WHY Charm, consistently good rustic Italian cooking, and the chance that you might run into that producer who hasn’t been returning your calls.

WHAT Although it’s full of showbiz people, Ca’ Del Sole is not a scene—most people come here because they want to eat well and have a good conversation with their companions, whether on the walled Venetian patio or in the handsome, rambling interior. Try the octopus, the salumi, the baby artichokes with wild arugula and parmesan, and any of the house-made pastas.

WHO At lunch it’s a virtual commissary for folks from Warners, Universal, Disney and CBS Radford; at dinner, it’s more filled with Toluca Lake locals having a date night.