A new Italian restaurant in L.A. brings a cinematic approach to dining

A new L.A. pizzeria wants to turn dinner into something a little more Hollywood. Actor and filmmaker Luca Tartaglia is stepping into the restaurant world with the debut of Romanaccia, an “immersive” Roman-style pizzeria that opened April 9 in Hollywood.

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Tartaglia, who was born in Rome, is leaning into his background in film and television to shape everything from the design of the dining room to the plating. The idea is to blur the lines between storytelling and hospitality, creating a space that feels as much like a set as it does a neighborhood restaurant with carefully composed lighting, a sense of drama and a dining experience that unfolds with more intention than a standard night out.

In the kitchen, authenticity is the anchor. The menu is overseen by Alessandro Scuderi, who focuses on traditional Roman pizza techniques—crisp, thin crusts with a signature snap—rather than the puffier Neapolitan styles that dominate Los Angeles. The kitchen's commitment to form grounds the experience, even as the toppings veer into indulgent, Instagram-ready territory.

And those toppings are decidedly maximalist. There’s a lasagna pizza layered with the comforting flavors of the classic pasta dish, a cacio e pepe pie, a carbonara pizza that leans into richness and even a Nutella pizza. The menu embraces excess, pairing Old World technique with a distinctly L.A. sense of spectacle.

That spectacle extends beyond the plate. Romanaccia positions itself as a cultural hybrid where Hollywood sensibilities meet Italian culinary tradition. Even the pizza-making process is treated as part of the show, with visual flourishes designed to catch the eye, whether you’re sitting at a table or capturing the moment on your phone.

Of course, in a city where buzzy restaurant openings are practically a weekly occurrence, novelty alone doesn’t guarantee longevity. But Romanaccia’s menu, skewing towards indulgence and comfort, marks Tartaglia's restaurant as something more than the usual pizza joint. And likely somewhere worth more than one repeat visit.