Nancy Silverton’s next Los Angeles restaurant is opening in Koreatown this fall. Lapaba, a new restaurant blending Italian and Korean cooking, is set to debut in October 2025 on the corner of Sixth Street and Western Avenue. Silverton first announced the restaurant on the February 20 episode of How Long Gone, a podcast hosted by Chris Black and Jason Stewart. The name is a portmanteau of “la pasta bar,” a language device often used in Korean; other examples include “somaek,” which combines soju and maekju (beer), and mukbang, a blend of meokneun (eating) and bangsong (broadcast).
Husband-and-wife chef team McKenna Lelah and Matthew Kim, who met while working at Osteria Mozza under Silverton, will lead the kitchen at Lapaba. After Osteria Mozza, Kim went on to work at Alinea’s sister restaurant, Next, while Lelah worked with chef Tim Hollingworth. The duo later worked together to open Dave Beran’s Michelin-starred Dialogue, before Kim joined Pasjoli as chef de cuisine. Kim also made cannabis edibles for some with Oui’d Confection before shuttering the brand in May 2025.
At Lapaba, expect classic Italian dishes with Korean twists, like kimchi suppli stuffed with Spam and mozzarella, and a little gem Caesar with doenjang. Pastas, which will be made on site in a dedicated pasta room, comprise dishes like cappelletti in a galbi brodo with mandu filling and campanella with basil and perilla pesto. Bucatini all’Amatriciana sauce will add in jjagang (Korean black bean paste), while tonnarelli comes with clams, garlic, and braised kombu. Desserts include Tiramisu-Garu, made with misugari and makgeolli, shaved ice, and soft serve. The interior, which features a curved stone bar looking into an open kitchen, was designed and fabricated in Italy by Costa.
Silverton will open the restaurant with partners Robert Kim (Norikaya, AB Steak, Mama Lion), and siblings Tanya and Joe Bastianich, who are also co-owners at Osteria Mozza, Chi Spacca, and Mozza2Go. Joe Bastianich is also a co-owner of Eataly, where he worked with Mario Batali under their restaurant group, B&B Hospitality. Batali has since been removed from the group after several employees alleged sexual misconduct in 2015, and the name has since been changed to Pasta Resources. At the time of the investigation, the New York state attorney general found that both men were responsible for the toxic environment, and the group was ordered to pay $600,000 in a settlement.
Lapaba will open with dinner service from Wednesday to Saturday, with plans to expand to lunch later on.
Lapaba is set to open in October 2025 at 558 S. Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020.