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Hours
Sun
5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Mon
5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Tue
5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Wed
5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Thu
5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Fri
5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sat
5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reserve a table
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
4.5
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
Learn More
PRICE RANGE
$31.00 – $40.00
CUISINES
Italian, Pizza
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
meals, features
Menu
Antipasti / Appetizers
Caprese
Fresh mozzarella cheese, heirloom tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil
$18
Burrata
Fresh burrata cheese, heirloom tomatoes, prosciutto San Daniele, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and aged balsamic vinegar
$22
Calamari Fritti
Fried squid served with our spicy marinara sauce and lemon on the side
$20
Melanzane alla Caprina
Eggplant rollatini with goat cheese and herbs, topped with our marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, basil and oven baked
$18
Bruschetta
Flat bread topped with diced Roma tomatoes, basil, garlic and extra virgin olive oil
$18
Antipasto la Vecchia
Fresh mozzarella cheese, heirloom tomatoes, basil, with roasted peppers and zucchini, served on a bed of pesto sauce
$20
Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
La Vecchia Cucina has been Santa Monica, California's finest neighborhood Italian restaurant since 1990, located by the blue Pacific on historic Main Street. Whether you're in the mood for a quick bite, a full course dinner, an evening snack, or something in between, La Vecchia Cucina offers outstanding Italian cuisine, a great wine list, a luxurious selection of desserts, a full bar, great service and a relaxed atmosphere.
PRICE RANGE
$31.00 – $40.00
CUISINES
Italian, Pizza
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
4.5
517 reviews
Excellent
309
Very good
163
Average
24
Poor
15
Terrible
6
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David A
Santa Monica11 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
I have been trying several pizzas on the westside recently. For me, La Vecchia is the best. I've always loved going here for pasta and other delicious italian meals, but we ordered three pizzas to go for a small party. The quality is exceptionally high, and the price very reasonable. There are much more expensive pizzas on the westside (Gjelina, Milo, Etc), but this is my favorite. They have two sizes. The larger has 8 slices, the smaller, 6 small slices. I loved everything. The airy crust, the perfect tomato sauce, the excellent cheese, the toppings. Our favorite was a margherita with added mushrooms and onions. They are very accommodating with special requests. One person could not eat tomatoes, so we had the rustica without tomatoes. He loved it. It was a bit of a foodie, tough crowd, and everyone was complimentary and very satisfied.
Written June 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
elizabethlascheid
Los Angeles5249 contributions
Nov 2021 • family
We love LA Vecchia. Their Italian food is always great and their service is wonderful.
I suggest you make a reservation because it can get crowded. We have been there several times without a reservation and we're very lucky that there was no wait. I would not however suggest doing what we did.
Once seated, a server is at your table within moments to get a drink order. They have a lot of knowledge about their menu and their wine list. The service is fast and super friendly. You are never rushed, but you are not forced to wait to have someone check on you.
All of their food is great, from their soups and salads to their desserts. Their Pizza is top drawer and never burned. They have a good selection of pizza. I prefer their pasta. Anything with pesto on it and I am in heaven. Their pasta is some of the best, never overcooked and always served hot. They also have some wonderful fish dishes but you might want to try. Any of their desserts will make you happy.
They have a full bar and an excellent wine list it is not outrageously expensive. Have the best time.
Written November 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
golfer79
Plymouth30 contributions
May 2022 • couples
We ended a two week vacation with the best meal of the entire trip.
Donna, our server, was pleasant and attentive. The Osso Buco and veal Marsala were delicious. The bruschetta was inventive on flatbread and shaped like a pizza.
The outdoor seating was well designed despite its location on the street. Heaters on a cool evening was a welcome addition. Make this a must stop in Santa Monica. If it wasn’t 3,000 miles away, it would be one of our go to places.
Written May 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jasemin L
London8 contributions
Feb 2023 • couples
This is our local restaurant and its such a great little spot. It's always very busy so you're coming for nice food, good atmosphere. Its busy and busting.
The menu has everything you would expect from a good Italian and I have found the quality to be fine. I honestly don't see how its possible to do Italian food badly
The bar is a great spot to grab a bite by yourself and catch whatever game is on.
The martinis are good and the staff are lovely. Can't miss
Written March 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
doctorbobster
Gainesville990 contributions
Nov 2024 • family
Looking for a nice dinner with vegetarians options, an Italian cuisine is an obvious choice and we turned to La Vecchia Cucina for dinner; we could not have been more satisfied. Read on for details.
Located on Main Street, public parking lots are a short walk away. We had reservations on a busy Saturday but were seated promptly. From the moment we were seated until we cleared the table, the overall level of service and attention was notable and impressive: water...menus...bread...taking our order...service of the appetizers...everything was...perfect? Our appetizers, the Burrata and Bruschetta were outstanding and emphasized fresh, ripe tomatoes. Paired with a glass of Nebiollo, these two dishes alone are enough to make me want to return.
We did have a Margherita pizza as our main course and it was an excellent example of this type of pizza.
So...overall...from service to the food, the experience was outstanding. We look forward to returning on our next trip to Santa Monica.
Written December 10, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ReiseReiseCH
209 contributions
Mar 2023 • couples
Marvellous food, pasta al dente, excellent fettucine with salmon on a lemon sauce and linguine with zucchetti, pomodoro, and chicken. great negroni blanco and prosecco to start. very friendly and helpful staff. there's a lot of communication in the room, i.e. the restaurant is a bit noisy.
Written March 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robara49
Milan20 contributions
Aug 2023 • friends
I had dinner at this restaurant on all 11 evenings of my stay in Santa Monica and I must say that the quality of the food is truly super as well as the variety. Excellent large salads, try the various pizzas as well as many types of pasta. It's a good idea to book as there are a lot of people! The courtesy of the staff and management is a plus that should not be underestimated…. I will definitely come back during my next stay in Santa Monica.
Written September 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wwfrench
Charleston1281 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
A nice little restaurant on Main Street in Santa Monica! Nice atmosphere and great vibe! The restaurant was full but we managed to get a table with little wait time.
They have a large menu with pizza and fresh pasta choices. We chose the pizza and Caesar salad and both were delicious!
Great service!
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diego S
Santa Clarita4 contributions
Feb 2024 • family
Can’t say enough about La Vecchia Cucina. Has been a favorite for my wife and I for 20 years. It continues to keep its quality and taste. Although we moved out of the area, we look forward to coming into town just to dine here. Thank you Mark and Team!
Written February 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
McWett
Las Vegas1402 contributions
Apr 2023 • couples
We were here 15 years ago when we lived here and always enjoyed it. We were happy to see that it was still a great restaurant. We sat at the bar while we waited for our table as we were early. We had such a great time at the bar with Kevin taking care of us that we had dinner at the bar. Everything was wonderful from the Rustica pizza to the Osso Bucco. We will be back again soon.
Written April 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sjwbigcats
Venice226 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
We arrived early when most tables were empty and it was perfect for conversation. Later on, the restaurant filled up of course but it was quite noisy and found it very difficult to have a conversation. Otherwise, the food and drinks were excellent as was the service! Lovely, very upbeat, happy server!!
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HawkeyeE2
Gelos84 contributions
Jul 2022 • family
The food was not very tasty. My soon didn’t like the lasagna. My lobster pasta were average and the pizza of my other soon average. I didn’t find the real taste of a good Italian cuisine. Very disappointed. I do better at home 😎
Written July 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bridget N
London145 contributions
Nov 2022 • couples
1st meal in Santa Monica - Quick friendly service, proper tablecloths and napkins, and delicious food - can definitely recommend .
Written November 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lia
Castle Pines5 contributions
Jul 2022 • none
We chose this restaurant after reading several positive reviews and most importantly due to the fact that it appeared to be authentic (from reading the menu) and their website also made that claim. Unfortunately, it was not authentic at all which I realized as a plate of carnival-style French fries were served to us along with a heaping portion of unflavored mashed potatoes and uncooked carrots on my plate of veal parmesan. To be fair, my son ordered the side of fries with his meal but they were displayed on the menu as "shoestring" fries which I assumed would be thin and crispy, maybe with some rosemary or something Italian along those lines, but like I mentioned above they were not - I'm pretty sure they were the frozen bags of fries that you can buy from Target. The only items that were worth the meal would be the wine and the the olive oil/garlic/basil dipping side for our bread. oh and the bread was crusty and delicious so I'll give them that. One last thing, the noodles were definitely not cooked al dente - not authentic Italian in my opinion. I'd like to end on a positive note in saying that our server was kind but even at the end of our meal we had someone else replacing him for some reason which I thought was odd....but oh well. If you're looking for authentic, this is not the right jam - sorry!
Written July 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex F
Leeds21 contributions
Apr 2022 • couples
My wife and I have a rule whereby when on hidalgo we don't dine at the same place twice, but this restaurant made us break the rule for only our second time in 10 years!!! The food was absolutely delicious and the service was super friendly! A really nice authentic restaurant!
Written April 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Santa Monica is a coastal town that maintains a balance as a tourist destination and as an area with a thriving local culture. On the beach, bikers, roller-bladers, runners and walkers move along the famed bike path enjoying the beautiful Los Angeles weather. The solar-powered Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica pier spins high above the water, while park revelers scream with delight riding the roller coaster. Inland from the beach, Third Street Promenade bustles with shoppers and street performers, where every block seems to have a musical or acrobatic act drawing crowds giving Santa Monica both the feeling of a laid-back beach town and a major commercial hub.
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