Osteria Mozza

You won’t find an osteria like this in Italy – it is truly an L.A. concoction. Owners Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich (son of Lidia) are more aptly riffing on Italian cuisine, and put simply, it works.  The interior is all simplicity and clean lines, with dark wood and white marble accents. The restaurant’s raison d’etre is the striking mozzarella bar where you may catch Silverton preparing the namesake cheese. You will do fine with pretty much anything on the menu, but standouts include the little gem lettuce salad, grilled octopus, tortellini stuffed with prosciutto and cheese and grilled quail wrapped in pancetta. It’s casual and lively, with loud music piping through the dining room – and, anytime you go, it’s hopping with all kinds: celebs, industry folks, trendy scenesters, serious foodies and everything in between. Pastry chef Dahlia Narvaez pulls out all the stops with her desserts, getting special raves for the cheesecake drizzled with honey and the mini donuts with huckleberry compote. Neighboring Pizzeria Mozza is devoted solely to making pies, and they’re equally divine.

TIPS: The mozzarella bar sits 13 and the amaro bar seats 10, and it’s first-come, first-served. But the mozzarella bar in particular is a unique dining experience and so worth trying to score a seat. They have a two-bottle maximum corkage policy, 750 ml. each, for $20 per bottle.