Eataly

The first West Coast outpost of this giant Italian market/food hall opened in the Westfield Century City mall in 2017, and in the time since, they’ve become more than just a spot to pick up imported meats and cheeses. They’re also a welcome respite for weary shoppers - because after a few hours in the high-end retail jungle, you need a big bowl of pasta and an even bigger glass of wine.

You can get both - and a whole lot more - at one of Eataly’s three sit-down restaurants. Terra is a rooftop space that specializes in grilled meats and vegetables with a solid weekend brunch as well. Il Pesce Cucina is run by the Providence chef, and has very solid Italian seafood. The last sit-down restaurant option is La Pizza & La Pasta, which often has the longest waits and predictably, pizza and pasta. The latter two spots are located in Eataly’s La Piazza space, which is home to an “Aperitivo” Happy Hour, offering deals on drinks and food from 4-6pm during the week.

Eataly also features several food stalls, where you can get Roman-style pizza by the slice, house-made pastas, salads, pastries, and some of the best bombolone we’ve ever had. We’d advise coming with a plan of what you want to hit, heading here during the week (to avoid the lines), and definitely saving room for those bombolone.