Restaurant inspired by legendary Italian actress opens in Summerlin

“Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti.” — Sophia Loren. Or maybe not.

It’s an open question whether the Oscar-winning actress, at 90 one of the last surviving legends of Hollywood’s Golden Age, when movie stars were movie stars, ever said these words about her famously lush figure. The quote appears in a 1961 Life magazine article, but Loren told The New York Times in 2015 she never said the words.

But does it really matter?

Certainly, whatever the truth of the quote, the oversize image of Loren, mouth open, about to eat a twirled forkful of spaghetti, is no less glamorous as it commands the dining room at the new Brunello LV in Sun City Summerlin — and no less fitting for a restaurant named after the great Tuscan wine, where lamps fashioned from Brunello-branded bottles populate the tables.

Brunello opens Tuesday, with Loren supplying the bella figura in the dining room and broader inspiration for the restaurant. There’s also an open kitchen, a turquoise and gold bar, a dog-friendly terrace, and a menu showcasing housemade pastas, seafood, Mediterranean-inspired dishes and wines.

Brunello opens with dinner service from 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, and happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m., with plans to expand the beverage selections and begin lunch service soon. Plans also call for catering events. Brunello is at 9320 Sun City Blvd., in the space previously occupied by My Mother’s House. Visit brunellolv.com or follow @brunellolv.