Cosetta

The scoop

This is Zach Pollack's Santa Monica restaurant — the same chef behind Alimento and Cosa Buona — off Ocean Park Boulevard, in a business-park building rather than on the beach or the promenade. It's a long Cal-Italian menu: pizza, snacks, pasta, and bigger plates, in an indoor-outdoor room that reviewers treat as both a family dinner and a date.

What to get

Start with a pizza. Reviewers like the simpler pies, and the Hawaiian Sunrise — tomato, mozzarella, house-smoked coppa, pineapple, jalapeño, and cilantro — is on the current takeout list. If you want a larger plate, Time Out's March 2026 pick was the porcini-rubbed wagyu tri-tip; menus change, so check what's on. The chicken liver and smoked mozzarella sticks are the other plates people mention.

When to go

Lunch daily 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., then dinner from 4 p.m. — until 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 p.m. Sunday. Book on Resy. Happy hour is Monday–Friday 4–5 p.m. Time Out's listed hours skip Monday; the official site is open then.

Who it's for

Anyone who wants a casual Italian meal and a patio — families, groups, or a date. You're in Sunset Park, not downtown.

Kids: A good pick with young kids. The current takeout list has a kids' section (grilled cheese, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks), and reviewers describe crayons and booster seats on the patio. For a quieter meal, go later in the evening or sit in the main dining room.

Insider tips

• Enter the first parking lot off 31st Street; you get two hours free with restaurant validation. The door is on the west side of the building, in the lot.
• Book on Resy. Time Out's tip for a party of two is the bar — they call those the most comfortable seats, and quieter than the patio.

Skip it if…

You want a quiet early dinner. The patio can be busy with young kids until later in the evening.