Adieu, Campanile

I’ve been on hiatus, but am now back, catching up on our activities this past month. Here’s the first of more to come . . .

Located in the mid-Wilshire district of L.A., Campanile was our favorite restaurant when we lived in Park LaBrea in the mid-1990s. Not only was the food fabulous—award-winning chefs Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton continue to be world-famous—but the Spanish-style building that housed the restaurant was rumored to have been Charlie Chaplin’s former studio. And, of course, it was adjacent to La Brea Bakery, one of the best bakeries in Los Angeles. Campanile quickly became our destination for celebrating special events and taking out-of-town visitors.

The studio courtyard was covered and

served as the front dining room

Looking down on the kitchen from the upstairs dining area

Although we haven’t eaten there much since moving to Culver City—five mid-city miles can be grueling, especially during rush hour—we were nonetheless sad to hear that, after 23 years, Campanile was closing its doors on Halloween. So we decided to have one last meal there in late October.

Karen made the reservations for a Sunday morning and lucky, too, because everyone else seemed to have the same idea. Our favorite waiter, who once served me the best cheese platter I’ve had ever had, said the place had been packed every day since the closure was announced. Most of the foodies in town were mourning its loss.

Tim, post-meal, under the La Brea Bakery sign

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best meal we’ve ever eaten at Campanile, but it was the last, so we took lots of photos and bought a bagful of baked goods to take home. Not quite the same, but at least the La Brea Bakery and café still live on at Downtown Disney. We will miss you, Campanile!

Inside the bakery

Charlie Chaplin's former studio and exterior of Campanile