Exploring the Italian Side of Los Angeles Via Vespa

Los Angeles is one of those places where you can chase a theme for an entire day and never run out of road. Recently, Ryan and I started to reminisce about our travels through Italy (one of the awesome perks of this job), and inevitably the topic of food, drinks, and motorcycles popped up. As much as we love experiencing the real deal, hopping on a plane and going to the Amalfi coast hasn’t been in the cards for us lately. Fortunately for us, we live in LA. If we can’t go to Italy, then there’s enough of Italy here for us to scratch the itch. 

So when the idea came up to explore the city through an Italian lens it made sense to do it on something equally Italian: Vespa GTS 310 and GTS 300 scooters. The plan was fairly simple —  get a hit of Italian cuisine, culture, and combustion, right here in our own backyard. And what better way to do it than on some Italian scoots? Light, quick-ish, and narrow enough to slip through LA’s perpetual congestion and back alleys, the Vespas became less the subject of the day and more the starchy pasta water that binds the sauce to the spaghetti.

Where did we go? There was no way we could hit every great Italian restaurant in this big town, but a classic meal at The Italian Deli Co. in Pasadena hit the spot. The post-meal coffee and espresso were solid, too. Strong, but with plenty of body and just the right hit to ward off the post-meal slumber.

Next was a jaunt to satisfy my sweet tooth. For that, Bacio di Latte served up some delicious gelato. Now, there are several gelato stands all over the place, but many of them don’t do traditional gelato justice. Bacio is the real deal and reminded me of the scoops I’ve had on the streets of Rome.

With our stomachs well and truly satisfied, it was time to indulge ourselves in some of the finest cars and motorcycles to come out of Italy. For that, we scooted our Italian delights over to the third annual Macchinissima. What is Macchinissima, you ask? The best explanation comes from one of the co-founders himself, Mike Baum:

“Part punk rock, part Villa d’Este, and totally Los Angeles. A curated celebration of Italian cars and motorcycles — vintage, modern, and modified — in a setting that felt vibrant and alive. We wanted to gather friends, showcase everything from coach-built rarities to daily drivers, and build something with real cross-generational appeal.”

There was no shortage of eye candy on display, of both the two-wheeled and four-wheeled variety. There were even some classic Vespas on hand, as well as enthusiasts who appreciated the modern versions we rolled in on. It truly was a jaw-dropping display of Italian cars and bikes.

There was no way we could see everything Italian in Los Angeles, but seeing LA through an Italian lens with these Vespas was nothing if not fun. The Italian thread tied the day together, but the real joy came from discovering how seamlessly the scooters let us move through the city’s chaos and quietly enjoy the details we normally overlook. And what was surprising was seeing the smiles on people’s faces each time we waited at a stop. Maybe it was the classic Vespa silhouette, or possibly the fun red and white colors of the scooters, but for once, the two-wheelers actually got positive attention everywhere we went.

We filmed the entire trip, stops and all — so if you want to see how the day unfolded from the saddle of two Vespas, check out the accompanying video.