Where to be Merry: Lounging @ Delfini Citta

The Merriment: A restaurant-lounge that’s the perfect backdrop for events

The Vibes: Rustic meets urban meet contemporary

Good for: Those moments when you want to feel grown and sexy

When-to-Go: Evenings and nights

The $ Factor: Standard L.A. lounge prices; Cocktails average $12-$16

The 4-1-1: Delfini Citta is the sister restaurant to Caffe Delfini in Santa Monica

I’ll Be Back…: For those colorful martinis

Delfini Citta first fell onto my radar when I learned about its Thursday evening summer jazz sessions. When I went one breezy August night, listening to the sounds of a Brazilian samba band and sipping on my martini and sampling a few of the chef’s appetizers, I kept thinking to myself:

“This would be a great place to host an event.”

Clearly, I wasn’t the only one with that conviction because this past fall, I’ve returned to this Beverly Hills restaurant-lounge again and again for a plethora of exclusive events, ranging from birthday parties to alum mixers and a few “Good Fridays.”

I think what makes it such an attractive space is its ambiance. It’s intimate. It’s inviting. It’s quaint and cozy, charming in its own distinctive way. The exposed brick walls, green foliage and shiny wooden floors give it a metropolitan vibe, but the additions of lipstick bright red and teal blue couches gives the lounge a very unique, one-of-kind, creative feel that’s all it’s own.

As for the cocktails, they have a list of specialty cocktails made with premium liquors and fresh fruits that are just as colorful and eccentric as the interior seating. The True Romance (below) is a widely popular one and is definitely as dazzling to look at as it is to sip.

I’ve also been to functions where the bar has crafted special event drinks,
like the USC margarita, pictured below.

And while specialty and special event cocktails are all fine and dandy, I did want to see if the bartenders could handle an ordinary request. To my delight, the key lime martini I ordered was quite delicious.

It’s also the little things that count: there's plenty of seating on. I know we’ve all been out and there’s been no seating whatsoever, or, it’s all “reserved,” with gnarly bouncers protectively lurking over it as if they were guarding the White House. But I appreciate that there are bar stools, couches and even chairs next to plenty of tables.

So the next time you find yourself on Wilshire Blvd., in need of a good cocktail and looking for that lovely lounge experience, I say head to Delfini Citta. See you there soon!

For more information: Delfini Citta

Facebook, @DelfiniCitta