50 Best Italian Restaurants near Sierra Madre

“Let me first say that we reside in Tarzana so when our friend who lives in Sherman Oaks told us that they selected a restaurant in Sierra Madre for the four of us to try I thought he was insane. Then I thought we were just going as a novelty as my wife’s name is Bess. Boy was I wrong! Bess is not only a wonderful wife of almost 36 years but Bess is a fabulous restaurant in Sierra Madre. Not only were we new to Bess the restaurant but also to the charming community it sits in. Bottom line the four of us all ordered different entrees and they were all consistently fantastic. My wife and I also ordered the broccolini as a starter. Perfectly cooked and incredibly flavorful with a tad of heat. The Caesar salad may have been the best I have ever eaten. The mushroom cavatappi was out of this world. The lasagna, a signature dish, was fabulous. And the chicken Parmesan was bordering on perfect. To finish our evening we had a “secret” dessert of a peanut butter moose, layered with chocolate, whipped cream in a traditional pie setting. Wow!! The physical space is charming if not a little deceiving. The front of the restaurant has limited seating but there is an entire back area that looked like it was twice the size of the front. The service staff were consistently helpful and charming. I could go on and on… just go. Life’s short. Great food is one of the joys of life. Bess did not let us down. So much so that, even though it sounds crazy, we intend to venture back from the West Valley. I “only” gave it 5 stars. I wish I could have gone to 10. Bravo Bess. Both the restaurant and my wife!!!“

“I got a slice of the NY style pepperoni and sausage. It was warmed up perfectly! The crust was crispy, but not hard. The pepperoni has some spice to it and the sauce had a pinch of sweetness.

My husband got a slice of Detroit style pizza. It could have been warmed up longer as the cheese wasn't melted except for the edges. He said the crust was really good“

“My Daughter & I had dinner here tonight… the food was PHENOMENAL!!! Great Friendly Service too!! What a treat to sit at the bar & watch everything looking delicious coming out of the kitchen window!!! Thank you for such a great Saturday night treat for an out of town Momma visiting her daughter!! I’ll beg her to come everytime I’m in town, and be very Jealous that she gets to come whenever she wants!!! EVERYTHING was BEYOND DELICIOUS!! Bravo!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻“

“Very good food , friendly and attentive waiters especially Antonio and Claude thank you for your hospitality“

“Great food at good prices“

“Had to stop by my favorite Italian grubbin in the heart of Old Town Pasadena all the way from Boise. This was my 3rd time and each time just keeps getting better; definitely the bigger the party, the better. We paid $225 for 4 pasta entrees, 3 appetizers, & 2 glasses of wine for a party of 6. I’ve learned to like my pastas al dente after having them here. The meatballs are banging, the wine-pairing was delightful. Our service was attentive and pleasant; the vibe is always vibrant and homey. Highly recommended.“

“Pizza was fantastic!!! Rivaled Chicago!“

“Ordered the off-menu Pomodoro pasta and it did not disappoint. The tomato and petit basil sauce was bright, fresh, and perfectly balanced. The wax beans were a standout - snappy and bright with serrano chile, toasted hazelnuts, and a tangy Frenchie vinaigrette. The garden lettuces were crisp and well dressed with radish vinaigrette, fresh dill, walnuts, and shallots. Good vibe, happy staff, great mix of flavors. The orange wine pairing tied it all together. Highly recommend Updated from previous review on 2026-03-29“

“Family-run! Father cooks while daughter is front of house — love to see it! Their focaccia is so good, and the Daviola pizza was awesome too. The dough was airy and light while the meat was super juicy. Service was excellent: they really take care of you there. They really pay attention 💕“

“Old-school charm and service, elegant dining, live jazz piano at the bar. Been coming here for years and it’s still a super treat. 👍🏼👍🏼“

“Excellent customer service and food!“

“It was delicious and my waiter was awesome.“

“Muy buen servicio Comida deliciosa…“

“GREAT HOMESTYLE ITALIAN FOOD BEEN GOING THERE SINCE ELEMENTARY AND THE FOOD JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER THANK U TONY FOR BEING PART OF 4 GENERATIONS OF FAMILY EATING UR FOOD“

“Best Italian food I’ve ever had!“

“My daughter took her dad here for father's day. It was a great vibe, we sat outdoors, they had tv so he could watch the word cup. The food and drink orders came out in pretty quickly. I had the wings in hot honey bbq, my husband had the meatball sub which came with fries and our daughter had a 10 inch pizza, which took longer but the freshness, flavor, and quality of the meal was there.“

“Amazing smoothies and bowls! Yummmmy! Cute shop with food and gift items as well!“

“Curbside pickup First time“

“Our server was awesome... her recommendations were spot on! the food surpassed our expectations! exceptional...The ambiance was relaxing for a Friday night and perfect for our friend's birthday celebration. thank you for making it so special. Very happy party of 4 enjoyed dinner at Marina!“

“Pssing through. Hilton Hotel in Montebello said tgey had the best pizza around. Very true. Loved the New York.“

“Great food in a sketchy area. Between people yelling at me out of cars, aggressive barking dogs, and semi trucks blowing through stop signs, I didn’t feel particularly safe.

However, the pasta at Barrio is incredible. The vodka rigatoni with ground sausage was absolutely perfect and adding burrata only made it more so. You get a ton of burrata for the $5 add-on price and it was probably the best I’ve ever tasted. The pesto pasta was okay, I’m not the biggest pesto fan and it tasted like a mouthful of grass to me. The bread appetizer wasn’t worth it, the bread wasn’t warm and didn’t appear to be freshly baked.“

“If you are looking for an authentic Italian dining experience, look no further. This quaint little spot completely stole my heart! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm, cozy, and incredibly welcoming.

The service was absolutely outstanding. The staff was attentive, friendly, and made us feel like family rather than just customers. They were happy to make recommendations and checked in on us just the right amount.

As for the food—wow. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. You can really taste the freshness of the ingredients and the care put into every dish. It felt like a homemade meal straight from nonna's kitchen.

We will definitely be returning soon. Highly recommended!“

“Always good food. Always a good time.“

“the pizza is ausome been going to Angelo's pizza many years ago and it still the same“

“Everything about our experience was great! The atmosphere was cozy and inviting. The menu offered a nice selection of choices. We ordered the lunch special and it was delicious. Beautiful presentation, and in my opinion, we were served a lovely amount of food for a “special.” The service was very good. We do not live in the area but I would definitely make the field trip to eat here again…and bring my friends!“

“Their UBER YUMMY Spumoni ice cream and their EVEN YUMMIER Masterpiece shake!!!!“

“Delicious!!! Best Pizza in LA. Mimosas are super yummy I recommend the guava mimosa and brunch on a Sunday is a must!! Dog friendly and Morty also loves the pepperoni.“

“Small little restaurant but super cute vibe inside. The staff is great. Food is so good! Our favorite is the Avocado Salad & Bambino Pasta. They also have an appetizer that's so good but can't remember the name. It's a shrimp wrapped in bacon with I believe the same sauce as the bambino pasta. Will definitely continue going.“

“I’m big fan of wood fire Pizza. Finally a halal spot. MashaAllah pizza is amazing. I love the crust. And the pizzas are light, so we got a couple options for me and my family.“

“love the service here. been coming here for over 22 years“

“Amazing!! Atmosphere was incredible, food was delicious and the wait staff impeccable!“

“Very quick service. The staff were friendly and helpful. We were immediately seated and very quickly seen by the server. Our food was fresh and came out incredibly quickly. I always enjoy the fettuccine Alfredo and chicken gnocchi soup. The breadsticks were soft and warm and everything you want them to be. I would highly recommend.“

“the food its just delicious.“

“I'll be honest the east LA location which is the newest one face a lot better than Huntington Park well the pizza anyways if you like shaking kind of thin crust with a sweet sauce then you will love it here it has its own taste similar to Shakey's and I mean that in a good way I still got to try most of the menu if you're in East LA the service fee is like $2 for delivery from doordash“

“I arrived during a week day for lunch with my dear friend who lives within walking distance. I was pleasantly surprised with quality and good tasting food. I had the egg plant sandwich's lunch special and salad, very good. The owner/waiter and wife were very nice and friendly, everyone that was there were return customers and very familiar with restaurant, it had family atmosphere. The only thing that drew me back was its dark colors, the room needs a little lighter color. The chief lived in Italy and Paris where he learn to cook, I thought it was very interesting because originally he is from El Salvador so that’s where he gets his Latin infusion. Prices were affordable.“

“Today is 6/3/26, Tho I have been ordering from here for 40 years. Awesome Food. I change my Ham and Avocado Sandwich order a bit differently. Whenever a girl takes my order does it incorrectly even though she repeats it correctly. Today...Ham and Avocado sandwich with jalapeño slices in sandwich. Lettuce and tomato slices on SIDE. So my sandwich does not get moist. Nope, No jalapeño, lettuce in sandwich very wet, tomatoes on side yes. Last year before doing changes on how I order. Went for a Ham and Avocado sandwich. Went to my friends house to enough lunch. To find NO Ham in my sandwich. I was so pissed, called, girl answered, said that's the way I ordered it. After 40 years really.“

“A cozy place for wine lovers. Here, you can enjoy a wide selection of wines from different countries. If you are not familiar with wines, the owner will be happy to provide expert and friendly advice. You can also indulge yourself with delicious delicacies and enjoy a truly pleasant experience.“

“Ravioli, Lasagna, Pizza it's my 2nd time only. So, that's the only thing I can recommend“

“Everything was great! My only ehhh is the lock on the bathroom... You haveto do a code to get into the bathroom... I did the code like 5 times and finally another woman came to use the bathroom as well... I told her the code and it took her like 2-3 times before she was able to get it unlocked. That's not all... The door is locked and you have to turn the lock to get out-of the bathroom... Suggestion take that lock off the door so customers can actually get into the bathroom easier“

“I haven't been in a olive garden for the longest time, but I have to say that I had a great experience, our server Gabriel was amazing, food came good and fast,after we paid our check the manager greed us and made sure we're satisfied, strongly recommend this olive garden.“

“Bravo Chef Bruno makes fabulous food.. Excellent service 🤩“

“Amazing fresh food and excellent service.“

“Pictures don’t do it justice — the quality of the sandwich (prosciutto & fig, chicken pesto) was next level. No idea how they make it work with such a low price point ($13.50 for one sandwich which is really 2 sandwiches because of their size) in relation to such high quality ingredients, including fresh focaccia bread, but we’re grateful for it.“

“First time visiting. Ordered a round Pepperoni. 1/2 hour wait. Smelled good. Crust was very good. Barely had enough cheese. Could use more. A little on the pricey side. Would order again.“

“Love the ambiance. Great food. Great service and excellent drinks are served at the bar. Great for an intimate dinner or for a special occasion.“

“The pork chop dish was delicious and so tender. Generous portions and reasonable prices.“

“Everything was good!! Service, food and wine!“

“Found this little gem on Google and wow the pies were chefs kiss. I got the combo with slice of white pie, drink and salad. So good. I got two more slices of pie for the road.i got the white which was amazing and then got it with sauce and it was still good and then the combo. Yummm. I think my only feedback is that u need to ask to use the restroom which inside their office.“

“This is probably the best tuna sandwich I've ever had in my life. I never want to have any other tuna sandwich as long as I live.

The owner is a very nice and friendly person. I love all the artwork in the facility. Every time I visit this part of town I'm going to go here“

“I love this place. Great food and service. Owner Victor is so nice!“