Felix

Tucked away on the quieter end of Abbot Kinney, Felix has evolved from an impossible-reservation hotspot into something even better: a confident neighborhood Italian restaurant where the pasta is made in a dedicated, climate-controlled room and the vibe has mellowed into something wonderfully approachable. While its sibling restaurants may chase the spotlight, Felix has quietly become the overachiever of the family—the one you actually want to spend time with.

The food here is all about the carbs, and rightfully so. The sfincione—a round, olive oil-soaked focaccia—has achieved legendary status and deserves every bit of praise it gets. From there, the handmade pastas steal the show. The rigatoni all’amatriciana features guanciale that tastes like the very essence of pork, while the cacio e pepe comes with enough fresh black pepper to wake up your senses. Every strand of pasta feels like a testament to the care happening in that temperature-controlled room.

These days, Felix feels less like an event and more like a place where locals pop in for an early dinner with kids or a relaxed date night. You can even grab a seat at the bar without a reservation—a throwback to simpler times that makes impromptu visits possible again. The crowd skews toward Venice regulars rather than tourists seeking a big night out.

Just be prepared for prices that remind you this is still serious cooking. Most pastas hover around $30 and entrees climb into the $70 range, so this might not become your weekly spot unless your investments are doing particularly well. But for those special occasions—or when you simply need a bowl of pasta that transcends the ordinary—Felix delivers with the quiet confidence of a restaurant that knows exactly what it does best.