About our rating systemLocals have been known to call up to a month in advance for an opportunity to experience celeb chef Nancy Silverton's—she founded the famed La Brea Bakery—artisanal pies. When she partnered with Mario Batali, L.A.'s foodies swooned and surged. In contrast to the restaurant's celebrity status (everyone from Scarlett Johansen to Jake Gyllenhaal to Mario Batali himself may be here), the ambience and decor are entirely unpretentious. There are about a dozen tables and two first-come, first-served bars (one is situated in front of the pizza ovens) that are always packed. The pizzas are small and inexpensive enough for everyone to order their own. Favorites are the house-made fennel sausage with panna (cream) and red onion; stinging nettles and salami with cacio di Roma cheese; and the squash blossoms, tomato and burrata. But the toppings are secondary to Nancy's complex crust—in true Italian style, each is wafer-thin in the middle, yet impossibly puffy, crunchy, and flavorful on the edges. For dessert, the butterscotch budino with Maldon sea salt is a must-try; even stubborn non-sweet tooths worship it. Fittingly, the wines are all Italian, and moderately priced between $33 and $50. Tip: There are seats at the bar for walk-ins, but be prepared for a lengthy wait during peak hours.
