A new Italian restaurant featuring an extensive wine program and intimate atmosphere opened Friday in downtown Santa Monica, marking the second location for restaurateur Francesco Zimone's growing hospitality venture.
Florence Osteria Pizza e Vino, located at 413 Santa Monica Blvd., offers 35 seats in a space designed to blend rustic Tuscan warmth with contemporary sophistication. The restaurant represents an expansion of Zimone's West Hollywood establishment, Florence Osteria & Piano Bar.
Zimone, who also operates L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele U.S., said the Santa Monica location aims to create a neighborhood gathering place centered around Italian hospitality and tradition.
"Florence Osteria Pizza e Vino in Santa Monica is not just an expansion, it's a refined expression of our core values," Zimone said. "Thoughtfully designed to foster connection and comfort, the space brings soulful Italian cuisine to the Westside in a setting that's as stylish as it is welcoming."
The restaurant's primary draw is an expansive wine program featuring more than 100 Italian wines, including rare and premium bottles typically offered only by the bottle. The program allows diners to explore diverse Italian winemaking through individual glass pours in what management describes as an approachable and educational format.
Executive Chef Giuseppe Gentile leads the kitchen, preparing a Florence-inspired menu that includes housemade pastas and pizzas, wood-fired seafood and meats, and Italian small plates. Signature dishes include seared Red Argentinian whole prawns with Calabrian chili herb oil, Snake River Farm wagyu meatballs with heirloom tomato, housemade ricotta gnocchi with basil pesto and burrata, and Diavola pizza topped with fior di latte, spicy Calabrese n'duja and pecorino.
The interior design reflects Zimone's personal aesthetic, featuring burgundy leather sofas, dark wood tables and Eames molded armchairs. Design elements include a colorful felt wall inspired by his toddler's bedroom and a micro-cement wine bar meant to evoke his family kitchen.
The 35-seat capacity creates an intimate dining environment that management hopes will foster community connections while serving as both a culinary destination and neighborhood gathering spot.
Florence Osteria Pizza e Vino operates seven days a week with varying hours. Monday through Thursday, the restaurant serves dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday hours extend from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday feature extended service from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Reservations are available through OpenTable, though the restaurant also accepts walk-in customers. Additional information is available at florenceosteria.com and on Instagram @florenceosteria.
The opening adds to Santa Monica's dining scene with a concept that emphasizes Italian wine education alongside traditional cuisine. Zimone's expansion reflects growing interest in intimate, neighborhood-focused restaurants that prioritize community engagement over high-volume service.
The restaurant joins a competitive Santa Monica dining market that has seen several new Italian establishments open in recent years. The emphasis on wine service and educational components distinguishes Florence Osteria Pizza e Vino from traditional pizza and pasta restaurants in the area.
Management expects the intimate setting and extensive wine program to appeal to both casual diners seeking approachable Italian cuisine and wine enthusiasts interested in exploring lesser-known Italian varietals and producers.
The Santa Monica location represents Zimone's continued expansion of the Florence Osteria brand, building on the success of the West Hollywood original while adapting the concept for a different neighborhood demographic and dining culture.