Here’s a restaurant that you won’t find in any tour books. Fritto Misto in Santa Monica is a personal favorite that serves up some of the best Italian food I’ve had outside of Italy in a friendly environment that is almost always crowded, but also very accommodating to small children and large crowds. Tucked away on a small street in Santa Monica that only the locals know about, Fritto Misto will tempt you to break that no-carb diet, but does offer some hearty salads for serious calorie counters.