Italian Specials on Memorial Day in Los Angeles

Sure, burgers and hot dogs are a Memorial Day tradition, but this year, after being cooped inside for months, it’s time to think more broadly about how to celebrate this uniquely American holiday. And that means adding a little Italian into your festive feasts. The Italian restaurants around Los Angeles have stepped up with incredible at-home barbecue kits, mouthwatering meatball sandwiches, and beef patties that would make any nonna proud. This holiday weekend, think like an Italian with special pastas, pizzas, and more!

Nice Guy: Taking their name to heart, the good people at the Nice Guy are giving you all the tools you need to make your pizzas at home this weekend. For $60, you get four pizza dough balls, sauce, cheese, mushrooms, and pepperoni. When you host your Zoom party, no one has to know that you didn’t make everything yourself from scratch.

Rossoblu: If you’re looking to grill this Memorial Day, Chef Steve Samson of Rossoblu has the special for you. Rossoblu is offering up barbecue kits for $125 that includes focaccia with anchovy butter, Castelvetrano olives, and multiple salads. For the grill, there are baby zucchinis, fingerling potatoes, and your choice of a whole free-range chicken, Bolo Burgers with all the fixins’, or a 100-day dry-aged prime beef ribeye. Oh, he also throws in a peach crumble with Fior di Latte gelato for dessert. We’re not worthy.

Jame Enoteca: The pasta masters of the South Bay are eschewing their typical fare and coming out hot with a Memorial Day lobster roll and Kennebec fries. This is a Monday-only deal for $29, so get them while they last and then social distance down in Manhattan Beach.

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele: For your holiday hamburger kick, LA’s top Neapolitan pizza maker is serving up burger packages that can’t be beat. For $60, you can get two burgers and fries, a full bottle of their signature cocktail (serves four), or four beers. But for $100, you get four burgers and fries, two bottles of their signature cocktail (serves eight) or eight beers. Either way, the special runs all weekend long and is perfect for a Memorial Day picnic in the park. They have pickup and delivery so call them at 323.366.2408 or 310.570.9008 or shoot them an email at orders@damicheleusa.com to order directly.

Forma: Though they’re famous city-wide for their oozing cacio e pepe sauced in a giant pecorino cheese wheel, Forma, helmed by executive chef Piero Topputo is bringing out something new for the holiday. Ending on Memorial Day the restaurant is offering handmade, curly Riccioline pasta with sweet heirloom cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, and savory stracciatella cheese. Place your order now by calling them at 424.231.2868.

Pasta Sisters: Helmed by executive chef and pasta impresario Paola Da Re, Pasta Sisters is the perfect little place where you get to choose your own pastas and sauces in any way you like. But for Memorial Day, the Sisters are running a special, featuring their ravenous ravioli with butter and sage sauce or a scintillating tomato basil. If you want to be like Paola, you can also order an uncooked ravioli kit with the tomato basil sauce and make it all yourself. Order from their website to pickup your pasta for a holiday treat.

Love and Salt: On its face, a $100 grill kit might sound like a lot. But this kit, which serves up to four large people, includes two pounds of prime ribeye steak, Italian sausages, peppers, buns, Kettle chips, a shaved fennel salad, their insanely good Mac n Cheese, and Sofrito Butter Beans. And if that’s not enough, there are add-ons like their three-in-one cocktails, a four pack of beer, bottles of wine, and Triple Chocolate Olive Oil Brownies! Order now for Sunday pickup and delivery.

Pizzana: Chef Daniele Uditi might be known for his Neapolitan pizzas, but if you’ve been following him on social media during this pandemic, you can witness him perfecting his breads. Enter, the Grandma Joan meatball sandwich. Starting on May 25 and running until June 7, Uditi is firing up his ovens at Pizzana where he’s baking his homemade ciabatta and serving it with succulent meatballs, San Marzano DOP, Fior di Latte, basil, and served with a side of San Marzano DOP dipping sauce. Pizzana is also selling beer and wine to go in case you need to something to wash it down with.