The Fioretto Trattoria eschews the basic tenet of "location, location, location" but still delivers an outstanding Italian dining experience, sacrificing nothing in the areas of food quality and ambiance.

Nothing beats having a local restaurant to call your own. Maybe you found it by accident while driving home, starving; maybe your neighbor told you about it when you first moved in; or maybe you hopped on Google and searched for Italian restaurants in your area and got lucky to find this article. However you find it, Fioretta is indeed a find.

Located on Culver Blvd. near Centinela in a small business plaza, it's just a bit removed from the main attractions of Culver City and not quite a part of Marina Del Rey. Yet Fioretto delivers where it counts. The dining room is simple and not overbearing. There are not endless jars of dry pasta or Fellini movie posters up; conversely, the design is not overtly stuffy and fancy as so many Italian restaurants have become.

The menu is where this place really begins to shine. Crafted by owner/chef David Giani, the menu changes seasonally to provide a wide variety of dishes year-round. Giani is a Florentine and his Tuscan heritage comes through in the intense flavors of his meats and sauces while his superb training is showcased in the creativity of the presentation: this is L.A., after all, and this food has style.

The seasonal menu is simple, with a half dozen choices of pasta and entrees and a variety of salads, and the wine menu is short but sweet with a handful of choices from the Tuscan region. This restaurant's real charm is its understated elegance, often a tough find in the more bustling districts of the city.

For locals, Fioretto is a hidden gem. But for those willing to go a bit off the beaten path to find something worth coming back to for great food's sake, it is a diamond in the rough worth looking for.

Fioretto Trattoria
12740 Culver Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310)448-8000