Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles · restaurant
The first thin-crust pizza in Southern California came out of this kitchen in 1945, and barely anything's changed since then — red vinyl booths, checkered tablecloths, a of course the menu. Frank's Special Pizza (olive oil, anchovies, fresh basil, Parmesan, black olives) and the corn-fed baby back ribs are the move, with the Veal Scallopini Marsala holding its own at the table. It's the restaurant from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which should tell you why the Valley has been coming here for generations.