One of the San Fernando Valley’s oldest and most celebrated restaurants will mark 70 years of operating in Sherman Oaks. On Thursday, September 10, Casa Vega will fete the occasion by lowering prices to reflect its debut year in 1956, including a house
combination platter for a low $2.15 with rice and refried beans, as well as two mains which could be enchiladas (cheese, spinach, or chicken), tacos, tamales, or chile relleno. These prices are available from 11:30 a.m. until midnight on September 10.
It’s been a busy year for Casa Vega. In March 2026, the Vega family revealed a 3,000-square-foot patio that seats 100, plus an 18-seat bar, central fountain, and a retractable roof. Two months later, the City of Los Angeles renamed the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Fulton Avenue as Vega Square, to commemorate its contribution to dining and regional history. Rafael “Ray” Vega is Casa Vega’s patriarch and founder; the restaurant is currently owned by his daughter, Christy Vega.
In 2022, Casa Vega received the James Beard Foundation’s America’s Classic Restaurants designation, which recognizes longstanding independent or family-owned restaurants, alongside five other restaurants from around the country.
Baby Bistro and Ceviche Project Take Santa Barbara
On Sunday, August 30, chefs from Los Angeles micro-seasonal restaurant Baby Bistro and seafood haven Ceviche Project will go to Santa Barbara to host a guest dinner at the majestic, more than century-old El Encanto hotel. El Encanto’s Sunday Family Dinner series celebrates the local bounty of the Central Coast; tickets run for $112.10 per person before taxes and gratuity and can be booked on Resy.
Going the extra mile for a tip
Texas resident and ESPN feature writer Roberto José Andrade Franco visited Langer’s Delicatessen and couldn’t recall if he left a tip for his server. When Andrade returned to El Paso, he dropped $50 into an envelope and mailed it to the legendary restaurant. Langer’s posted the full story on Instagram.
Leo’s Tacos takes the Bay
SF Gate reports that consistently long lines have formed in San Francisco’s Ocean Beach neighborhood for a prolific Los Angeles operator. Leo’s first truck opened in the Bay in 2025 and now sells up to 10,000 al pastor tacos per week.
A stellar seafood collaboration at Wildcrust
On Thursday, September 10, Eagle Rock’s Wildcrust will bring in the Joint Seafood & Uoichiba (and dried fish specialist) chef Liwei Liao for an à la carte menu that showcases Japanese-leaning seafood dishes like a toro salad, plus an escabeche and iwashe (sardine family) pizza. They’ve even got a sake pairing ready, too. Book a table via Resy.
A local restaurant family awaits news from Nepal
NBC Los Angeles has a story on Himalayan Cafe in Pasadena, a family-owned restaurant whose staff has been anxiously awaiting news about their families after historic flash floods devastated parts of Nepal near its China border.
More for the table:
- On Sunday, August 30, Eater is hosting a collaboration at Smorgasburg L.A.: a free Sam Woo Barbecue char siu slider with Zindrew Chili Oil awaits our first 200 guests. I’ll be there under a bright parasol, along with my colleagues Kat Thompson, Matthew Kang, and Ben Mesirow. Find the full details on Eater L.A.
- You’re also invited to Eater’s first-ever Los Angeles blowout Off Menu party on September 19, 2026, where your favorite chefs, restaurants, and food personalities will gather to fete the biggest trends of the year. Find out how to get advanced tickets, which support international relief organization World Central Kitchen, right here.
- On Tuesday, September 1, Amboy will embark on an international collaboration with Sweden’s Barrels Burgers and Spain’s Hundred Burgers. I’m told the Three Kings Burger combines three cultures into one burger with dry-aged beef, cheddar, caramelized onions with cherry vinegar, crispy jalapeños, and chipotle mayonnaise.
