The best Italian food by far comes from these amazing Drago Brothers. It is always the finest ingredients with the best authentic Italian recipes, that coupled with so much heart, what else could you ever want?
There was an event with the Mayor of Beverly Hills, Dr. Sharona Nazarian called “Spotlight with Sharona” in March of this year. It was a great stroll down Canon Drive in Beverly Hills, checking out some of the quintessential establishments on this highly respected part of Beverly Hills. Yes, it is the triangle, but Canon has some notable places to discover. The event goers visited Bacio Di Latte, Il Pastaio, Xi’an, and Spago. Each place met us with amazing nonalcoholic libations and wonderful samples. On that day when I visited Il Pastaio, Giacomino was making a great penne pasta and his lovely wife Alexandra. She asked me about the tastings I did in the past at their various Drago restaurants and offered me up some new tastings. I never tried the food at Via Alloro, so I was greatly honored to be asked to try a nice section of fare. I will also be doing another tasting with them soon at their restaurant in Sherman Oaks – Panzanella, I can’t wait for that one.
The Drago brothers (Celestino, Tanino, Calogero, and Giacomino) are renowned Sicilian-born restaurateurs who have shaped the Los Angeles Italian dining scene with a collection of 9 individual, high-quality restaurants known for authentic, Sicilian-influenced, cuisine. They offer a great deal of authenticity and charm to every experience. Just dropping their names alone will give you great street cred!! But really, enjoy their charm, but stay for their wonderful cuisine.
Here’s What I Had:
Cocktails:
Razzle Dazzle Martini with Absolut Citron Vodka, triple sec, fresh lemon, raspberry puree, and a sugar rim.
Traditional Martini with Titos and a splash of olive juice, a splash of vermouth – with 4 stuffed blue cheese olives.
Pomegranate Lychee Martini with Absolut Vodka, soho lychee, fresh pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.
Each cocktail was done to perfection; traditional martini stemware is what I love. They are rich in flavor, and all seemed to go down super easy.
Soup:
Farro E Funghi, spelt and mushroom soup. It is creamy and rich, and the spelt adds just the right amount of texture, truly amazing.
Salad:
Insalata di Bietole with red beets, curly endive salad with imported buffalo mozzarella, pistachio and aged balsamic. The freshness of the beets really completes the whole flavor profile and makes for one delicious starter.
Pasta:
Gnocchi al Nero di Seppie e Granchio, Squid ink gnocchi with fresh crab meat, Thai cherry tomato, and a brandy white wine sauce. This is a unique pasta dish, and the fresh crab makes it over the top – with lovely, sweet goodness.
Pappardelle al Ragu D’ Anatra, with homemade pappardelle pasta with duck ragù and Reggiano cheese. These homemade thick gorgeous egg noodles bring on all of the flavor from the delectable ragu. A super scrumptious pasta.
Filetto di Baccala, with fresh black cod served with sweet, mashed potatoes, fresh pomegranate and madeira sauce. The cod is flaky and moist and is cooked to pure perfection.
Seafood Al Fredo Pasta, spaghetti with shrimp, scallops and calamari, in a gorgeous velvety alfredo sauce. This pasta was by far my favorite, it is so silky smooth, just what my Nonna used to make.
Bistecca Di Manzo Grilled 18 oz. Ribeye steak with asparagus and baked potato onion terrine. The meat was super tender and very flavorful, with great accompaniments.
Dessert:
Affogato al Tartufo di Cioccolato with chocolate truffle Ice Cream topped with whip cream and an espresso shot. The perfect decadent way to end my exquisite dinner.
Wine:
Jordan – Chardonnay, I just loved this wine with any of the seafood dishes, it blended so well.
Brunello di Montepulciano, a perfect accompaniment with the steaks, just rich and gorgeous.
The staff was so wonderful, from Armin Ansari to manager Rudy, with Oscar and Jeremy all tending to everything that would make my dining experience more joyful, they accomplished that and more. Armin had great knowledge about Italy and beyond, while Rudy was able to give lots of Beverly Hills tidbits, seeing that he had worked at many establishments for close to 20 years. My conversations were enlightening and made me feel welcome and super comfortable. The interior is warm and bright, and they play great 70’s and 80’s adult rock, and the wrap around patio is always lively and inviting.
I just can’t say enough about this wonderful Italian cuisine! When you are craving really delicious authentic Italian food just go to any of the Drago Brothers restaurants, they will all keep you super happy and satisfied.
Drago Restaurants & Locations (As of April 2026):
Il Pastaio: Located in Beverly Hills, this is arguably the most famous Drago restaurant, known for its busy, vibrant, and upscale atmosphere.
Via Alloro: A Beverly Hills restaurant opened by Giacomino and Tanino Drago, featuring authentic Sicilian food and a, large wrap-around patio.
Celestino Ristorante: Located in Pasadena and run by Calogero Drago, offering a, refined, yet casual, dining experience.
Drago Centro: Located in Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), this venue, overseen by Celestino Drago, specializes in, inventive, fine-dining, Italian cuisine.
Piccolo Paradiso: A charming and popular, trattoria, in, Beverly Hills.
Tanino Ristorante: in Westwood.
Il Segreto: in Bel Air.
Panzanella Ristorante: in Sherman Oaks.
Drago Bakery: Provides, baked goods, and breads, to the family restaurants.
Via Alloro
301 N Canon Dr.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
