Impasta Is LA’s New Gluten-Free Home For Alternative Italian Food

No-wheat-noodle Italian concept Impasta has scored its first brick-and-mortar sit-down restaurant location, after starting in March 2020 as a carb-free delivery-only option around Los Angeles. As the name implies, the company leans into alternative noodles like spaghetti squash, kelp noodles, cauliflower gnocchi, and squash tagliatelle as the base for “pasta” bowls with sauce like pomodoro, puttanesca, pesto and ricotta, and truffle mushroom. Cauliflower crust pizzas, rice bowls, and salads help to round out the vegan-friendly menu, though some meat and cheese options are available as well.

As for the new location, Impasta lands in the very busy standalone city of Beverly Hills, perhaps greater LA’s hottest dining market at the moment. The address for the small, sunny space is 459 N. Roxbury Drive and comes complete with yellow chairs and design touches, plus the required houseplants and blonde wood accessories. On-site dining first began two weeks ago, though the Impasta company has been using the kitchen for takeout and pickup purposes for a while now; hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.

In other news:

• The Counter has details on the newly approved $7,500 tamale cart available to Los Angeles street vendors. The legally available option could be a game-changer for some vendors looking for more opportunities to operate fully licensed carts across the city, writes Patricia Escárcega.
• Monsieur Marcel is hosting an olive oil tasting at the Original Farmers Market’s upper dining deck on Saturday, September 18. The 2 p.m. event runs $40 per person and comes with a $10 discount to the market.

• Popular yogurt shop Yoga-Urt is opening its third location soon, this time in Santa Monica on Ocean Park Boulevard. Expect an opening within a few weeks.
• Meanwhile, Gelateria Uli (aka Uli’s Gelato) has temporarily closed its Downtown Spring Arcade location, with plans for a remodel between now and November 1. The West Third Street location remains open.
• Smorgasburg Los Angeles is adding some big names to its weekly list of Sunday vendors. Included in the new batch coming this month are Uncle Terry’s Kitchen, Orange County’s Smoke Queen Barbecue, and chef John Clark’s Two Wings Chicken.