For 35 years, Toscana has served as a beacon of the Brentwood community, beloved by locals and visitors alike. The famed Italian eatery, which sits on a prominent corner on San Vicente, has become the go-to spot for so many residents’ momentous life occasions, from birthday celebrations and graduations to power lunches and festive nights out. Yes, there are white tablecloths, crisp crudité, house-made pastas and fine-dining cuisine, but at its heart, Toscana is a neighborhood restaurant. It’s the type of place where everyone truly knows your name.
The restaurant’s beginnings can be attributed to another iconic Los Angeles culinary figure: Wolfgang Puck. In the mid-1980s, owner Mike Gordan—then an entertainment industry business manager—spent a day with the legendary chef, who taught him how to eye the finest, freshest ingredients at the famers market and incorporate them into recipes. The day changed the trajectory of Gordon’s life. He and his wife Kathie packed their bags and took off for Tuscany, where they immersed themselves in the foods, wines and traditions of the region. In 1989, Toscana officially opened its doors in a classic brick building that once housed a pharmacy.
Over the last three decades, the Gordons have slowly expanded their restaurant portfolio, first with neighboring Bar Toscana and eventually S.Y. Kitchen and Nella Kitchen & Bar in the Santa Ynez Valley, followed by Nerano in Beverly Hills. Now, they have unveiled their latest concept, All Roads Pinseria & Enoteca, right in Brentwood Village.
If Toscana is the Grande Dame of Brentwood Italian dining, then All Roads is its hipper, quirkier little sister. A joint collaboration between the Gordons, Roberto Facciolla—Toscana’s longtime general manager and partner—and executive chef Luca Crestanelli, the restaurant has been conceived as a Roman-inspired polished casual eatery (named after the phrase “All Roads Lead to Rome”). Designed by Candice Goodwin of Ralph Gentile Architects, the 1,900-square-foot space features a warm clay color palette punctuated by vintage, dusty hues and inviting jewel-toned greens. There is seating for approximately 50 patrons alongside simple wooden tables as well as a chic marble-topped bar.
The heart of All Roads is its selection of pinsa, a pizza-like relic of the Roman Empire crafted from a dough recipe of rice, soy and wheat grains, fermented over multiple days. The result is a crust that is perfectly crispy on the outside, but airy and cloud-like on the inside. According to Facciolla, a native of Puglia, Italy, who traveled to Rome many times throughout the conceptual process, All Roads is one of only a few U.S. restaurants to serve the unique dish. And, unlike pizza, pinsa dough has less gluten and a lower sugar content, making it easier to digest.
The pinsa offerings range from a traditional Margherita to Bianca (mozzarella, parmigiano and Challerhocker cheeses with caramelized onions) to more meat-centric options such as Mortadella (with pistachios, salsa verde, fior di latte mozzarella, burrata and pecorino) and the Romagnola (prosciutto, arugula, burrata, fior di latte and tomato confit). Panini sandwiches are served from 11 AM to 5 PM daily, featuring a delicious pinsa crust. Rounding out the menu are Roman street food specialties such as Suppli—lightly fried balls made of carnaroli rice, mozzarella and tomato—and Carciofi alla Giudia, or fried baby artichokes served with pecorino, chives and aioli. The farm-fresh salads are also standouts, as well as the wagyu-based meatballs and the generous Fritto Misto. The wine list features nearly all Italian options, save for one: a red blend, Cocobacio, made from grapes grown in the vineyard of the Gordon’s Santa Ynez estate. A makeshift Botteglieria, or “bottle shop,” displays roughly 30 boutique wines for sale.
“The vibe is to bring people of every age at all hours of the day,” says Facciolla of the restaurant’s overall ethos. “You can come for coffee in the morning, or a beer at night. Grab a snack, a meal, get some great salads—the chefs pick ingredients from the farmers market every morning. There is of course a great selection of wine. There truly is something for everyone.” All roads lead to All Roads, indeed.
All Roads Pinseria & Enoteca, 145 S. Barrington Ave., 424-256-2005, allroadspinseria.com
The heart of All Roads is its selection of pinsa, a pizza-like relic of the Roman Empire