Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson's love didn't last, but they had the best taste in Italian restaurants
Anneta Konstantinides,Rachel Askinasi
- During their nine-month romance, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson went to many Italian restaurants.
- We hit up their favorite spots in NYC, London, and LA, and had many great dishes of pizza and pasta.
From their first "SNL" skit to their showstopping Met Gala appearance, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson's romance was never boring.
There were tattoos, public feuds, and a controversial dress, but through it all, Kardashian and Davidson's love reigned — until it didn't.
News broke last week that the billionaire and comedian were no longer together. Insider confirmed that the pair ended their relationship amicably.
According to E!, Kardashian and Davidson found "it really difficult to maintain a relationship" due to their busy schedules.
Before their split, every Kardashian and Davidson date night was a headline — and it was almost always at an Italian restaurant.
Kardashian has been candid about the extreme lengths she'll go to maintain her figure. But when she was with Davidson, the SKIMS founder was always down for the best pasta and pizza.
Whether they were in New York, London, or LA, the couple were almost always spotted eating Italian. Some restaurants were fancy and pricey, others were far more laid-back and affordable.
So, naturally, we decided to visit them all and see which spots were superior.
They had their first public date on the roof of Campania, an Italian restaurant in Staten Island.
Kardashian and Davidson had a private dinner in the rooftop seating area of Campania on November 2, Page Six reported.
"Pete arranged a dinner on the rooftop privately," a restaurant source told Page Six. "It was just the two of them."
They dined at the Dongan Hills location, which the comedian told Paper magazine in 2019 is one of his favorite restaurants. Representatives for the former "SNL" star didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
The restaurant boasts both indoor and outdoor seating, though the rooftop was closed due to weather during Insider's November visit.
Insider food reporter Rachel Askinasi walked through the main dining room on a chilly November afternoon to get to her outdoor seat. She said the indoor space reminded her of other neighborhood trattorias in New York, just larger. It was filled with dark wood accents and had a bar along one side.
Since she couldn't get so much as a peek at the rooftop area where the pair dined, Rachel settled on sidewalk seating to channel the same outdoor vibe. The tables were lined with the same palm-tree-looking plants she was able to spot on the roof from across the street, and the greenery around her set a relaxed tone.
Campania is known for its coal-fired pizza.
A small pie at this restaurant has six slices, and with an extensive list of pizza options, it can be difficult to choose just one. But Campania accommodates indecisive diners by allowing orders that combine varieties.
Prices range depending on the toppings, but a half-Lombarda, half-Margherita pie cost Rachel $19. The Lombarda is topped with red sauce, mozzarella cheese, arugula, prosciutto, shaved parmesan, and truffle oil, while the Margherita features red tomato sauce, both mozzarella and pecorino cheeses, and thin ribbons of basil leaf.
While the Margherita variety was a classic done well with a sauce that was both sweet and acidic, Rachel said the Lombarda pie was more complex. It was salty from the meat and cheeses, refreshing from the raw arugula, and savory from the truffle oil.
Rachel thought the crust on both pies was thin but sturdy enough to stand up to any wet or heavy toppings.
The eatery is also known for serving up handmade pasta.
Campania's pasta menu is vast, but only two dishes come with the restaurant's handmade version: cavatelli and gnocchi. (Diners can choose to order fresh pasta with any dish for an additional $3.)
The cavatelli pictured above costs $21 and is prepared in a roasted tomato sauce with diced eggplant, fresh basil, and shaved ricotta salata.
Rachel thought this dish was a strong finish to her meal. She said the pasta was soft and pillowy — the perfect vessel for its slightly viscous sauce. She gathered pieces of eggplant, a peeled cherry tomato, and pieces of the pasta on her fork to take an all-encompassing perfect bite. Rachel thought firmer cheese paired well with the otherwise soft-textured dish (a soft ricotta would have been too much richness, in her opinion).
With great service and delicious food, this spot was a strong start for the couple to kick off their public appearances at Italian restaurants.
Campania has a large menu with a wide variety of appetizers, salads, and entreés in addition to the pizza and pasta offerings. Rachel had also tried a half-order of baked clams, which she said met expectations and tasted great.
The Staten Island spot also brings diners a complimentary bread basket with fresh caponata to curb any hunger while you decide what to order.
In addition to the delicious food, the space is large both inside and outside on the sidewalk, and the servers are both kind and helpful.
After Davidson took Kardashian to his favorite Italian place in New York, she returned the favor in LA.
The couple made headlines in November when Davidson appeared to be sporting a fresh hickey on his neck during their date at Giorgio Baldi. Ah, young love.
Kardashian is a Giorgio Baldi regular, even calling it "the best restaurant ever." The only bigger fan is probably Rihanna, who loves the Santa Monica spot so much that she's been known to eat there three times a week. The Fenty founder told Rolling Stone that she bought a home in the area partly so she could be in the restaurant's delivery zone.
The dining room is packed with celebrities, but Giorgio Baldi isn't flashy. In fact, it's quite romantic.
Giorgio Baldi feels like a small, cozy restaurant you'd stumble upon while on a summer holiday in Europe. There are no blaring neon signs announcing its presence, just the name written on one side of the building in elegant cursive.
Insider reporter Anneta Konstantinides and her boyfriend Peter were immediately greeted with a "buona sera" as fresh bread and olive oil arrived at their table.
Anneta first tried Kardashian's favorite pasta, which she thought was unmemorable.
Kardashian has tweeted about her love for Giorgio Baldi's $30 agnolotti, which features fresh homemade ravioli stuffed with sweet white corn and drizzled with a white truffle sauce.
When the dish arrived at their table, Anneta was surprised by how small the portion was. There were only 18 tiny raviolis on the plate — meaning each one cost almost $2.
The pasta wasn't very creamy, and the flavor of the corn didn't really come through. The sauce was lovely and definitely tasted authentic, but Anneta didn't think the dish was worth its hefty price tag.
But Rihanna's usual pastas were far more impressive.
Rihanna has been known to get half-orders of all three of her favorite pastas at Giorgio Baldi: the $23 homemade ravioli filled with ricotta cheese, the $23 homemade gnocchi served with a meat or Gorgonzola sauce, and the pasta pomodoro with basil — which is no longer on the menu.
Anneta loved the gnocchi, which was perfectly fluffy and had a fantastic meat sauce that was both rich and light.
But the pasta pomodoro was definitely the star of the entire meal. Anneta was excited to see that it was a far larger portion than Kardashian's agnolotti, plus it tasted incredible. The red sauce had a light sweetness that added some major depth of flavor. Anneta's boyfriend loved it so much that he declared it was the best red sauce he's ever tasted. No wonder Rihanna wants to eat this every week!
Anneta liked Giorgio Baldi's vibe but thought most of the dishes weren't worth the price tag or wait time.
It took more than an hour for most of the pastas to arrive at the table, and Anneta thought Kardashian's $30 agnolotti couldn't compete with Rihanna's cheaper favorites. When she and Rachel compared Giorgio Baldi to Campania, the latter was their clear winner.
Jon & Vinny's became Kardashian and Davidson's go-to date night spot in Los Angeles.
The couple were spotted at the restaurant multiple times while dating, even once ordering a pizza named after Kanye West (more on that in a second).
Chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotol set out to create a "California Italian" menu for the restaurant, featuring classics that their grandmothers used to make.
While Jon & Vinny's is far more laid-back than Giorgio Baldi, it still has plenty of famous fans. Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been spotted at the restaurant, as have John Legend and Chrissy Teigen.
Jon & Vinny's casual vibe is similar to Campania, but the California influence is clear.
With the exception of the bright green-and-white pizza boxes, everything is done in light-blonde wood. Paper covers each table instead of fancy linen, and there are plenty of spacious booths for big groups.
Anneta visited the restaurant with her boyfriend Peter and loved the chill atmosphere — perfect for an easygoing Friday date night.
Anneta thought the Ham & Yeezy pizza was a bit of a disappointment.
Kardashian and Davidson made headlines when they ordered Jon & Vinny's Ham & Yeezy pizza. That same night, Kardashian posted Instagram photos of herself and the comedian cuddling in one of the restaurant's booths.
The $23.75 Ham & Yeezy pizza comes packed with delicious ingredients. Anneta thought the smoked ham and smoked mozzarella both had tons of flavor, and the Fresno chilis added some great heat and texture.
But overall, this pie was just too dense. All the ingredients were competing with each other instead of working together. While it makes for a fun story, Anneta won't order the Ham & Yeezy next time she goes to Jon & Vinny's.
But Anneta was surprised by how much she loved the agnolotti.
Anneta decided to order the $19.75 agnolotti so she could compare it to Giorgio Baldi's $30 version, and she was extremely impressed with the cheaper dish.
The agnolotti — which features brown butter, sage, and Parmigiano cheese — was so creamy and decadent, almost reminding Anneta of a pastry. The brown butter added subtle sweetness to each bite, which was expertly balanced out by the earthy notes of sage.
Anneta also tried Jon & Vinny's $23.75 six-hour bolognese — a Chrissy Teigen favorite — and the $19.75 spicy fusilli, one of the restaurant's most popular dishes. But the agnolotti was definitely the most memorable pasta of the night.
Anneta's favorite dish of the night was the Margherita pizza.
Jon & Vinny's $17.75 Margherita pizza had a deliciously rich tomato sauce that was packed with tons of flavor, plus a salty kick from the fresh and creamy globs of mozzarella.
Each slice was also cooked perfectly, with a thin, crispy crust and charred bottom that would make any Naples pizzeria proud. Jon & Vinny's Margherita pizza was the cheapest and simplest dish of the entire meal, but Anneta and her boyfriend couldn't stop raving about it.
The River Cafe was the last restaurant where Kardashian and Davidson were spotted together.
For one of their last public dates, Kardashian and Davidson sure picked a special place. The River Cafe, which opened in London's Hammersmith neighborhood in 1987, has been credited with revolutionizing the city's entire dining scene.
Founders Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray set out to create a fine dining experience without all the formalities that come with it. They also emphasized using the best ingredients imported straight from Italy, and changed their menu twice a day, every day, to make sure each dish was as fresh as possible.
The restaurant, which has held on to its Michelin star since 1998, launched the careers of many famous chefs — including Jamie Oliver — and has a number of celebrity fans, including Steve Martin, Elton John, and Gwyneth Paltrow. According to The Wall Street Journal, the River Cafe gets 1,000 phone calls every day from people trying to snag a table.
The River Cafe has a fun and playful vibe.
With its cobalt-blue carpet and Barbie-pink pizza oven, the dining room at the River Cafe feels almost like "Alice in Wonderland."
Anneta loved the modern and whimsical aesthetic, which she hadn't been expecting at such a famous restaurant. The floor-to-ceiling windows flooded the room with sunshine as a big bright clock flashed different neon colors.
The Mozzarella di Bufala was out of this world.
At £27, which is around $32.76, this appetizer is definitely pricey. But Anneta thought the flavor was incredible.
The dish features a bruschetta of wood-roasted Daterrini, San Marzano, and marinated Vesuvio tomatoes, as well as basil.
Anneta couldn't believe how fresh every ingredient tasted. The creamy mozzarella cheese had just the right amount of tang and instantly melted on her tongue. The bread served alongside the bruschetta and mozzarella was fluffy but had a satisfying crunch, and the tomatoes brought some refreshing acidity to the table.
The Tagliarini al pomodoro was good, but Anneta thought Giorgio Baldi's version was better.
The pasta — which cost £26, or around $31.63 — featured fresh pasta with slow-cooked Pugliese tomatoes.
While the pomodoro's plating at the River Cafe made for a far prettier picture, its sauce just didn't pack the memorable punch Anneta remembered from her Giorgio Baldi visit six months prior.
But the tagliarini noodles were light and fresh, and Anneta's friend Billie was a huge fan of the vegan-friendly dish.
The River Cafe's fresh ravioli was one of the best pasta dishes Anneta has ever tasted.
The £27, or around $33, ravioli featured fresh pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese and summer chanterelle mushrooms alongside sage butter.
Anneta loved the creamy, cheesy ravioli, which tasted deliciously decadent. The sage butter balanced the sweetness with its herby earthiness, adding a unique twist to the dish that really made it memorable.
The pasta looked so simple on the plate, but it really surprised and delighted Anneta's palate.
Of the 10 pastas she had while visiting Kardashian and Davidson's date-night spots, the River Cafe's ravioli was Anneta's clear favorite.
Kardashian and Davidson's love might not have lasted, but we'll never forget their incredible taste in pizza and pasta.
Who knows, maybe in 20 years Kardashian and Davidson will reunite — a la Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez — over a Ham & Yeezy at Jon & Vinny's and watch the sparks reignite.
Until then, here's hoping these two crazy kids are soothing their broken hearts with some carbs. They definitely still know the best Italian spots.
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