City Market South, in the gritty fashion district of downtown Los Angeles, is a 20-year redevelopment project that, when completed, will house a larger campus that will encompass film, clothing and food in a collection of repurposed brick warehouses and concrete buildings that border a tree-lined central plaza.
One of the first tenants to open its doors in the space is Rossoblu, the newest restaurant from chef Steve Samson, the man behind the city’s southern Italian eatery Sotto.
Local firm Marwan Al-Sayed Inc, along with graphic artist JP Guiseppi, took the restaurant’s motto “Inspired by Bologna and created by Los Angeles” to heart and complemented the building’s raw industrial bones with a distinctly traditional Italian and modern Los Angeles vibe. This includes sandblasting the floor to create a terrazzo effect, creating an outdoor area that replicates a piazza, banquettes covered in fabric inspired by vintage lace that has been passed down through generations, and full-length street art murals by Cyrcle artists.
The center of attention, of course, is the huge handmade grill where Samson prepares food inspired by the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. Expect perfectly seared Santa Barbara shrimp; tender roast suckling pig and pastas like tortellini in brodo. And don’t forget to try the cocktail that brings it all together: “A Tale of Two Cities, made with Siete Leguas Anejo tequila, Amaro Montenegro from Bologna with cucumber, Regan’s orange bitters and Dolin dry vermouth.