In a not-so-quite corner of Cahuenga Boulevard, Aventine somehow manages to craft the ultimate Italian countryside atmosphere inside its brick walls. This place plays up the rustic angle as much as possible in an attempt to lure a more subdued happy hour crowd. Successfully attracting more blazers than leather jackets this is good place for a birthday celebration or an intimate chat with friends.
As Hollywood's Cahuenga Corridor gets more and more culturally eclectic, with an infusion of German beer gardens and country saloon style bars, Aventine has arrived just in time to add some much needed Italian romance to the block. This restaurant is brimming with all the trappings of the Italian countryside, with a little Pottery Barn fashion thrown in. While they definitely serve up Italian food, the most delicious thing this place has to offer is its amazing ambiance. With brick walls lining the entrance and dim lighting enveloping the restaurant, their thick wooden tables are usually filled by couples glancing up from their pasta to gaze into each other’s eyes. At the center of Aventine is an indoor/outdoor area that is shimmering with all the frills of a romantic date night. At the heart of the patio is a large tree dripping with tiny white lights and another bar that delivers excellent cocktails. If you choose to forego your dinner in favor of a more bar-like kind of night, you can still enjoy all that their intimate patio has to offer (including showing muted black and white movies from a projector). You and your date can post up together on a black cushiony couch and scoot a little closer than tables allow while you stir your drinks and chat underneath their tented ceilings. Aventine is excellent for a second or third date when you really want to get to know what someone’s all about in a venue that understands understated romance.