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Courtesy of Amy Neunsinger

First Look: Sprinkles Founders Go Savory With Pizza in Brentwood

Don’t look for cupcakes here, only hand-tossed neapolitan-style pies

By Lesley Balla, April 24, 2017

The gist: Moving swiftly out of the sweets realm, Candace and Charles Nelson, the duo behind the Sprinkles Cupcakes, cupcake ATM and ice cream empire, have finally debuted Pizzana, the pizza joint they’ve been working on for the last year. With celeb partners (Chris O’Donnell and wife Caroline) and bubbly crust pies, the chic little Brentwood spot is already getting lots of buzz in the neighborhood.

Courtesy of Amy Neunsinger
The Pignatello

The food: First off: No, there are no cupcakes. There are plenty of places to pick those up around town. But there is Naples-born pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi working the ovens, mastering a lighter crust made with Italian flours, San Marzano tomatoes and a helping of SoCal toppings and twists. Expect things like Amatriciana with fior di latte, crispy prosciutto and shaved parmigiano; the Corbarina with cherry tomato, zucchini blossom, burrata and gremolata; and spicy Messicana, an ode to Uditi’s Mexican wife featuring chorizo, cilantro lime sauce, sweet chile, jalapeño and queso fresco. There’s a smattering of antipasti and salads to round things out, plus desserts like Neapolitan ice cream terrine and salted caramel panna cotta, courtesy of Candace Nelson herself.

The drinks: The wine and beer list, curated by local wine expert Amanda Crawford, offers a selection of wines from mostly small Italian, and some California, producers available by the glass or bottle.

Courtesy of Amy Neunsinger

The space: The former Adoteca has been reconfigured into a casual-yet-sleek space with a full-on view of the wood-burning ovens. The tile mural was created by local artist Mark Hagen; the plates are from Heath. This is the kind of place everyone from families to dates to solo diners can slip in for a quick fix.

The details: Sunday through Wednesday, 11 AM–10 PM; Thursday through Saturday, 11 AM–11 PM. 11712 San Vicente Blvd.; 310-481-7108

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