Beethoven Market

This seasonal Cal-Italian restaurant in the heart of Mar Vista has wowed the Westside with its charming ambience, reasonable prices and most importantly, impeccable culinary execution.
Since opening in late March, Beethoven Market has filled up at all hours with diners in search of a delicious, not-too-pricey meal of pasta, pizza and other small plates offerings determined by the farmers’ market. In a part of town that’s downright lousy with Italian restaurants, a logline like that might sound like a snoozefest, but talented executive chef Michael Leonard (an alum of Rustic Canyon and all three of Evan Funke’s restaurants) makes the crowd-pleasing menu shine through high-quality ingredients and an industry veteran’s attention to detail. The classic caper-topped tuna crudo here is one of the best I’ve ever had, and the three-day fermentation process for the pizza dough translates into a wonderfully chewy, lightweight crust that stands out in L.A.’s Neapolitan-heavy pizza scene. The reasonably priced cocktail menu is overseen by lead bartender Nicole Mitchell, an alum of now-closed Cassia, who has revived a version of her former employer’s beloved piña colada, strawberry lava flow and all. Nothing here reinvents the wheel, but the convivial atmosphere and first-rate dishes and drinks translate into a lovely way to spend a summer evening on the deep Westside.