With rents for brick & mortar restaurants in Los Angeles continuing to rise, The San Fernando Valley has become an attractive destination for some of the hottest chefs in Los Angeles to prepare some outstanding fare.

Summer dineL.A. Restaurant Week is now through July 26, 2015, showcasing some of the Valley’s premier dining destination with specially priced prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus. Here are 5 reasons to dine in Calabasas, Sherman Oaks and Studio City:

1. The Gadarene Swine

Chef Phillip Frankland Lee and Pastry Chef Margarita opened their second restaurant in Studio City after their first restaurant – Scratch Bar became an overnight sensation.

The Gadarene Swine offers an intimate, casual experience with dazzling vegetable dishes as the focus of the menu.

For dineLA order his multiple-course vegan menu is $25 per person and 6-course dinner is $50. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

11266 Ventura Blvd. Studio City, CA 91604 – (818) 508-5500.

2. Public School 818

Located across from the Sherman Oaks Galleria, this chef-driven gastropub teaches “An Education in the Art of Food & Beer.”  School is open daily on Monday through Friday at 11:30am- and Saturday and Sunday at 10:00am. Happy Hour or Recess for Food is on Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30pm and Drinks from Monday through Friday 4 to 7pm.

Read my review of Public School 818 published in the Beverly Press – http://beverlypress.com/2015/04/back-to-school-night-public-school-818-grade-a-gastropub/. The dineLA dinner is $30.00 per person. 15300 Ventura Blvd, #102G – Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 – (818) 728-9818

3. Tipple & Brine If you like/love Gjelina in Venice, you will enjoy Tipple & Brine in Sherman Oaks. It’s a neighborhood oyster bar focused on sustainable, seasonal, and the overall best available products. It has the Gjelina feel with distressed wood, Restoration Hardware decor in a sophisticated, but casual environment. The servers are friendly and Chef Marc Johnson freshly prepared food offerings, craft cocktails, local beers, small production wines. Read my review of Tipple & Brine published in the Beverly Press – http://beverlypress.com/2015/04/tipple-brine-oysters-cocktails-and-a-speakeasy-bar/. The hours are from Sun-Wed 5pm-11pm and Thurs. through Sat. they stay open until 12am Happy Hour is from Mon. 4:30pm-11pm and Tue-Fri 4:30pm-6:30pm. Late Night Happy Hour is on Mon-Sat 10pm-12am. The dine LA dinner is $40.00 14633 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 (818) 528-2550.

4. Saddle Peak Lodge Half way between Malibu and the San Fernando Valley off of Las Virgenes Road is a warm, rustic retreat tucked away in the Santa Monica mountains. Guests dine on hearty game and fish dishes in multiple dining rooms that evokes a luxury hunting lodge. The restaurant is open on Monday through Friday froom 6:00 – 9:00pm. On Sat evenings 5:00 to 10:00pm and Sunday from 5 to  9:00pm. Sunday Brunch is from 10:30am to 2:00pm. Happy Hour is Monday through Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. Dinner is $50.00 per person. 419 Cold Canyon Road. Calabasas, CA 91302-2204 – (818) 222-3888

5. Downtown Johnny Just a few doors down from Tipple & Brine is another Chef Marc Johnson restaurant serving up classic American fare and craft cocktails until the wee hours. It’s Open Daily Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2 a.m. Happy Hour is daily from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dinner is $30.00 per person. 14649 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91403  – (818) 205-1616.