Leopardo

For a certain type of well-to-do L.A. diner, there’s nothing more appealing in a restaurant than a Michelin pedigree, high-quality ingredients and an ever-changing seasonal menu. Bay Area chef Joshua Skenes—founder of Saison and the now-closed Angler Los Angeles—checks all these boxes and more in his new “casual” neighborhood pizzeria, if one considers an average multi-course dinner bill of $100 per head, pricey cocktails and supplemental osetra caviar casual. The cost of entry at Leopardo is worth it, however, for those who view pizza as an art form, or anyone jonesing for Angler’s famously creamy soft-serve. The black-spotted, crust-dominant pies give the city’s best neo-Neapolitan pizzas a run for their money, with a chewy, high-hydration crust and accoutrements like housemade giardiniera and stracciatella cheese. Equally compelling raw dishes and wood-fired mains, plus a superb dessert selection, make it easy to run up your bill, but the pizza is still the star of the show—and the cheapest way to enjoy a meal here.