Jon & Vinny’s Blows the Doors Off Brentwood With Pizza and Pasta

Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo have another hit on their hands with Jon & Vinny Brentwood, and it’s only day one.

While it may seem rather premature to anoint the new San Vicente space as a surefire winner, there’s simply no other way to put it. The duo’s 2015 Fairfax original has played to packed audiences and celebrity hordes since basically day one itself, and the Brentwood outlet is even more ideally situated for the often upscale clientele to dine on pizzas, mozzarella sticks, and meatballs. The reservation calls and walk-ups have already begun.

Jon & Vinny’s has long been heralded as a red sauce staple, the kind of place that East Coasters complain doesn’t really exist in Los Angeles. Much like the original, this new location carries everything from soft-scrambled morning eggs and lots of bacon to avocado toast, plus lunch salads and ricotta plates. At dinnertime it’s all about pizzas, housemade pastas, and a snappy wine list from Helen Johannesen, who has her own outlet of Helen’s Wines at this new Brentwood property as well.

As for the space, expect the same Jeff Guga-designed white oak and booming music as ever before. The room has been slightly modified, with the kitchen towards the back, the wine shop up front, and multiple skylights throughout. There are more seats overall (about 85 in total), but mostly the details still match. That’s definitely on purpose, as — perhaps more than any other Jon & Vinny project — the namesake Italian spot is built to be endlessly repeatable. Just imagine Jon & Vinny locations in Marina del Rey, Sherman Oaks, and beyond.

First up is Brentwood. The restaurant did a light staff training and friends and family last night, and is now open officially for walk-ins and reservations. Expect daily hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., with delivery and to-go orders to boot.

Jon & Vinny’s Brentwood. 11938 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. (310) 442-2733

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