American BBQ Many places in the South Bay have something called barbecue on their menu, but few would pass muster in Texas, Kansas City, Chicago, or the other areas where hand rubbed and slow smoked meat is a matter of regional pride. Willingham\u2019s would be respected anywhere for their passion for tradition and skill at execution of one of America\u2019s most distinctive cooking styles. Owner Pilhwang Bae studied under a master before opening the eatery that bears his mentor\u2019s name, and he crafts slow-smoked meats that are moist and flavorful, with the perfect blend of smoke and spice.<\/span><\/p>\n 443 S Pacific Coast Hwy #A.\u00a0<\/span>Redondo Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (424) 390-4300<\/span><\/p>\n willinghambbq.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Asian Fusion<\/b><\/p>\n RYLA\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many Asian fusion restaurants have a style that is curiously anonymous, an amalgamation of American and Oriental ingredients tossed together in a way that doesn\u2019t have roots in any particular culture. Ryla is different, because chefs Ray Hayashi and Cynthia Hetlinger use traditions from Japan and Taiwan as a starting point for fusions with Mediterranean and American cuisine. The results are distinctive, and unlike the product of any other kitchen in Los Angeles. Always check the specials, because their use of seasonal items means there is always something new to experience.<\/span><\/p>\n 1220 Hermosa Avenue<\/span><\/p>\n Hermosa Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (424) 247-9881<\/span><\/p>\n eatryla.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Bar Food<\/b><\/p>\n Shellback Tavern<\/span><\/p>\n Part of the social lubricant at a good bar is sharing good eats, and that\u2019s what keeps people returning to this favorite watering hole. The Shellback Tavern has had 53 years to figure out what locals enjoy, and they deliver a good meal every time. On any given day, you\u2019ll see people ordering an iced tea or soda with their patty melt, fish and chips, chef\u2019s salad, or something else from the long list of edibles. It\u2019s proof that great bar food stands on its own.<\/span><\/p>\n 116 Manhattan Beach Blvd<\/span><\/p>\n Manhattan Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 376-7857<\/span><\/p>\n shellback-tavern.business.site<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Brunch<\/b><\/p>\n The Cheesecake Factory<\/span><\/p>\n 605 N Harbor Drive<\/span><\/p>\n Redondo Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 376-0466<\/span><\/p>\n thecheesecakefactory.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Breakfast<\/b><\/p>\n Martha\u2019s Hermosa Beach<\/span><\/p>\n Would as many people head for Martha\u2019s in the morning if it didn\u2019t have that view of the beach? Our bet is yes\u00a0 the sea breeze is an appetite stimulant, as is the ride there on your bicycle or the walk from wherever you ended up parking. Even so, the food would be an attraction even if the view was of a brick wall. Martha\u2019s offers egg dishes from basic to baroque\u00a0 if your stomach is adventurous, the Thai scramble that includes hummus, broccoli, and peanut sauce is unique. There\u2019s plenty more, including red velvet pancakes for the dessert for breakfast crowd, plus sandwiches and burgers. Get a house blend coffee or something fancy, or Champagne if you prefer, and you\u2019ve started the day right.<\/span><\/p>\n 25 22nd Street<\/span><\/p>\n Hermosa Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 376-7786<\/span><\/p>\n marthashermosabeach.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Brewpub<\/b><\/p>\n San Pedro Brewing Company<\/span><\/p>\n Why do people from a wide radius head for San Pedro brewing? The beer is certainly an attraction, their own fresh brewed and guest taps, but the food is startlingly good. Acclaimed chef Christine Brown consulted on the menu here, something she probably wouldn\u2019t do for everybody. Since her brother James is the owner, she came up with items like the sesame and pepper seared ahi, jambalaya pasta, and shrimp and avocado ceviche. The barbecue here is a star item, though it\u2019s so popular that they sometimes run out. Show up early for that hickory smoked goodness to accompany your brew. <\/span><\/p>\n 331 W 6th Street<\/span><\/p>\n San Pedro<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 831-5663<\/span><\/p>\n sanpedrobrewing.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Chinese<\/b><\/p>\n Canton Low Chinese Restaurant<\/span><\/p>\n They don\u2019t make restaurants like Canton Low any more. The red paper lanterns and glowing neon were retro in 1975 and are even more out of style 50 years later. The place has the slightly worn look of a classic. But the menu has kept up with the times, and since a change in ownership around a decade ago, spicy southern dishes have joined the moo goo gai pan, chop suey, and other dishes that have been here since day one. The portions are generous, the execution solid, and any lack of innovation is more than compensated by the high reliability and low bill.<\/span><\/p>\n 439 Main Street<\/span><\/p>\n El Segundo<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 322-3163<\/span><\/p>\n cantonlowrestaurant.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Eclectic<\/b><\/p>\n Tiki Kai\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tiki themed places have some canonical menu items like the sticky ribs, crab Rangoon, and seafood dish involving coconut, macadamia nuts, or both. Tiki Kai has all of those, but also takes this cuisine to places Trader Vic\u2019s and Don the Beachcomber never imagined. Consider the zippy, fruity ceviche, scampi with Thai basil, and the exceptional pork chop in an apple brown butter glaze. There is some whimsy and creativity here, just as there is in all restaurants where chefs cross cultural and culinary boundaries to create something new.<\/span><\/p>\n 73 Pier Avenue<\/span><\/p>\n Hermosa Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 374-3822<\/span><\/p>\n tikikai.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Family Dinner<\/b><\/p>\n Islands<\/span><\/p>\n A burger place won for best family dinner? Yes, Islands is best known for burgers, but they have things for every member of the family, from the most adventurous oldster to a health-conscious salad eater to a picky youngster. Besides, maybe the whole family really likes burgers. They make them with a wide variety of toppings, and they make them very well. The whole family can enjoy them in a bright, attractive space that isn\u2019t too loud for the kinds of conversations that help strengthen familial ties.\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n 3200 N. Sepulveda Blvd<\/span><\/p>\n Manhattan Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 546-4456<\/span><\/p>\n 1609 Hawthorne Blvd<\/span><\/p>\n Redondo Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 363-8968<\/span><\/p>\n islandsrestaurants.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n French<\/b><\/p>\n F\u00eate Bistro by Slay<\/span><\/p>\n F\u00eate Bistro by Slay is not your typical French restaurant, but a place of the type where Parisians eat now. The dining scene there has plenty of hyphenated restaurants, and French-Arabic is popular. That\u2019s exactly what they serve here, a tribute to chef-owner David Slay\u2019s Lebanese mother. The French items are bistro food, simple items like steak frites with peppercorn sauce and chicken palliard with an herb crust, but that chicken comes with Arabic labneh and tahini. Slay\u2019s passion for using vegetables from his own farm brightens up everything, and drives the seasonal specials. The classics are revisited and updated in a way that makes you say, c\u2019est bon!<\/span><\/p>\n 1017 Manhattan Avenue<\/span><\/p>\n Manhattan Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 376-1536<\/span><\/p>\n fetebyslay.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Ramen<\/b><\/p>\n RAKKAN Ramen<\/span><\/p>\n When someone recommends this restaurant, they should be sure to spell the name.. Otherwise people will be looking for a music themed noodle house called Rockin\u2019 Ramen. And recommend Rakkan they will, because they manage both classic and slightly innovative versions of noodle dishes with style. The traditional soy based sauce is available, as are six variations involving miso, sesame paste, and a secret recipe vegan broth. The usual add-ins and toppings are available, but so are fried broccolini and a chicken version of chashu. It all adds up to a slightly different and very satisfying version of Japanese comfort food.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n 629 S. Pacific Coast Hwy<\/span><\/p>\n Redondo Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 543-0586<\/span><\/p>\n rakkanramen.com<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Hot Chicken<\/b><\/p>\n Dave\u2019s Hot Chicken\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dave\u2019s didn\u2019t invent Nashville hot chicken. That honor goes to a woman who was mad at her boyfriend and deliberately made his chicken punishingly hot. She was unhappy when he actually liked it, but millions of people share his taste for spicy fried chicken. Dave\u2019s elevated the hot chicken concept with a seasoning recipe by an alumnus of the famed French Laundry. There\u2019s more than just heat going on here. It was obviously popular. They\u2019ve gone from a single location in Pasadena to almost 300 across the country. Have a cool beverage available when you take that first bite, and marvel at how the power and subtlety come together<\/span><\/p>\n 17400 Hawthorne Blvd<\/span><\/p>\n Torrance<\/span><\/p>\n (424) 408-4605<\/span><\/p>\n daveshotchicken.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Hotel Restaurant<\/b><\/p>\n zinc@shade\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Two decades after they started serving, Zinc still feels fresh and still delivers surprises. The food is American contemporary, and whatever you think of globalization, it works here. Burgers, pizzas, and Tuscan chicken are alongside a Mexican Caesar, rigatoni Bolognese, and Peruvian chicken soup. It\u2019s presented with flair, and whether you dine on their patio and watch the streetlife on Metlox Plaza or inside with a view of the well-stocked bar, it\u2019s a delight for travelers and locals alike.<\/span><\/p>\n 1221 N Valley Drive<\/span><\/p>\n Manhattan Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 698-5559<\/span><\/p>\n mb.shadehotel.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Indian<\/b><\/p>\n Addi\u2019s Darbar Indian Cuisine<\/span><\/p>\n The number of Indian restaurants in the South Bay has increased, as has the variety of regional varieties, so locals have more choices than ever. They still keep coming back to Addi\u2019s, a restaurant whose chef-owner has been serving the South Bay for over 30 years. Addi deCosta comes from Goa in South India, and his curries have a Mediterranean influence from that former Portuguese colony. The vinegary, spicy vindaloo is the best known item, but there is much more to explore, including the coconut-scented shrimp curry. Ask for recommendations when you order and enjoy a taste of an India you haven\u2019t experienced before.<\/span><\/p>\n 800 Torrance Blvd #101<\/span><\/p>\n Redondo Beach<\/span><\/p>\n (424) 350-7121<\/span><\/p>\n addisdarbar.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Italian (over $30)<\/b><\/p>\n The Bottle Inn<\/span><\/p>\n When the Bottle Inn was sold a few years ago, the new owners knew just what to change: nothing. Well, almost nothing. They repainted and neatened the place up, but left the overall style and menu exactly as it was. That was a smart choice for a restaurant that has been winning awards in our reader polls for as long as we\u2019ve been doing them. Our readers savor the classic Italian food in an old world atmosphere, and appreciate that the bill at the end of it all is modest for the quality of the experience. It\u2019s why this is the favorite restaurant for birthdays, anniversaries, family reunions, and for evenings out when we just want to relax with a great meal.<\/span><\/p>\n 26 22nd Street<\/span><\/p>\n Hermosa Beach\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (310) 376-9595<\/span><\/p>\n thebottleinnhermosa.com<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Italian (under $30)<\/b><\/p>\n Mickey\u2019s Italian Delicatessen & Liquor Store<\/span><\/p>\n When we set a category of Italian under $30, we didn\u2019t really think the winner would be able to feed two people for that price. A heaping portion of lasagna and a large spaghetti and a large chicken alfredo at Mickey\u2019s will cost just over $20, so you could split a mixed green salad and still have pocket change left over. That\u2019s a great deal on a hearty Italian-American feast, which you can enjoy on their indoor or outdoor picnic tables or take home. If you\u2019d like wine with your Italian meal they\u2019ll sell it to you, but you can\u2019t drink it on the premises. Take it home and pour into good glassware, unbox the food and put it on the nice china, and have a meal that feels luxurious at a price for a pauper.<\/span><\/p>\n
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