Gesso Is a Gorgeous New Cali-Italian Restaurant on Fairfax

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Farley Elliott is the Senior Editor at Eater LA and the author of Los Angeles Street Food: A History From Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. He covers restaurants in every form, from breaking news to the culture, people, and history that surrounds LA's dining landscape.

Fairfax adds a new dinnertime player tonight, with Gesso set to debut in the former Pitfire Pizza space just above Melrose. The restaurant is still operated under Paul Hibler’s American Gonzo Food Corporation label, but offers a starkly different experience than before.

With said new experience comes a lot of changes to the decor of the place, too. Instead of simply ordering up at the sunny front counter and taking a seat down below, guests will now be transported through a long, inviting tunnel wrapped in warehouse-style windows and on into the tall dining room. A former patio wall has been pushed out to the sidewalk to add more square footage inside, where all the ironwork and artwork stands. The room feels like a big, lofty, colorful artists warehouse — just with a few banquettes, a long bar, and a pizza oven thrown in. The space was designed by Hibler and American Gonzo CEO Jeff Goodman.

On the food side, chef Doug Miriello plans to offer nearly around-the-clock food, from coffee and AM pastries during the week (and brunch on weekends) to lunch and on through dinner and drinks at night. Most of the menu will skew Italian (and there will be pizzas), with wood-fired entrees, pastas, and plenty of greens. Gesso also does craft beer and wine, plus cocktails under Jamie Boalbey.

Gesso opens for business tonight along Fairfax, doing dinner only to start. Expect brunch shortly, and lunch and breakfast soon as well.

Gesso
801 N. Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA