We are all in the mood for comfort food this time of year. There is nothing more comforting than a plate of pasta topped with rich sauces, gooey cheese, and colorful herbs and spices. Here are 5 Italian restaurants in California that serve some of the best pasta you can find in California.
Here are the 5 best Italian food restaurants in California:
1. The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen, Newport Beach, CA
When you take a bite of the signature pink sauce that everyone knows and loves from this Orange County gem, you will have even more reason to salivate. Mama D's is located at 3012 Newport Blvd. in Newport Beach.
- Location: 3012 NEWPORT BLVD, NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92663
- Website: https://mamadsitalian.com/
- Phone: (949) 675-6262
- Store Hours: SUN - THURS: 4 pm - 8:30 pm
FRI - SAT: 4 pm - 9:00 pm
2. Pasta Espresso, Pacific Beach in San Diego, CA
Pasta Espresso is a hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant that serves simple pasta dishes that make you feel right at home. Angel hair pasta topped with marinara sauce and vegetables. Pasta Espresso is located at 4480 Haines Street in Pacific Beach.
- Location: 4480 Haines St, San Diego, CA 92109, United States
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Italian-Restaurant/Pasta-Espresso-143166135729220/
- Phone: 858-272-9448
- Store Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays 12 pm to 9 pm / Sundays 11 pm to 8 pm / Closed on Mondays
3. Basilico's Pasta e Vino, Huntington Beach, CA
This flavorful dish is served at Basilico's Pasta e Vino, where you can have seafood linguine that's out of this world. This mouthwatering dish will only be available after its grand re-opening on January 5. However, the wait is well worth it. 19171 Magnolia Street is the address of the restaurant in Huntington Beach.
Rosemarie (known to some as Rose and Nonna to others in the neighborhood) was Basilico's mother and a first-generation American whose parents were Italian. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she learned many rich Italian family traditions, including how to cook food from the old country during her childhood. The Huntington Beach resident enjoyed inviting community members to dine in her restaurant every day as if they were guests at her own home for 18 years.
- Location: 21501 Brookhurst St, Huntington Beach, CA 92646, United States
- Website: https://www.basilicospastavino.com/
- Phone: 714-963-7980
- Store Hours: Monday-Wednesday 11 am–9 pm / Thursdays-Saturdays 11 am to 11 pm / Sundays 9 am to 9 pm
4. Al Dente, Palm Springs, CA
The menu at this restaurant in Palm Springs offers a wide variety of hearty pasta dishes bursting with flavor. Al Dente is located at 491 N Palm Canyon where people flock a lot to meet and have a simple conversation over a delicious pizza and wine!
- Location: 491 N Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92262
- Website: https://www.aldentepalmsprings.com/
- Phone: 760-325-1160
- Store Hours: Daily from 4-9 pm
5. Chicago Pasta House, Moreno Valley, CA
There's nothing fancy about the Chicago Pasta House in Moreno Valley, but the food sure is delicious. Aside from serving piping hot pasta, they also offer a tasty Chicago-style pizza.
Chicago's Historic South Side restaurant initially served stuffed pizza in 1974. From the beginning, the recipe was unique. The pizza world was stunned when loaded spinach and zucchini pizzas were created. Their pizza was sensational, and Chicago Magazine declared their pizza to be the best in the city three years later. The praise for their pizza didn't stop in Chicago. Even further, their reputation spread. New York Times said their stuffed pizza is "the ultimate pizza." And NBC-TV declares Chicago Pasta House's pizza "The Best Pizza in America."
- Location: 24667 Sunnymead Boulevard, Moreno Valley, CA 92553, United States
- Website: https://www.chicagopastahouse.com/
- Phone: 951-924-5777
- Store Hours: Daily from 11 am to 10 pm
Is your favorite Italian restaurant in California on the list above? If not, let us know about it by sharing with us your dining experience with your favorite Italian resto in California! Hit the comment section below!