Mezzomondo Trattoria

I’ve been eating here since I was a college student and just went by to grab dinner tonight only to discover it has closed. The food here was fantastic and the lovely family that owns the place has never, ever failed to be warm, kind, attentive, and hospitable in the most lovely ways. It is a great loss for the Valley, but I wish them so much success and happiness in their new location. THANK YOU for so many years of wonderful service and great memories.

I regret to inform the fans of Trattoria Mezzomondo — and there are a lot of them — that Elio & Luba served their last meal in Studio City May 23, 2015. The business didn’t fail, not by a long shot. It is simply relocating… to La Paz, Baja California, where the Cavallari’s have long maintained a second home, and where they plan to reopen under the same name and with the same menu and homey atmosphere.
While I’m sad to see our home-​away-​from-​home favorite restaurant go, I’m happy for Elio & Luba as this move is something they’ve been talking about doing for quite a long time. I wish them well, and now have a good reason to go explore Baja’s southern tip!

I wanted to love it.
Pros
–Nice ambiance
–Friendly and authentic owners
–Solid menu with all the classics
–Great service from *most* of the servers
Cons
-$ 3.50 per refill of soda. Ludicrous.
–Box pasta dishes listed among fresh, homemade pasta entrees with no delineation on the menu — Make sure to ask which dishes have the fresh pasta or you’ll be sorry spending $ 18 on box pasta.
–Poor, cold, forgetful service from short haired female server.
–Cesar salad.

Just went here with a large party of about 20 people and we were wonderfully accommodated. The service and dishes are easily 5 stars. The owner’s wife is the cutest waitress/​hostess. I had the spinach gnocchi with smoked salmon and asparagus and it melted in my mouth just as advertised! The calamari was also delish!!!
I’m excited to go again in a more intimate setting.

I discovered this quaint little restaurant because of Unilocal and I was very happy with it!
I read that the owner was very friendly and approached people at the tables and asked how everything was, but not once did he come by my table. Our waitress was very friendly and the owners wife was such an angel. I could instantly feel the great vibes from her.
The food was amazing. Not too much sauce and the chicken was cooked to perfection!
The ambiance was very cozy and I love the fact that it feels like a real Italian restaurant.

Cosy, run by a very nice couple, authentic Italian food not pasta drenched in tomato sauce. The chef is from Lago Maggiore, in Northern Italy. There were four of us. We started with an appetizer of calamari dusted in breadcrumbs and lightly sauted — really good — and a perfect pasta e fagioli, My three friends each ordered different homemade pasta entrees and were really happy. I chose chicken piccata with artichokes. Complimenti to the chef. For dessert we shared the chocolate truffle which was delicious.
Will definitely go back. Mezzomondo did not have valet parking, but I found a spot right in front of the restaurant.

My girlfriend and I are on vacation all the way from Ohio and did a Unilocal search on this restaurant and choose this restaurant for the location from our hotel.
We walked up to the front of the building and kind of seconded guessed the place. But as we walked in it was very small and homey feeling. The waiter brought a candle to the table and had a very romantic feel. The owners were very friendly and were around for what we needed.
I ordered the farfalline con frutti di mare which is small bow tie pasta, scallops, shrimp, calamari, and a fish in a pink sauce. It was really good! I would say that it is possibly the best Italian food I have had. One of the owners, the wife, brought out our food and was really excited about it. The pasta was delicious! The sauce was really good! The seafood was cooked perfectly! The only complaint about this dish is that I wish the shrimp didn’t have their tails on them. For dessert I had the chocolate truffle and ice cream and was very good! This place was very nice and very good! The prices are not to bad for two with dessert! I would recommend this place for anyone who is looking for a relaxing and delicious Italian dinner!

Been meaning to try this place for sometime now cuz it’s so close to my home plus it received good reviews. 1^st there was no valet;which is really annoying for Studio City on a Saturday night. I walk in the owner greets me but not really he must of thought I was coming in to drop off flyers or something. He had the audacity to ask me if I was dining with a man or a woman, r u on a date, is it a blind date“normally something like that would turn me off and I would just leave but I was determined to taste this food and have an experience. The owner goes to his reservation book as if he didn’t want to seat me in his empty restaurant. So after standing there for a minute his wife comes over and she’s definitely more polite. I’m extremely observant and I watch him dance around the restaurant and frolic going from table to table greeting all the other patrons making sure that their food was good and all the regular stuff you’re supposed to do, but not one time did he come over to our table. The owner did not make eye contact with me at all and once my friend arrived he did not even greet him. Taking notes the whole time;finally the food comes which was pretty good, but they only had 1 dessert ;which I posted a pic of. This man clearly has an issue with African Americans CLEARLY. The only thing that he brought over was the check he just dropped it on the table and walked away he didn’t say thank you for dining with us can I offer you some thing else to drink I watched his manners with all the other customers and he clearly displayed none of the sort to me and my friend as we dined. This restaurant Lacks the true Italian spirit. It’s obvious that he knows how to be hospitable, just not to US. We have money now sir, we live in expensive neighborhoods sir! Guess he doesn’t want his restaurant to turn into crustacean! Lmao I will def not be returning to this place. The wait staff and his wife were kind, news flash Mr. owner this is America 2015. I think this guy should go dine at some more high-​end Italian restaurants to see how it’s really done.

This place is like a hidden gem in Studio City. It’s cute and has a great ambience.
I planned on ordering a traditional Italian dish but decided on sole. The food went beyond my expectations. Everything we ate was delicious.
The hostess, who I believe is an owner, was friendly and courteous. She showed a real concern for the satisfaction of the patrons.

MY NEW FAVORITE PLACE!!!
If you are looking for great Italian food and excellent hospitality this is the place to go to!
I can’t wait to go back there. Their food is amazing!!!
grazie!

Being an Italian Jersey girl in LA, I have been on a seemingly endless journey to find delicious authentic Italian food at a moderate price point… Until now! I’ve passed by this place a million times and my boyfriend suggested we go for date night on Friday. I didn’t catch my waitresses name but she was wonderful! Very attentive and friendly… And she spoke so passionately about the food while describing the specials that my boyfriend and I each ordered one. She genuinely got us excited to eat. He had the salmon in an amaretto orange juice sauce over bowties (and cleaned his plate!) while I had the spinach gnocchi with a mushroom sauce. Both were simply amazing. Can’t wait to go back and try some of the menu items. Officially my favorite Italian restaurant in LA

I have to say, this was one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a long long while. We went for dinner the night before Christmas eve, and the décor made it feel like we were walking into someone’s house. Very intimate, warm and cozy, with the traditional Italian restaurant’s 1,000 pictures of celebrities on the wall.
The restaurant is owned and run by a delightful couple, the wife works the front of the house and the husband works the back. I’m not sure if these people have kids, but it would be super awesome if they adopted me (and my husband. Can people do that?)
She described the specials with passion and excitement, something ALL of the servers in Los Angeles could learn from, and we ordered the «best lasagna in the world,» the lamb with risotto (which was described as «absolutely divine» so how could I resist??) and a completely off-​menu pesto dish because my husband loves pesto, and clearly these people love us.
We chowed down, then splurged on dessert, (I forget the names but I believe it was a chocolate mousse in a flute, and a coffee-​flavored ice cream ball thingie) which was delightful. I really didn’t want to leave, but my husband said we had to. Boo. Can’t wait to go back!

When we went our food came out very fast and we had the entire place to ourselves. The food was tasteful but not extraordinary. I got the risotto and it was good but the flavors were very monotone in my opinion but my fellow friends thought it was ok. Overall I will probably come back again to try something new.

This is my favorite restaurant. My client highly recommended it so I gave it a shot with my girlfriend and I’m glad we did! We were so impressed that we came back the following week for my birthday dinner.
The service is excellent and the food is incredible. The ambiance is perfect. You’ll feel at home here whether you’re dressed up or a bit casual. It’s a good choice for a date. The pricing is very reasonable. It’s family owned and operated. The husband Elio is the chef and the wife Luba is the hostess and server. They have a daughter who also serves when she is available. You can tell they take great pride in their work and really care about providing an exceptional dining experience to everyone who walks through the door.
You have to try the calamari app. Get it in steak strips form. It is so tender and delicious it doesn’t even resemble what we know as calamari! My brother said the sauce is the best he’s ever tasted.
They are known for their lasagna and for good reason. It melts in your mouth. Luba said, «you will dream about it» and she was right, I can’t stop thinking about it.
We also tried a homemade pasta that Luba recommended and it was just as good as the lasagna! On the second visit I ordered a fish entrée which was fantastic.
Additionally, they have some great wine which Luba can expertly recommend and pair with your order.
For desert they offer a few gelato options which are presented not on a menu, but in real 3D form, making them hard to resist… and you shouldn’t because they are awesome!
On both occasions, at the end of the meal we were treated to complimentary homemade limoncello!
I cannot say enough good things about this place. Try it and you might have a new favorite restaurant!

The perfect place for a date night with a significant other. The service was welcoming, the food was absolutely delicious, and the ambience was perfect for a romantic date.
The owner is such a warm and friendly person, and you can really tell that she enjoys serving her customers. We ordered their famous lasagna and the risotto with mushrooms. Both were so delicious that we finished all of it! The lasagna was light yet fulfilling at the same time. The risotto needed some more cheese, and the owner was more than happy to give me extra helpings of cheese to sprinkle on top. She was so nice to notice that we were on a date, and brought over a candle to our table!
I would definitely recommend this to any couple and small group of friends who are looking for a comfortable setting with excellent service and delicious food. They will not disappoint! I am definitely coming back here for our next special occasion! :)

This was my third visit to mezzomondo. I first visited on my vacation three years ago. I love love this restaurant. Not only is it the best Italian I’ve ever had. It’s my favorite restaurant. The food is always excellent. The owners visit ever table and are truly interested in their customers. Luda is the best. She talks about the food like it’s her child. And her husband the chef really knows how to cook. The service is very personal. this is a must try restaurant in LA.
They also offer cooking classes.
Thanks for a great experience and amazing food as always!!!
Ashley

This place is a treasure! The food is fresh, delicious and loaded with flavor for sure. But what makes this place unforgettable is the warm and inviting service. In an era of boil in bag, prepackage chain restaurant junk, Mezzomondo is like a restaurant you’d find in Rome. Somewhere off the beaten tourist track, tucked behind some little corner. It’s like family, even if you’ve never been there before.
It’s the perfect place to go to celebrate with family and friends or an intimate date night. It’s definitely one of my go to restaurants.

A very nice and cozy restaurant. Ran by a couple who really care and are very hands on w the food and their customers. Best dish for me Pappadelle Pasta w Peas and Mushrooms w light cream. And they MAKE THEIR OWN PASTA!!! Been here at least a dozen times and never had a bad experience.
For Desert we always have their Freshly Made Tiramisu !!! Worth cheating on your Diet for.

In love.
That’s all I can say. I’m not sure if it’s the music, the atmosphere, the staff, the food, or the wine, but I could live here in this moment at bar eating my gelato. This is my first visit and I WILL return. They open at 6PM and I’m glad I waited. Perfecto!

I had the pleasure of dining at this wonderful restaurant. I met Elio, and Luva, owners, pleasant people as well as attentive to their business customers.
FOOD — fresh, pasta was really good, and the meat sauce was authentic, not oily, or concentrated. REAL DEAL. I dined toward the later part of the hour close to closing but the energy in the restaurant was very good, and again, the owners are nice people with warmth, making sure I was okay, and the food was to my liking. OF COURSE it was, when dishes are good, you don’t need to oversell it. My friend had an amazing dinner, he too had frequented the restaurant and stated the obvious, its one of the best italian places in the city. I AGREE.
The focaccia bread is made fresh daily, and it was divine. Words are meaningless compared to the taste/​texture. I know its holiday season, and restaurants have decorations up, if you haven’t gone to this place I recommend highly enjoying an authentic italian meal. You won’t regret it one bit.
TIP — they have cooking classes every two months, 60.00 is the price but you can learn to cook a good italian meal, enjoy a few glasses of wine, and eat your mea. I will be taking this up for obvious reasons.
GO–