Intimate, meat-focused Italian spot where chefs grill massive steaks and tomahawk chops over a live-fire hearth. The candlelit room is built around the open kitchen – book a counter seat for the best view of the action.
Strip mall pizzeria dishing up thick, square slices with a signature crispy cheese crown. It's a cash-only, take-out operation with long lines and no tables – the pizza is the entire point.
Wood-fired Italian restaurant serving handmade pastas and hearth-roasted meats from an open kitchen. The focaccia is essential, and the freshly churned ice cream is the only way to finish.
Airy Beverly Grove pasta bar serving fresh, handmade Sardinian dishes behind an open garage door. The menu runs on a simple mix-and-match format of daily shapes and sauces, with baskets of warm focaccia to mop the plates.
Lodgelike restaurant in Mar Vista featuring hearty, meat-centric dishes and a hidden spirits bar. Known for expertly mixed cocktails, cornbread, and a stylish interior with taxidermied animals.
Tiny Beverly Grove pizzeria serving small plates and long-fermented pies with a crisp New York-style crust. Seven counter seats line the open kitchen, set right against the brick oven and the chefs at work.
Open-kitchen osteria serving house-made pastas and specialties from Puglia. The main event is the cacio e pepe – prepared tableside in a massive wheel of pecorino cheese.
Relaxed Brentwood food hall and market running several distinct menus through central digital kiosks. The setup pulls together Armenian kabobs, Sicilian pizza, and fresh California salads into a single order.
Stylish plant-based bistro serving sophisticated Mediterranean small plates to a largely non-vegan crowd. Signature dishes include artichoke oysters and house-made pastas – book ahead for a table in the dimly lit dining room.
Lively, opulent dining hall in a landmark Art Deco building, dedicated to the traditions of Roman cooking. Handmade pastas are the focus – specifically the four classics – alongside wafer-thin, wood-fired pizzas.
Los Feliz sandwich counter layering imported Italian meats into massive sandwiches on warm, pressed schiacciata bread. Staff hand out free samples from the deli case while orders hit the panini press.
Old-school Eagle Rock parlor running unchanged since 1955 with red-checkered tablecloths and a heavy garlic scent. The cash-only room stays loud with orders for thin-crust pies and house-made sausage.
Snug Highland Park storefront serving hearty dishes that merge Mexican and Italian cooking. The compact dining room runs warm, spilling out onto a back patio for elote agnolotti and masa-laced pasta.
True baseball diner dedicated to the Dodgers, with walls plastered in ticket stubs, trading cards, and old photos. Hybrid-sourdough pies are served alongside cold beer – the place gets packed on game days.
Family-run pizzeria serving authentic Chicago deep-dish in a cozy, bohemian dining room. The signature pizzas have a 45-minute bake time, turning dinner into a long, leisurely affair.
New York-style slice shop serving thick Sicilian squares topped with pepperoni that curls into crisp, greasy cups. The space is standing-room-only, with the scene spilling out onto the public sidewalk tables.
Downtown food hall counter slinging classic New York-style pizza by the slice and whole pie. Thin-crust triangles and thick Sicilian squares pair with garlic knots for quick lunches in the open-air communal dining space.
