Los Angeles' Secret And Stylish Michelin-Starred Restaurant Is Hidden In A Unique 1980s-Era Strip Mall

From secret European-inspired alleyways to modest strip malls, Los Angeles is full of surprises. Tucked away in a 1980s Encino shopping center, hides a Michelin-starred restaurant that's making waves in the city's culinary scene. Don't be fooled by the unassuming exterior (or distracted by the strip mall's carousel or eclectic '80s architecture), though. Since opening in 2020, Pasta Bar has gone on to earn a Michelin star for the past five years in a row — earning recognition for its stellar and creative tasting menu, as well as its modern and cozy ambiance and service. Located under 20 miles away from Downtown LA — one of Los Angeles' most walkable neighborhoods — Pasta Bar is a must for foodies venturing to Southern California.

Utilizing ingredients from the restaurant's urban farm, Pasta Bar's inventive tasting menu takes inspiration from Italian cuisine, but winds up as something completely its own. That said, diners can certainly expect a handful of pasta-based dishes.  Although menu is rotates every couple of weeks or so, past inclusions range from squid ink garganelli with marinated squid, chili, and lemon, to squab with pickled and grilled dates, morel mushrooms, and offal sausage. Pasta Bar's drink menu is equally inventive, with recent offerings including a lemon balm and rosemary gin welcome drink, and the Eastside Terrace cocktail, made with cucumber, yuzu, shikuwasa citrus, and gin.

Within the cozy 18-seat restaurant led by husband-and-wife duo — chef Phillip Frankland Lee and pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee — diners can see their dishes assembled and interact with staff. And, as the Michelin Guide points out, "staff is wonderfully engaging." "This is by far the best restaurant in the Valley," said one Yelp reviewer. "The service and food quality are second to none. They spoil you as soon as you walk in the door."

To dine at one of Los Angeles' most acclaimed eateries, you'll have to make a reservation. These become available at 10 a.m. on the first day of each month for the following month. Pasta Bar is open from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. 

The 12-plus-course tasting menu is priced at $245 per person. A $25 deposit per person is required, and a 20% service charge is also applied. If you have any dietary restrictions, these must be submitted at least two days before your reservation, and they must also be approved by Pasta Bar's chef. Unfortunately, the restaurant is unable to accommodate gluten-free or dairy-free diners, as well as anyone with alliums or egg allergies. Pescatarian and vegetarian tasting menus are available.

"Incredible and worth every penny," said a past visitor on Yelp. "Loved every moment [...] It's been over a month, but I remember how every offering tasted, was presented, felt and looked (incredible)." All of which goes to say that Pasta Bar is, without a doubt, one of the best local restaurants you can't miss in LA.