"Once during dinner at Bestia, we witnessed a server pour wine down a hollowed-out beef bone, luge-style, into a woman’s waiting mouth. That image alone should tell you a lot about this high-voltage Italian spot in the Arts District, which has been packed more or less every night of the week since it opened over a decade ago, with no signs of slowing. Even if you’re not the type to waterfall pinot grigio out of a femur, it’s too easy to find yourself swept up in Bestia’s buzz. Chatter in the industrial-chic dining room drowns out its hip-hop playlist well past last call. Staff enthusiastically guide you through the menu with the skill of luxury concierges. Tables filled with double dates and birthday celebrations clink wine glasses and pick at elaborate salumi boards. Most impressive, though, is that Bestia’s food still grabs the spotlight: a well-rounded mix of perfectly sauced pasta, blistered wood-fired pizzas, and antipasti that are bold and rich without being overwhelming. photo credit: Jakob Layman photo credit: Bestia photo credit: Jakob Layman photo credit: Jakob Layman photo credit: Bestia It’s no coincidence the team behind Bestia went on to open Bavel and Saffy’s, two Middle Eastern concepts that are among our favorite restaurants in the city. One element they all share—aside from being perpetually tough reservations—is that the counter seats at these spots tend to be the easiest to snag at the last minute. And fortunately, Bestia offers the most out of the three, though not all of it is created equal. The counter seats along the salumi and pizza counter (our favorite area) overlook the kitchen, while the seats in the adjacent bar tend to be a bit secluded from the buzzy dining room. Though if you’re larger than a party of three, you’ll want a table anyway—just plan to book a week or so in advance. We’ve never found a wrong way to order at Bestia, but if there’s one section of the menu we’d consider mandatory, it’d be the nicely al dente housemade pastas, like silky squid ink spaghetti with lobster, or ricotta cavatelli with truffles and sausage. The pizzas, blistered and slightly smoky from the oven and layered with tart pomodoro sauce, aren’t far behind. We’ve also left happy after sharing a bottle of wine and a few antipasti like mussels and clams or beef tartare, or going full tilt with slow-roasted lamb or the grilled ribeye (Bestia handles big hunks of meat better than most steakhouses). As for dessert—usually some combination of bright seasonal fruit creations and rich chocolatey, caramelly items—there’s not much to say beyond that ordering is non-negotiable. Bestia is a fantastic restaurant by any measure, but it’s even more impressive when you consider this well-oiled Arts District machine hasn’t lost a step since it opened. Our recommendation then remains the same now: if you don’t mind a bit of pre-planning and come prepared to spend, Bestia is an essential destination for a splashy Italian dinner that’s as fun as it is delicious. Food Rundown photo credit: Jakob Layman Salumi If you like fancy jewelry—or shiny things, in general—you’ll enoying staring at this gorgeous spread. The selection of house-cured meats rotates, but there’s always something special: spicy Spanish chorizo, peppercorn-laced soppressata that sends a flare of smoke up your nostrils, or rich white nduja smeared on bread. photo credit: Jakob Layman Pizza The blistered, charred crusts on Bestia’s pizzas are so good, we dare say toppings take a backseat. But we like that even simpler pies have layered flavors, like the burrata one with dollops of runny cheese that cools down the fermented chiles, tangy tomato sauce, and roasted green olives that add a briny pop. photo credit: Bestia Roasted Bone Marrow Server tend to pause before plating this dish because they’re used to people recording it on their phone (or asking to have wine poured into their mouth via bone). Flair aside though, these bones are delicious. The marrow is coated in aged balsamic, which cuts the fat is cut with tart sweetness and creates a sauce for the crisped spinach gnocchetti below–little al dente pasta nuggets that squeak between your molars. photo credit: Jakob Layman Cavatelli alla Norcina A bowl of creamy pasta and sausage sounds like a meal you’d eat before hibernating in a cave for winter, but somehow this one is light and elegant. The grana padano sauce is silky smooth, the crumbled sausage is plump and juicy, and the touch of truffle flavor isn’t overpowering. photo credit: Jakob Layman Bittersweet Chocolate Budino Tart Even if you’re so full you can’t see straight, promise us you will order this: cacao crust, salted caramel, olive oil. It tastes as incredible as all those words would lead you to believe." - Sylvio Martins
