Two of the best Italian restaurants on the Westside of Los Angeles sit just a short drive apart: Pizzana, the Neo-Neapolitan pizza destination in Brentwood, and Uovo, the Roman pasta specialist in Santa Monica. We have eaten at both enough times to have a considered opinion about how they compare, which is the kind of Westside dining problem I am aware is a very specific form of privilege. They are different restaurants solving different problems, and which one is right for you depends almost entirely on the night you are having.
Pizzana: Neo-Neapolitan Pizza in Brentwood
Master pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi’s Neo-Neapolitan pizza is the reason Pizzana exists and the reason you should go. The signature “slow dough” is fermented for two days, and that patience shows: the crust is charred and supple, with an interior that resists easy description and a complexity most pizza in Los Angeles simply does not have. It stays light enough to be easy to digest but sturdy enough to pick up with one hand.
What to order at Pizzana
The Cacio e Pepe is the house signature pizza, built on provolone d’Agerola, fior di latte, parmigiano crema, and cracked black pepper. The Neo Margherita is the purist’s choice, and the Diavola, with spicy salami, charred shallot, walnut romesco, and a drizzle of honey, is the one I think about afterward. For starters, the oven-seared Polpette al Forno (meatballs) and the charred broccolini with whipped ricotta and honey are both strong. The pasta program is a genuine secondary strength rather than an afterthought, especially the Pappardelle alla Bolognese built on an eight-hour beef ragu.
Save room for dessert, because Pizzana’s sweets come from pastry chef Candace Nelson, founder of Sprinkles. The dark chocolate olive oil cake is the cult favorite, and the salted caramel panna cotta with caramelized pretzel is the one I order when I want something a little more interesting.
Pizzana Brentwood: hours, location, and tips
- Address: 11712 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049
- Phone: (310) 481-7108
- Hours: Monday–Thursday 4–10pm, Friday 4–11pm, Saturday 12–11pm, Sunday 12–10pm
- Good to know: Payment is by credit or debit card only. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.
This is where we go when we want pizza, or when a family dinner needs to be both genuinely good and genuinely easy. The room is louder and more forgiving of children, the pizzas are easy to share, and the meal moves at a pace that works with short attention spans.
Uovo: Roman Pasta, Handmade in Bologna
Uovo is a pasta restaurant with an unusual supply chain. The pasta is made fresh by hand every day in the restaurant’s own kitchen in Bologna, then shipped overnight to Los Angeles. The reason is the eggs: Italian eggs produce a richer, deeper yellow noodle than domestic eggs can, and Uovo built an operation around that difference rather than working around it. This is a real distinction, not marketing, and you can taste it in the texture of the pasta and the way it bonds with the sauce.
What to order at Uovo
The Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe ($18), made with Pecorino Romano DOP and an imported black pepper blend in collaboration with Trattoria da Danilo in Rome, is the version I judge other cacio e pepe against now. It arrives sharp and salt-forward, exactly as it is in Rome. The Carbonara ($18) and the Amatriciana ($18) with imported guanciale are both excellent, and the Ragu ($18), built on a pre-1950s recipe from Antica Trattoria della Gigina, is the Bolognese to order if you want the regional original. To start, the Japanese yellowtail crudo ($17) and the grass-fed wagyu battuta di carne ($15) are both light and precise. If you are deciding between dishes, the tasting menus serve two people and run roughly $34–$37 per person, which is the efficient way to sample the range.
Uovo Santa Monica: hours, location, and what to expect
- Address: 1320 2nd Street, Suite A, Santa Monica, CA 90401
- Hours: Daily, 11:30am–10:00pm
- Good to know: Uovo is a no-tipping establishment, but a 16% service fee is added to every bill. The kitchen politely declines modifications and recommends eating the dishes as served, without extra cheese or pepper.
That no-substitutions policy tells you something about the place: the food is the point, and the quieter environment rewards the attention the pasta asks for. Go when you want dinner to be an event in itself rather than a backdrop.
Practical Tips for Visiting Either Restaurant
A few things make the difference between a smooth night and a frustrating one at both of these spots. Reservations are the big one: Pizzana takes walk-ins but recommends booking, especially on weekends, and Uovo’s small, focused dining rooms fill up, so reserve ahead. At Pizzana, remember the kitchen is card-only, so leave the cash at home. At Uovo, go in understanding the house style before you sit down: the kitchen does not do modifications and adds a 16% service fee in place of tipping, so there are no surprises at the end of the meal if you know that going in.
If you are feeding a group with mixed ages, Pizzana is the easier room, and the pizzas are built for sharing, so order a few pies plus a couple of starters like the meatballs and broccolini and let everyone graze. If it is a two-person dinner where you actually want to focus on the food, Uovo’s tasting menus are the efficient way to sample the kitchen’s range without over-ordering. One more note for pizza lovers: Pizzana ships its pizza nationwide, so if you fall for the slow-dough crust, you can order it to bake at home even when you are nowhere near Brentwood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pizzana and Uovo good for kids? Pizzana is the more kid-friendly of the two, with a louder room and shareable pizza. Uovo is better suited to a focused, grown-up dinner.
Do they take reservations? Both do, and both are worth booking, especially on weekends. Pizzana also welcomes walk-ins.
Which is better for a date night? Uovo, for the quieter room and the focus on the pasta. Pizzana is better for groups and families.
Pizzana vs. Uovo: Which Should You Choose?
These are different restaurants solving different problems. Pizzana is better for families and for groups: the pizza is easy to share, the room is forgiving, and the pace is relaxed. Uovo is better for a dinner where the food is the point, where the pasta requires more attention and the quieter dining room gives you space to give it.
- Choose Pizzana if: you are dining with kids or a group, you want to share, or you simply want some of the best pizza in Los Angeles in a lively setting.
- Choose Uovo if: you want a focused, grown-up pasta dinner and you care about the difference a handmade noodle makes.
- Budget: both are mid-to-upper range for the Westside; Uovo’s pastas run around $17–$19 plus the 16% service fee, while Pizzana’s pizzas, pastas, and shared starters add up depending on how much you order.
Both are among the best in their categories on the Westside. The good news is you do not actually have to choose just one — Brentwood and Santa Monica are a short drive apart, so the real answer is to keep both in rotation and let the night decide.
