Italian Roots. Local Ritual. Maria's has been Encino's neighborhood Italian kitchen since 1989, one of the Alfano family's 7 rooms across Los Angeles. The hand-rolled meatballs are the reason most regulars keep a standing order: rolled from freshly ground beef, simmered in a marinara cooked slow on the house recipe, and portioned for tonight plus tomorrow's lunch. Beyond the meatballs, the scratch kitchen runs pizzas, pastas, chicken and seafood, and a vegan menu, with homemade sauces and seasonal vegetables doing the work. It is a regular choice for family dinners, date nights, and birthdays, with catering across the San Fernando Valley. Kid-friendly, with takeout weekdays from 11 a.m. and weekend evenings from 4, an easy stop on Ventura Blvd.
