The family behind Grandi Italiani may be better known for its old-school spot Andre’s across from the Grove, but this Canoga Park option is no slouch, either. Expect the usual staples like spaghetti, ravioli, lasagna, and chicken parmesan, of course.

Founded in 1945, Barone’s is stacked with recipes passed down from six different Italian families including lobster, shrimp, and crab meat-stuffed mushrooms, gnocchi, or carbonara. Head out to the original location in Valley Glen to experience an actual old-school interior.

Pinocchio’s is a Valley staple, the kind of casual Italian-American destination that doesn’t try too hard, and that’s just perfect. While one half of the building is a dedicated market, the real focus is on the steam table restaurant portion of the place to the left, where diners snag trays to fill with whatever noodle-sauce-and-side combo they care to enjoy. It’s inexpensive, satisfying, and busy — a perfect Valley combo.

Little Dom’s in Los Feliz is perennially packed with diners vying for a highly coveted bar booth, where they can dig into big-as-your-head cheesy, mushroom-flecked fried rice balls; gargantuan portions of chicken parm; and bowls of spaghetti topped with beef-and-pork meatballs. A mirrored bar, red leather-topped bar stools, and Cinzano tables outside lend themselves to the place’s clubby atmosphere.

Feeling very much like an early aughts or even ’90s throwback, this ornately designed red sauce pasta spot offers a wide range of classic dishes at reasonable prices. Start with bruschette, antipasti misto, or meatballs then pick a beloved pasta, from fusilli puttanesca to ravioli verdi. The combinations are nearly endless between pasta shape and sauce, so get creative.

An offshoot of an impossible-to-eat-at New York City original, Rao’s in Hollywood is a little quieter and a little more subdued, but still a lot of fun. The kitchen pushes out big portions to everyone, where families, dates, and anyone looking to recreate a bit of magic can lean in for a taste of East Coast Italian.

64-year-old Marino restaurant is just as charming today as it has ever been, with one of the most refined dining rooms in the city. Expect a variety of Italian classics, including fresh pasta, Caesar salads, calamari, and fried mozzarella. The elegant mains remind one of Big Night-era dinner specials, from chicken scarpariello to veal scallopini.

Melrose’s mellow Osteria la Buca is the perfect kind of neighborhood Italian restaurant. Known for its great pasta, pizzas, and grilled meats, this 15-year-old restaurant is now an LA staple. There’s a location in Sherman Oaks as well.

Although certainly a few steps above red-checkered-tablecloth Italian fare, Angelini has been a favorite for elegant pasta, risotto, and the like since Gino and Elizabeth Angelini opened the restaurant in 2001. Stop by for caprese made with heirloom tomatoes, classics like vitello tonnato, and the beloved lasagna verde “nonna Elvira,” made with thin sheets of fresh spinach pasta smothered in beef and veal ragu.

Chef Paola De Re and her three children opened this plucky little pasta shop in Mid-City in 2015, expanding to a larger restaurant in Culver City a few years later. With approachable pricing and a fast-casual service model, Pasta Sisters draws big lines for polished bowls of spaghetti, tagliatelle, and pappardelle with a customer’s choice of sauces that might include pesto, bolognese, or creamy porcini mushroom. This place is a modern pasta classic that has clearly captured the hearts of LA diners.

Vito in Santa Monica has been serving for over 40 years, and all from their charming digs along Ocean Park Boulevard. The place hasn’t changed much since opening all those years ago, as their pasta and traditional cocktail list — Vesper, Sidecar, or Sazerac — can absolutely attest. The kitchen loves to tout its veal dishes, especially the veal parmesan.

Anyone who’s driven through Playa del Rey has undoubtedly noticed the old-school neon signage, in the colors of the Italian flag, no less, outside Cantalini’s. The menu leans toward the owners’ home region of Abruzzi, with housemade ravioli available to mix and match with different sauces; baked ziti; and chicken or veal available in Milanese, marsala, piccata, saltimbocca, and parmesan preparations.

Occupying a large warehouse-style dining room with open kitchens and bar, this anomaly of an Italian restaurant hides in an industrial portion of Gardena, catering to hardworking folks and quieter South Bay neighborhood. Expect well-executed pasta like carbonara and thin-crust pizzas that please a crowd.