Los Angeles' 5 Best-Kept Secret Restaurants, According To Local Chefs

On one hand, the best local spots in any city are those that residents are inclined to keep to themselves, such as the secret places in Los Angeles only locals know about. On the other hand, when it comes to local restaurants, there is honor in disclosing some of those hidden gems. Not only does it ensure the ongoing existence of the worthiest small eateries, helping them thrive by potentially introducing first-time customers, but there is also a certain pride in being the one to hold the secret in the first place. In other words, sharing is caring, but sharing is also showing off. For an under-the-radar restaurant, is there any bigger compliment than being a cherished spot where chefs themselves want to eat on their days off? In that vein, several Los Angeles-based chefs recently shared with Tasting Table their top best-kept secret restaurants.

The 13 restaurants that chefs Dana Slatkin, Jesús "Chuy" Cervantes, and Rose Previte shared are varied in both characteristics and geography. A historic steakhouse and an old-school Italian joint, eclectic spots for Lebanese, Thai, and sushi, plus international markets, solid coffee shops, and a cheery fro-yo counter all made the list, covering L.A. neighborhoods from Santa Monica to Glendale. We've narrowed the list to the top 5 restaurants, considering only those appropriate for a full, sit-down meal, and honing in on the spots with the highest Google ratings to back up the chefs' top picks. While L.A. locals have previously nominated the best local restaurants you can't miss when staying in the City of Angels, here are Los Angeles' 5 best-kept secret restaurants, according to local chefs.

Ceci's Gastronomia is located on L.A.'s iconic Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake, a neighborhood known for its great food, art, and hikes. Definitely worth the hike from wherever you may be staying, Ceci's also delivers on the other two neighborhood promises with its vibrant, Italian cafe fare, beautifully presented as art on a plate by its Italian chef, who formerly worked at some of the city's best restaurants, making it an obvious chef's choice restaurant. The sunny cafe vibes and cheerful appointments surely don't hurt its artful atmosphere as well.

Chef Cervantes called out its "delicious baked pastas, focaccia sandwiches, and pastries," which basically covers Ceci's entire menu. Focaccia is definitely a star, made on-premise daily after an extra long proof, and used for its fluffy, extravagant sandwiches featuring Italian mainstays such as eggplant caponata, meatballs, ricotta, and mortadella. With a 4.7 rating out of 5 on Google reviews, it's a crowd favorite as well as a chef's favorite. Ceci's is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Los Angeles has no shortage of sushi restaurants complete with high-concept vibes, but for excellent fare in a more chill atmosphere, Chef Cervantes recommends Hama in Little Tokyo: "Incredible sushi in a relaxed and casual space," he told Tasting Table. In a classic, austere fashion, Hama is all about — and only about — the sushi. "No tempura, no teriyaki, no noodles," it proclaims on its Instagram page.

Described as a "hole in the wall," Hama has limited seating and no artifice, but delivers on exceptional, ingredient-forward sushi. Its menu is a single page of seasonally available fish, with fewer than 10 rolls on offer. Chef Cervantes advises to "never miss the spot prawn nigiri with their fried heads." Hama Sushi is located on E. 2nd Street in Little Tokyo, and is open 7 days a week, with lunch hours from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, and dinner hours every night from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Los Angeles-adjacent Glendale isn't exactly known for its flash, compared to the bright lights of Hollywood, but according to Chef Rose Previte, it has legitimate sparkle, or at least heartwarming Lebanese cuisine at SKAF'S that's well worth the excursion. "The owners are from a town not far from my grandmother's village in Lebanon," she told Tasting Table, "so the style of cooking takes me right home — fresh and full of lemon and mint," applied to familiar Lebanese favorites such as hummus, labne, kebabs, and shawarma.

SKAF'S has been serving it up family-style since 1999. Previte also notes that the sweet and sticky baklava at SKAF'S isn't only worth traveling across town for, but you might be so inclined to ship some to friends and family across the country. SKAF'S is closed on Sunday and Monday — plan ahead to avoid hummus-craving heartbreak — but is open every other day for both lunch and dinner, with lunch service typically between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and dinner between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

"I grew up eating in these types of restaurants with a griddle, where the options range from chilaquiles to pancakes," Chef Cervantes told Tasting Table. You can also make his home-grown comfort your own, and you don't need to have grown up in L.A. to appreciate the diner-esque familiarity of a place like Delia's. In Glendale near Glassell Park in Northeast L.A., it's also a bit of a getaway — true to being a best-kept secret — but it's also highly rated in addition to being a chef favorite, with a 4.7 rating on Google.

At Delia's, American griddle favorites like burgers and pancakes mix with Mexican comfort food in the form of huevos rancheros, enchilada platters, tacos, and tortas, outlined on a blackboard menu above the counter. Breakfast burritos are a thing in L.A., and Delia's is also somewhere to get that fix. Go early, as Delia's is a breakfast/lunch spot only, with daily hours between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (4 p.m. on Sundays.) Delia's is also one of the cheapest spots for a great meal in L.A., with most users reporting the average cost between $10 and $20 per person.

There's something about Italian food where you can also sense the salt air that lends a flavor of authenticity. For Chef Previte, "when I'm craving old school Italian, this spot by the beach is always what I want," she told Tasting Table, of Playa del Rey's Caffe Pinguini. For a classic Italian joint, red-checkered tablecloths are refreshingly traded for white, and droopy candles are rendered unnecessary in the bright, sunlit dining room or back garden.

You'll still find fresh pastas, handmade pizzas, and lots of fresh seafood appropriate for ocean-side Italian. Previte recommends the delicate veal scaloppine, offered among other classics like rich pollo parmigiana and penne alla vodka, but you'll also find inventive offerings such as a fresh fennel salad and linguini with calamari and jalapeño. Caffe Pinguini is open daily for dinner, typically between 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., and for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.