Welcome to a new series about the best dishes to eat in various neighborhoods across Los Angeles. Today we’re heading to Sherman Oaks, a vibrant city in the Valley with something for every appetite. From French bistro hits to sushi omakase with wine pairings, here now are Eater editors’ favorites in the neighborhood.
Profiteroles at Petit Trois
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Of all the things to like about Petit Trois Le Valley, the more spacious second outlet from French chef Ludo Lefebvre, one of the most surprising may well be its dessert. The restaurant excels at escargot and mussels, at steak frites and cocktails, but the airy profiteroles are reason enough to swing through the back alley valet line. The two profiteroles come rich with thick, melted chocolate and dense scoops of ice cream, and are perfect for sharing with a table after a long, meandering meal. Of course, one could conceivably down the gigantic sweets plate themselves, but that would leave so many other things behind. 13705 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. —Farley Elliott
Corbarina pizza from Pizzana
Sherman Oaks is a neighborhood where many restaurants show up only after opening first elsewhere. That’s not a knock; the Valley is lucky to have them. Pizzana joined the scene in 2022, bringing naturally fermented dough that is wood-fired to create pizzas with delicious textures and flavors. The Corbarina is a menu highlight and comes with vibrant squash blossoms that are picked fresh daily, plus San Marzano tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, burrata, and gremolata. It’s large enough to share, which leaves room for another pizza for the table, plus dessert. 13826 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks. —Virali Dave
Southern Thai fried chicken from Anajak Thai
The Southern Thai fried chicken is just one of several showstoppers at Anajak Thai, and it has stayed on the menu for years. Expect a dish with a salty and crispy exterior that creates a satisfying crunch, plus a soft, juicy, earthy interior of chicken that is brined and marinated with turmeric, shallots, garlic, and salt. Orders come with two condiments: Anajak’s “Nam Jim seafood” that is bright and sour and made with red chiles for extra heat (compared to the more traditional use of green chiles), or the house-made sweet chili sauce that is an ode to the Mae ploy sweet chili sauce. 14704 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks. —Virali Dave
Portuguese egg tarts at Natas Pastries
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Natas Pastries is more than just a traditional Portuguese bakery. The all-day restaurant showcases some of LA’s best and only Portuguese food. The menu is full of stunning savory dishes including a caldo verde soup and a chorizo dish that is flambéed tableside and topped with bacalhau, Portugal’s famous salted cod. Don’t miss the scratch-made baked goods by owner and Lisbon-native Fatima Marques, especially the incredible pastéis de nata. Marques’s egg tarts are dreamy. She starts with a crisp, puff pastry-like crust that delicately holds the creamy custard. The oven’s high heat makes for dark, caramelized spots similar to that of crème brûlée. It’s best served warm and worth the trek. 13317 Ventura Boulevard, Suite D, Sherman Oaks. —Mona Holmes
Fish kebab salad at Mizlala
The portions are always generous at Mizlala, where the menu has been condensed in recent months as the restaurant has shifted from a sit-down spot to a more fast-casual focus. Even with the change, the quality of food has remained stellar. The fish kebab salad comes with marinated and coal-grilled salmon with tzatziki, lemon, lettuce, golden beets, kalamata olives, and more. It’s a plate that’s big enough to share, but also delicious enough to finish alone. The sauces at Mizalala are not to be overlooked, and it’s worth asking for a side of garlic sauce, pickled cucumber, zhug, and the spicy harissa. 4515 Sepulveda Boulevard, Sherman Oaks. —Virali Dave
Butter and sage tagliatelle from Osteria La Buca
Osteria La Buca is a classic California-farming-meets-Italian-cooking restaurant, one of many greats in LA. But at the Osteria, all produce comes directly from either their own private farm in West LA or from local farmer’s markets. The menu features several different kinds of pasta, all of which are made in-house, daily, by hand, and with or without gluten. The butter and sage tagliatelle is generous — large portions, plus plenty of brown butter and pecorino topped with crispy fried sage. It’s the kind of dish (and restaurant) where the best move is to eat family style; bring a date, split a pizza, and enjoy the best of both worlds. 14235 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks. —Virali Dave
Cured salmon nigiri at Sushi Note
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From masterfully made nigiri to smart wine pairings, there’s a lot to admire about Sherman Oaks’s Sushi Note. Pull up a stool at chef Kiminobu Saito’s bustling bar to see what this year-old Valley establishment is all about. Hone in on the cured salmon nigiri, dolloped with sour cream and topped with wasabi stems, for a bite that is as Japanese as it is Angeleno. The gravlax and sour cream are a nod to the city’s rich deli culture, while the composition and balance speak to Japanese tradition. Throw in some unique wine pairings for a tremendous night out in the Valley. In a world-class sushi town like Los Angeles’s, it takes vision and innovation to standout, and Sushi Note has both in spades. 13447 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. —Cathy Chaplin
Spinach and cheese burekas at Borekas Sephardic Pastries
Served warm and fresh daily (until sellout), the burkeas at this small takeout window in Sherman Oaks have inspired a line nearly every day, six days a week, for months. Burekas, which come in many forms across the Mediterranean and are accompanied by nearly as many spellings, are delicate and indulgent flaky pastries that can be served with a variety of fillings. While all flavors here are worth trying, the spinach and cheese is particularly delicious and comforting when eaten while still hot. All to-go orders come with hand-boiled eggs, pickles, red zhug, and harissa. 15030 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks. —Virali Dave
Loaded fries at Sugar Taco
Delicious vegan Mexican food isn’t hard to come by in the Valley, with El Cocinero in Van Nuys and Sugar Taco under a 10-minute drive away. But the loaded fries at Sugar Taco are far superior and come with dairy-free queso, beans, salsa, chipotle crema, onion, crema, and a plant-based meat of choice. The jackfruit carnitas and carne asada made with seitan are both delicious, as are the seasonal vegetables. Regardless of whatever meat or vegetables are added on, the loaded fries are peak comfort food. 15025 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks. —Virali Dave
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