco in, making it hard to get the sauce on it for the perfect bite. All their mushroom dishes had wonderful umami truffle flavour and creamy delicious cheese. I personally love fresh baked bread so the flatbread made for a wonderful vessel for the mushroom topping. I'm getting hungry just reminiscing about the scrumptious meal. Highly recommend stopping by if you're on the west side and craving Italian food.

Came here for dinner before a show and so glad I did! My group was lucky enough to get seated right…read moreaway with no reservation! That was awesome from the host to squeeze us in. The place is cozy with a lot of cool art on the walls. The staff is great and friendly. There's a bar area where you can sit and you have the chef/cooks cooking and the pizza oven in front of you. Things I tried: *Garlic Knot: it was out of this world! It was so delicious! I could go back just for this! 10/10 *Warm M+O Bread with Olive Oil: 10/10 *Little Gem Caesar Salad: I got it with a side of anchovies because it's a Caesar salad haha. The salad was fresh and crisp! 9/10 *Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle: 10/10 my favorite item of the night! Pasta was cooked perfectly and the mushrooms were just the cherry on top! *Rigatoni Bolognese: 6/10. Pasta was cooked perfectly but I wasn't a fan of the sauce. *Diavola Pizza: 8/10 it's not spicy but it's good lol. Crust is so airy and crispy! *Peach + Hot Honey: 10/10! What a special combination of peaches, Parmesan & Prosciutto! *Besito Drink: 10/10 *Tiramisu: 9/10 I'm a sucker for Tiramisu and this one is good! I couldn't fully enjoy it has I was super stuffed already.

This place was amazing! I was so incredibly impressed. We came here with my kids, and this place is…read moredefinitely kid friendly. We sat in the backyard patio, and loved it. They have heat lamps and twinkle lights. They have paper and crayons for the kids. Victor was our waiter and he was awesome! So friendly and kind and gave great recommendations Parking: Parking was not bad! Metered parking for 2 hours and ample on a Saturday. Food: We got the chicken meatballs, Arancini, the salad with the fried capers and shrimp, and tagliatelle mushroom dish, corn, margherita pizza. My favorites were the Arancini, anchovy caper salad, and the tagliatelle. The dish that stole the show was the tagliatelle! It was AMAZING! the pasta was honestly the best I've had and I've had some amazing pasta. I will hands down be back!

Saw this on IG when I was doomscrolling, found my dinner that night. I guses this place is popular…read moreand blowing up for being aesthetic, but wow! The food here is also amAZING. I honestly did not expect much but wow this place is really good. Def not cheap, kind of in the heart of LA, but I would come back here JUST for the Sweet Corn Agnolotti. Genuineley the best pasta ive ever tasted in my life. FOOD: Price: Pretty expensive, not too expensive but higher end ~$30 per plate Steak Tartare - $26 (3.7/5) Steak Tartare is alright. A little bland in my opinion. Kinda sad I spent 26$ on this because i really like tartare. The bread was amazing and the portions were good. Maybe i have high standards but it was ok! Sauce was good, beef was tender. Spicy Pomodoro - $29 (4.5/5) Now this is the plate that everyone has been talking about. It is actually very good. The pasta is perfectly cooked, and the sauce compliments the pasta so well. There was a lil dollop of riccotta on top and made the entire thing very creamy. Didnt read the ingredients, but the truffle tasted sooo good mixed into the pasta. Not full score bc it was good, but not something I would remember for years on end. Sweet Corn Agnolotti - $28 (1000/5) OK NOW THIS ONE oh my god this is genuinely the best pasta ive ever tasted. The server recommened this one and we decided to try it. CORN AND THE WHATEVER IT IS IN THERE. Some sort of engineering food genius created this masterpeice. I ate so slow because every single bite of the agnolotti was like heaven. The first bite I had I almost cried. Genuinely a masterpiece. Ive never had pasta that tasted like that. Every single ingredient in that dish was curated to perfection. PERFETLY COOKED PERFECTLY SEASONED. I would drive all the way here JUST for this dish. Hands down the best pasta Ive tried in my life and I am a foodie in LA!! THIS IS A MUST GET SO UNDERRATED VIBES: Amazing service, no parking at all! You either will have to wrap around and get lucky or do vallet, which wasnt too expensive. The vibes here are great though, it was pretty small, with only counter seating, and it is combined with another restaruant, Cento Raw Bar. I thought it was popular, but on a Sat night, it wasnt too busy. No reservation, waited around 10-15 mins, but we chilled at the Cento Raw Bar and got an appetizer. Would def come back, but it is a bit pricey!

Came here on a Saturday night through reservations and parked with their valet parking. It's super…read morepopular and the ambience is very chic and super cute. It's definitely a date night/girls night out type of vibe. The service is immaculate and the food came out in an orderly manner. We didn't have to wait too long for the food. I love the vibes a lot and it's so unique. They definitely made good use of the space they have. What we ordered: radicchio salad (10/10) - bright, yummy, and wakes up your pallet. My favorite dish here. the charred octopus (9/10) - the char was great and the cook on the octopus is well done. Not gummy and hard to chew carbonara (9/10) - a little bit on the saltier side but I don't mind bc my pallet is more savory. The pasta is al dente, which i love. spicy pomodoro (7/10) - the sauce was a bit too much for me. After a few bites i got a bit tired of it. sweet corn agnolotti (4/10) - a lot sweeter than I would have liked. Didn't really like how it flowed with the rest of our dishes. Next time I would pass on this. Passion fruit creme brulee (4/10) - very sour in a way that makes it hard to take a second bite. I would pass on this as well. The service and vibe is a 5/5. The food is good, but forgettable. I usually rank a place high if I would come again and to be honest, I wouldn't come again. The food isn't enough to lure me back.

Go for brunch, go for dinner. It's hard to miss here, though the only thing I would skip next time…read moreis the Breakfast Carbonara pasta. I love a good carbonara, but this didn't work for me (could be a personal preference). It has probably one of the best Kale salads you'll have and you must order the spicy rigatoni pasta. The biscuits, crispy provolone, and Copione pizza are also great.

Grace was absolutely the best at OSPI! She was incredibly kind, attentive, and made the entire…read moreexperience so easy and enjoyable. You can tell she genuinely cares about her clients and takes pride in what she does. She was knowledgeable, professional, and went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. If you're going to OSPI, ask for Grace -- you won't regret it! Highly recommend!

So so great. Went with a big group and we ordered SO MUCH FOOD to share and literally everything…read morewas a 10/10. Some standouts were the white truffle garlic bread, calamari, arancini and meatballs. For entrees, I got the chicken parm with vodka sauce instead and it was so thin, crispy and delicious. I also loved the grilled chicken ceaser salad. We had a couple servers and they were all phenomenal. Very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Can't wait to return.

We've been coming to North Italia for years now but our dinner tonight was a disaster…read more We arrived at 6.30pm. Placed our orders at 6.45. 2 caesar salads with a side of salmon and a pizza. We were the only guests outside. The restaurant inside was 2/3 full. Drinks went un-refilled. No-one checked on us. By 7.20 we started asking about our food. 5 minutes later my husband's pizza arrived. It was cold. Then our two saiads / salmons arrived 5 minutes later. They were nice but my husband decided just not to eat by this point. The manager bought us a slice of cake as an apology. But then it was added to the bill and had to be removed. When the final bill arrived we waited ages for someone to take payment. In the end we ended up taking our card and check inside to take care off it. It just felt like the staff had given up. I don't know what happened to this place but this was a huge disappointment. It looks like North Italia is off our restaurant list now.