What is it? The Beverly Hills crown jewel of Evan Funke’s city-spanning pasta empire, complete with glass-encased pasta workshop, walk-in rooftop bar and priceless works of art on the walls.
Why we love it: You’ll need to plan ahead with a reservation here, but an afternoon of shopping followed by an early dinner of handmade pasta, wood-fired pizzas and seasonal desserts at this glitzy multi-level restaurant makes for a winning combination, indeed. Run by critically acclaimed namesake chef Evan Funke (of Chef’s Table fame), Funke serves some of the best Italian food in Los Angeles, followed by some of the best desserts courtesy of pastry chef Shannon Swindle. My favorite dishes here include the sfincione palermitano, a plush focaccia loaf topped with tomato sauce, cheese and anchovies; the always-trusty rigatoni all’amatriciana, which features thick squares of guanciale; and the fiore di zucca, or ricotta-stuffed deep-fried squash blossoms. For dessert, order one of the housemade gelato or sorbetti or spring for the seasonal meringata, a delightfully icy, well-balanced dessert using whatever’s freshest at the farmers’ market.
Time Out tip: Reservations, which are released seven days in advance at 9am on Resy, are practically required. If there’s no availability, you can always try your luck right at 5pm—the host might be able to accommodate you. The rooftop bar, known as Bar Funke, also accepts limited walk-ins for drinks and light bites.
Address: 9388 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Opening hours: Mon–Thu 5–9:45pm; Fri, Sat 5–10pm