Sorry New York, the best Italian restaurant is in West Hollywood, and it’s vegan

Los Angeles is a vegan foodie’s paradise. From upper-tier food trucks to high-end candlelit restaurants, there’s something plant-based for everyone in the City of Angels. But in 2018, Brooklyn-transplant Tara Punzone decided the vegan food scene was missing something—authentic Italian dishes—and she was ready to fill the niche. It was only a matter of time until Punzone, a seasoned chef and culinary director of some of the best plant-based restaurants in New York and Los Angeles, opened her own restaurant, and she put the finger on the head with West Hollywood’s La Pura Vita.

The year-old restaurant specializes in classic southern Italian dishes and has already cemented its place among locals, critics and celebrity favorites. Located on glitzy Santa Monica Boulevard, the small, dimly lit space serves a full house almost every night, and the clientele is as diverse as they are passionate about food. Old school Italians, young Angelenos with trendy haircuts, dating couples, queer people, social media influencers, business people, drag queens and families all huddle together at tables, lively conversations fill the air as well-dressed servers buzz with trays of food. Even before a plate of olives can be ordered, it’s obvious that this place is special. “Pura Vita is a space where people come and sit at the bar and talk to each other, laugh, enjoy food and wine, listen to great music, and just share love and positive energy,” says Punzone. “It’s all about community.”

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How Pura Vita started

Punzone had dreamed of having her own plant-based restaurant since she became a vegan at the age of 12. With a family background in food (his grandparents owned a neighborhood market and a sandwich shop serving hungry New Yorkers lined up around the block), Punzone’s life revolved around quality, meals from scratch for as long as she can remember. Large dinner parties were the norm for all occasions, from birthdays to funerals to Sunday family gatherings. But after watching a slaughterhouse video in elementary school, she gave up the animals on her diet for good. And despite coming from a culture so fiercely protective and proud of its food traditions, Punzone says her veganism was supported and even nurtured, with her parents encouraging her to step into the kitchen and learn to cook her own dishes from a young age. young age.

From there, both a mission to veganize her family’s recipes and a passion for plant-based foods were born. This passion has led her to hold positions at countless vegan restaurants and even live in Rome to learn Italian flavor profiles straight from the source. “In Italy, I learned about authenticity, which gave me more confidence to create my own plant-based versions of these flavors,” she says. It is this devotion to purity, custom and heritage that has become the backbone of Pura Vita’s food philosophy and stellar menu.

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The ingredients of a vegan Italian menu

It was in Italy that Punzone first had hands-on experience with carbonara, a decadent pastry made from eggs, cheese and a bacon-like cut of meat called jowls. It was a dish her family had never cooked and she was a lifelong vegan when she found herself in Rome. But its popularity with Italians prompted her to take up the challenge of recreating it without animals.

In his version, Punzone replaces the guanciale with a smoked bacon made with shiitake mushrooms, and replaces the cheese with a house cream of macadamia romano. But the replacement for egg’s signature greasy creaminess came from an unexpected place. “I dreamed that I was cooking pasta with avocado,” she says. “And when I woke up and went to the kitchen that day, the carbonara was born – I learn a lot from my dreams.” Her instincts, perfect even in her subconscious, paid off: carbonara, with its layers of salty, creamy, silky, and rich flavors, is easily her most popular dish.

A selection of antipasti And greenery do a great job of introducing diners to the skills of Punzone. THE Meatballs– fluffy mushroom and lentil meatballs smothered in warm marinara and macadamia parmigiano – satisfy any nostalgic meatball cravings. The nutty, slightly bitter flavor of Broccoli Rabe shines when sautéed with garlic, chili flakes and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Peppas (named after Punzone’s father’s pronunciation of “peppers”) are an addictive blend of long Italian chili peppers, pepitas and almonds, all balanced with sweet raisins. And the thick, cashew-based baked cashew ricotta, served with an airy ciabatta and brushed with olive oil, will have you fighting your catering company for what’s left at the bottom of the ramekin.

This quartet of starters, although spanning two different menu sections, is designed to be ordered together, Punzone explains. Be sure to add the Peppas and a meatball over your ricotta-covered ciabatta for the perfect bite.

Salads and soups include hearty vegetable stews topped with toasted bread, mixed beans and pasta sprinkled with cheese, classic caprese salads with thick slices of homemade cashew mozzarella, and the Pura Vita, a medley of coleslaw. tuscan cheese and arugula tossed with a smoked almond vinaigrette, dolloped with almond ricotta and balanced with tangy marinated carrots. However, it’s the many perfected pasta dishes that steal the show.

Olivier Barth

Vegetable pasta? Perfect.

Alongside the top-notch carbonara, the Black Magic Lasagna is another intriguing star on the menu. Delicate pasta sheets are layered with cashew ricotta, béchamel, spinach, mushrooms and black truffle cream, then finished with a generous finish of spicy and aromatic pesto. For seafood lovers, the Linguine di Mare is an easy decision, with succulent and tender king oyster mushroom ‘scallops’ nestled on a bed of linguine and garlicky white wine sauce, then topped with toasted breadcrumbs buttered. Traditionalists can opt for the pomodoro (spaghetti, tomato, basil and cashew ricotta) and will be equally impressed by its pure and simple flavors.

No pasta dinner is complete without a glass of vegan wine, and America’s first vegan Italian restaurant and wine bar delivers. The sprawling selection — displayed prominently in a red-lit wall running the length of Pura Vita’s 12-seat bar — is organic, biodynamic, and mostly Italian, with a few California gems and key French varietals providing some diversity. Champagne, cocktails, beer, and hard kombucha round out the libation menu, while hot tea, coffee, imported mineral water, and mint lemonade are available for non-drinkers.

Olivier Barth

Desserts to die for at Pura Vita

To end the evening, dessert is a must. Dense and creamy, vegan ice cream comes in flavors like chocolate, pistachio or hazelnut. Get any spoonful as Affogato – “drowned” in freshly drawn espresso. The light-as-air tiramisu — with its layers of vanilla bean-infused cashew mascarpone, cocoa, and more espresso — is the most authentic vegan replica outside of Italy. But the jewel in the crown cakes menu is the chocolate fondant cake. Even the most ardent dessert lover will struggle to remember the last time they tasted such pure, intense chocolate. Thick swirls of gooey frosting and a lively raspberry coulis take the experience beyond bounds. How did the most delicious slice of vegan chocolate cake find its way onto the Pura Vita menu, and who is the star baker in charge? Punzone crosses her arms, shrugs and says with a smile, “I have to man.”

A Friday evening at Pura Vita is festive and romantic. It’s full of warm smiles, amazing service and even better food. And fortunately, his brunch too. Weekend morning service sees diners flock to the Punzone breakfast, including the Queen Cornetto (a “very New York” sandwich of shiitake bacon, tofu egg and cashew mozzarella on a butter croissant) and Nutella pancakes, filled with fondue, homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread and garnished with juicy strawberries.

Linda Pianigiani Photography

Still craving more of Punzone’s culinary address? You don’t need to go far. Next door, Punzone has opened Pizzeria Pure Life, an entirely separate pizza company that serves Neapolitan-style pizzas, calzones, and other Italian comfort food. It was a dream that Punzone held dear, but was unable to fully realize with the space constraints of Pura Vita when it first opened. But after a vacancy opened next door—and a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised over $18,000 came in the first few days—Punzone was able to open his dream pizzeria, now offering everything from classics perfected a pizza version of its famous Black Magic lasagna.

Pura Vita is greater than the sum of its parts. As soon as you walk in, you are transported to an intimate New York wine bar. As soon as you are welcomed, you remember the warmth of coming home. And from the moment you take your first bite, you instantly feel all the passion and care that goes into Italian cuisine. All together, and it’s clear that it’s more than just a meal. It’s pure love.

Richard Bowie (@wichiebowie) is VegNews’ Editorial Director based in Los Angeles, CA.