Pizzana is our most-visited family restaurant, by a wide margin. We have been to Pizzana with kids more times than we can count. It is close to home in Brentwood, it is good enough for the adults, and it is easy for the kids without feeling designed around them. That combination is harder to find than it should be.
This post covers why it works for families, exactly what to order, what it costs, and how it compares to Uovo, the Roman pasta spot in Santa Monica we go to when we want a quieter, grown-up Italian dinner.
How Pizzana Became Our Go-To
We first went on a Friday night when we needed something close and easy. It started as a fallback plan, and we left converted to the neo-Neapolitan crust. On that first visit we ordered a spinach pizza with creamy ricotta, and the kids loved it almost as much as we did. They also got a pepperoni pizza and butter noodles, which are a lifesaver for picky eaters, and we tried the Banh Mi special. The pizzas came out on a raised stand, which the kids thought was very cool, and we had leftovers for lunch the next day.
The Crust
Pizzana’s crust is the reason we keep coming back. Chef Daniele Uditi developed the “slow dough” method the restaurant runs on: the dough is made in the Neapolitan tradition and then left to ferment and proof for two days before it ever meets the oven. That long fermentation gives it a deeper, faintly tangy flavor, closer to good bread than to the neutral base most pizzerias serve. Pizzana has since earned a listing in the Michelin Guide.
The puffed outer rim comes out charred and blistered outside, soft and almost creamy inside, and sturdy enough to fold a slice with one hand. Nothing on top fights the dough for attention.
Neo-Neapolitan or New York Style?
The menu is built around two crust styles. The Neo-Neapolitan pies are the house signature: thin in the center, dramatically puffed at the rim, and cooked hot and fast so the bottom gets leopard-spotted. The New York-style pizzas are larger, flatter, and foldable, with a chewier pull. Madeline has made her preference clear: the Margherita on the Neo-Neapolitan dough, every time. If you are ordering for a table, get one of each, because people at the same table often land on opposite favorites.
Why Pizzana Works With Kids
High chairs and strollers are handled without fuss, and the staff will adjust tables quickly. The bigger thing is the service. Servers are warm with kids, will simplify a dish or make butter noodles on request, and once brought out a surprise birthday dessert without us asking. Crayons and coloring sheets buy you the ten minutes you need while the food comes out. The room is lively enough that normal kid noise blends right in, and nobody side-eyes a dropped fork or a mid-meal meltdown.
What to Order at Pizzana
- Cacio e Pepe: the house signature, with provolone, fior di latte, parmigiano crema, and cracked black pepper. Our favorite when we want something richer.
- Neo Margherita: the reliable order and the purist’s choice.
- Diavola: spicy salami, charred shallot, walnut romesco, and honey. The one I think about afterward.
- Seasonal Banh Mi pizza: pickled vegetables and spicy toppings. Worth trying if it is on the menu.
- Starters: the Polpette al Forno (meatballs) and the charred broccolini with whipped ricotta and honey.
- Pasta: a real strength, not an afterthought. The Pappardelle alla Bolognese is built on an eight-hour beef ragù.
Two pizzas and a shared burrata are usually plenty for the four of us. For drinks at happy hour, a Classic Lime Margarita cuts through the Margherita, a Blood Orange Margarita works with the peppery Cacio e Pepe, and Chianti is the classic pairing with pepperoni.
Save room for dessert. Pizzana’s co-founder is Candace Nelson, who also founded Sprinkles, and it shows. The chocolate cake had everyone reaching for seconds, and the salted caramel panna cotta with caramelized pretzel is what I order when I want something more interesting. The seasonal fruit tart is the lighter option.
What Pizzana Costs
When we went, pizzas were $18 to $25, pastas $16 to $20, and appetizers $10 to $15. Dinner for our family of four usually ran $100 to $120 before drinks, which is fair for Brentwood given the quality and the service. Check the inKind app for dining credits before you go.
Planning Your Visit
- Address: 11712 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049
- Phone: (310) 481-7108
- Hours when we last checked: Monday to Thursday 4 to 10 p.m., Friday 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday noon to 11 p.m., Sunday noon to 10 p.m.
- Payment: card only, so leave the cash at home.
- Reservations: walk-ins are welcome, but book ahead on weekends.
Go before 7 p.m. for a calmer room. Saturday lunch is our go-to when we want to skip the wait. Pizzana also has locations in West Hollywood, Marina del Rey, Sherman Oaks, and Silver Lake, and the quality has been consistent at the ones we have tried. Street parking gets tight on weekend nights, so build in a few minutes to circle the block. Afterward, we like to walk next door for dessert at Bacio di Latte. Pizzana is also a good pick for birthdays and small celebrations, and it ships pizza nationwide if you fall for the crust and live nowhere near Brentwood.
Pizzana vs. Uovo: Which Westside Italian Spot to Choose
When we want Italian on the Westside, it usually comes down to Pizzana or Uovo, a short drive apart in Brentwood and Santa Monica. We have eaten at both enough to have a considered opinion, and it is a very specific kind of Westside privilege to even have this problem. They are different restaurants solving different problems.
What Makes Uovo Different
Uovo is a pasta restaurant with an unusual supply chain. The pasta is made by hand every day in its own kitchen in Bologna and shipped overnight to Los Angeles, because Italian eggs make a richer, deeper yellow noodle. You can taste the difference in the texture and the way the pasta holds the sauce.
The Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe is the version I now judge every other cacio e pepe against: sharp and salt-forward, exactly as it is in Rome. The Carbonara and the Amatriciana with imported guanciale are both excellent, and the Ragù is the Bolognese to order if you want the regional original. To start, the yellowtail crudo and the wagyu battuta are light and precise. The tasting menus for two are the efficient way to sample the range. When we went, most pastas were about $17 to $19; check the Uovo menu for current prices.
Two things to know before you go. Uovo doesn’t take tips, but it adds a 16% service fee to every bill. And the kitchen politely declines modifications, including extra cheese or pepper, which tells you something about the place: the food is the point. Uovo’s Santa Monica location is at 1320 2nd Street, and its small dining room fills up, so reserve ahead.
Choose Pizzana If
- You are eating with kids or a group.
- You want to share and graze. Order a few pies plus the meatballs and broccolini.
- You want a lively room where nobody minds a little noise.
Choose Uovo If
- It is a date night or a two-person dinner where you want to focus on the food.
- You care about the difference a handmade noodle makes.
- You want a quieter room.
Both are among the best at what they do on the Westside. The real answer is to keep both in rotation and let the night decide. For another quiet Santa Monica dinner, we also like Fia, and for an easy Brentwood family Sunday, Neighborly Kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pizzana good for kids?
Yes. It is our most-visited family restaurant: a lively room, shareable pizza, butter noodles on request, and staff who are great with kids. Go before 7 p.m. for a calmer room.
Does Pizzana take reservations?
Yes, and they are worth booking on weekends. Walk-ins are welcome too.
Which is better for a date night, Pizzana or Uovo?
Uovo, for the quieter room and the focus on the pasta. Pizzana is better for families and groups.
More Family-Friendly Spots Nearby
If you are looking for other family-friendly places in the area, we have also written about Katsuya Brentwood, Telefèric, and Fig, plus Bacari Sherman Oaks for date night without the kids.
