Best Hidden Gems Restaurants in Ladera Heights
3 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Star Crab
Cajun-style seafood boils with customizable spice and sauces near LAX.
Notable Picks
#1
Star Crab
8.3
Casual Cajun-style seafood boil spot where bags of shrimp, crab, and mussels arrive drenched in garlic butter or house Cajun spice. Locals like it for generous portions, friendly staff, and an unfussy strip-mall setting near Westchester and LAX.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cajun shrimp and crab boil, Garlic butter peeled shrimp, Gumbo soup in a bread bowl
What Makes it Special: Cajun-style seafood boils with customizable spice and sauces near LAX.
8.3
Chef Luigi Contessi's family-run spot brings homestyle Italian classics to a casual, consistently bustling neighborhood trattoria. Locals flock for scratch-made pastas and the welcoming warmth that makes groups and kids feel at home.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna Bolognese, Ricotta Cheesecake, Tagliatelle with Angus Beef Ragu
What Makes it Special: Owner-chef Luigi's traditional recipes and familial atmosphere.
Worthy Picks
7.9
A strip mall Thai counter built around an all-day $12 combo formula — entrée, egg roll, and potsticker — that delivers on volume and freshness without pretense. The menu runs the standard Thai playbook but the price-to-portion math is unusually strong for Pico, which keeps a steady local takeout crowd coming back. Expect functional digs and fast turnaround, not ambiance.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pad Thai, Thai Fried Rice, Egg Rolls
What Makes it Special: All-day $12 combo specials with generous portions, an egg roll, and a potsticker — rare value on Pico for freshly made Thai