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Pasta is one of those go-to meals that is always satisfying. The magical combination of carbs, sauce, and toppings is truly a thing of beauty. Not all Italian food is created equal, though.
Thrillist compiled a list of America's 34 best Italian restaurants. The website states that they "assembled a glorious cross-section of regional styles, innovative fusions of style, and wood-fired glory."
The following four California restaurants made the list and here's why the Thrillist editors picked them:
"Quince's Michael Tusk lets his hair down 20 feet away at Cotogna, and chances are you’ll go there more often, not only because of its affordability, but because it’s still an amazing meal with a little less pressure. Cotogna is no second fiddle little sibling, though—sit at the counter in front of the pizza oven, the hottest seat in the city—not in terms of trendiness, but rather temperature. While the pizza is certainly worth a gander, the pastas (looking at you, Agnolotti Dal Plin), starters (constantly changing vegetable or herb sformato), and any grilled meat dish will blow you away."
"If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation at Evan Funke’s Felix, consider fasting before you go. The restaurant, which pays homage to Italy’s most beloved culinary regions, boasts a glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled pasta lab where you can watch Funke himself (who talked to us about this very subject) roll and hand-cut delicately shaped orecchiette or round, dumpling-like strangolapreti."
L'antica Pizzeria da Michele - Los Angeles:
"This Hollywood gem is the first U.S. outpost of the legendary pizzeria in Naples, which has operated since 1870 and even made an appearance in Eat Pray Love. While the original location only serves two classic pies—marinara and margherita—its LA counterpart has significantly expanded the offering with spicy diavola, arugula and prosciutto, truffle, and much more, using the same highly guarded recipe to achieve that soft, bubbly, chewy, charred, Neapolitan-style crust (which you can watch the chef tossing in a glass-walled pizza kitchen)."
"A dinner at Penny Roma is everything you want out of a meal. A warm and inviting space in an enclosed courtyard with dim lighting and a lively atmosphere, friendly service, and a menu of nonstop hits, including some fantastic crudo, pastas—all made daily—like Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese and Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe—and mains, like a Grilled Trout and a Half Chicken Al Mattone—that deserve an order, as well as some of the best focaccia we’ve ever had in the city thanks to the perfect crunch to chew ratio."
To see the Thrillist's full list, click here.