Dining Spots in Your Area

A pawnshop and a secondhand clothing store are a short walk away, but this stretch of 7th Street in San Pedro is also home to DiOrio’s, an Italian restaurant elegant enough for any Los Angeles neighborhood.

DiOrio’s is run by the Domicolo family from Sicily. Pino Domicolo, who started making pastries at age 11, is the chef. His brother Chris is the maitre d’, and their sister Donna Barone manages the place. Even their mother is part of the operation: Giovanna Domicolo makes bread for the restaurant and provides Pino with basil and rosemary from her garden.

You enter the restaurant through a gray-and-black marble-floored foyer. To the left is an inviting wooden bar. The dining room, with its muted pink and gray tones, features well-spaced tables, classical prints, wooden arches and a large chandelier.

At lunchtime, you’ll find a lot of people eating linguine alla scoglio ($9.95), with clams, squid, scallops and shrimp topping the pasta. Gnocchi filanti ($8.50), potato dumplings with mozzarella and tomato, is another big seller.

Dinner might begin with steamed clams with white wine, garlic and parsley ($7.95), or carpaccio con senape ($8.50), thin slices of filet mignon with a mustard and cognac sauce.

Filet mignon ($21.95) is prepared with rosemary, shallots and a brandy sauce. Swordfish ($16.95) is broiled, then sauteed with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, pine nuts and fresh basil.

For dessert, you might choose tiramisu ($3.50) or gateau St. Honore , a traditional French cake featuring cream puffs dipped in caramel, named for the patron saint of pastry bakers.

DiOrio’s is at 465 W. 7th St., San Pedro. (310) 547-9087. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.