REDONDO BEACH

The "South Bay" (as the beach cities south of LAX - or Santa Monica Bay - are called) is a diverse region of Los Angeles, but one most often unexplored by non-Angelenos. Those who do venture south to this coastal community often only visit the quaint seaside streets of Manhattan Beach, or take in the stunning beauty (and pricey real estate!) of Palos Verdes, or even the post-college party crowd of Hermosa Beach.

But one of the most ethnically and culturally interesting areas of the South Bay is Redondo Beach, a surfing destination with a population of Asian, Hawaiian, and Brazilian residents. Although the neighborhood is beachside, it's still not as developed or glitzy as its nearby neighbors, and there's a lot to discover. 

Last weekend welcomed the official start of summer, and if you're in LA, you should be within a mile of the Pacific Ocean from now until September. So strap on your sandals, and get ready for your best day in Redondo Beach!

Stop 1: Green Roast Coffee

This incongruous coffeeshop - located inside a strip mall along the main road - has loads of character and charm once you walk through the front door. It's owned by a sweet older couple who roast the coffee beans every morning, and bake all the pastries from scratch.

The organic house pours include Ethiopian, Guatemalan and Peruvian blends, as well as a 100% Kona brew. We tried the vegan brownie, flourless peanut butter chocolate chip bite, and peanut butter fudge (definite favorite!). They also serve paleo cookies, sandwiches, smoothies and shave ice.

(1300 Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach)

Stop 2: Veterans Park

This 6.3 acre park is on the edge of the Redondo Beach boardwalk, and includes a memorial to local war veterans, a field for picnics and frisbee-playing, and a community center and playground. The park has beautiful views, and is a popular spot for families. The local farmers' market sets up shop on Thursdays, too!


(309 Esplanade, Redondo Beach)

Stop 3: Captain Kidd's Fish Market

If there's one thing we LOVE at MyBestLADay, it's a seafood market! (hey, we lived in Seattle for over 5 years!) This one is located inside King Harbor, and offers fresh seafood, cooked-to-order lobster, and the chance to pick out your very own clams, mussels or crab and have them steamed. You can also order a bowl of paella, some authentic chowder, ceviche ($4.99 for large) and shrimp cocktail ($6.50), among many other yummy things.

The picnic tables in back (covered with newspaper, of course!) are the perfect summer spot to enjoy lunch and watch the boats go by. 

(209 N Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach)

Stop 4: Jus' Poke

Why hop a flight to Hawaii when you can get that aloha spirit and some mouth-watering poke right here in LA?!

Again, Jus' Poke is sandwiched between a residential neighborhood and a busy main road. But you're not coming here for atmosphere - you are coming here for one of the best poke bowls you've ever tasted. The "Ohana-owned" shop is authentic (certainly not fancy!) and offers some seriously fresh fish. We ordered the spicy poke and shoyu poke with brown rice. For $9.50, you can also choose one side (we got seaweed salad and pickled cucumbers - nom!)

We recommend grabbing one of the few tables outside.

(501 N Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach)

Stop 5: Wanna Chill?

We decided to keep the Hawaiian theme going, and stop by the ever-popular Wanna Chill? for some handmade cups of frozen ice. And this is certainly not your normal after-school sno-cone. They offer over 50 flavors, and we ordered "California Surf" - pineapple, strawberry and coconut shave ice with coconut ice cream and condensed milk. Oh boy, oh boy! 

The praline ice cream cone was also rich and gorgeously delicious. And Wanna Chills? offers acai bowls and smoothies. 

(625 B Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach)

Stop 6: Redondo Beach Pier

The Redondo Beach Pier and International Boardwalk is the stuff of childhood summer dreams. We're talking old school fun like an arcade, ice cream parlor, and several seafood markets. The pier was re-built in the 1990s after several major storms, and although its popularity has been challenged (especially compared with places like the Santa Monica Pier), we couldn't think of a better way to spend a July evening. Bonus points if you see dolphins playing in the ocean!

(100 Fisherman's Wharf, Redondo Beach)

Stop 7: A Basq Kitchen

Holy tapas, this place is good. Owned by Terranea Resort chef Bernard Ibarra (who has cooked in high-end resorts and restaurants all over the world), Basq Kitchen brings Spanish pintxos, tapas and wines to the Redondo Beach boardwalk. It may look like a tiny hole-in-the-wall as you walk up, but this open air restaurant really delivers with the small bites (patatas braves and lamp chops were our favorites!) The red sangria is a wonderful weekend drink (or heck! Any night - it's summer!), and the place is lively and fun.

(136 N International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach)

The Details:

We recommend getting around the neighborhood on bike. You can rent them here.

A map of our day looks like this:

LITTLE OSAKA

Little Osaka is more popularly known as "Sawtelle," a neighborhood named after the boulevard where Japanese businesses began to settle in the early 1990s. Located in West Los Angeles (sandwiched between Santa Monica and Westwood), there's more knock-your-socks-off good food in a three blocks radius than you might find in entire U.S. cities.

As ramen has become increasingly popular in Los Angeles, so too has the Sawtelle neighborhood. Gone are the days when Westsiders bemoaned the lack of quality Asian food on their side of town - Little Osaka has it all. Although Japanese food still reigns supreme, you can find superb Korean and Vietnamese food, and the neighborhood is now expanding beyond its traditional Asian boundaries: there's a couple of authentic pizzerias, and a Bachi Burger opening soon.

Most of the restaurants on Sawtelle now enjoy cult followings, and you'll be hard-pressed to walk in without a wait, even on a weekday afternoon. But don't let that deter you: we promise you that the soup dumplings, sushi, ramen, soba and sausage will ALL BE WORTH IT.

Stop 1: Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle

The ramen at Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle is easily the best on Sawtelle, although they ONLY serve it at lunch. We ordered the renowned char siu tsukemen (that's ramen with dipping sauce) and regular ramen (be sure to add egg). It was a cloudy and uncharacteristically cool Los Angeles day, and both steaming bowls hit the spot. The broth is milky and delicious, with very high-quality pork.

Insider's tip: cash only. Newly-opened annex across the street.

(2057 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles)

Stop 2: Blockheads Shavery

We were a little dubious about the idea of shaved ice, thinking back on our elementary school days and the chunks of ice topped with cherry syrup that were served at every fair and birthday party. We called them snow cones back then, and the treats at Blockheads Shavery are an altogether different dessert. 

Better described as a "snow cream" - shave ice mixed with creamy ice cream - you can choose from flavors like green tea, taro root and avocado. We went with the black sesame ice with a shaved coconut topping and a drizzle of condensed milk (a must, in our opinion). Frozen yogurt what?

(11311 Mississippi Avenue, Los Angeles)

Stop 3: Tokyo Japanese Outlet

Need a furry animal suit? A Bento lunch jar? Or a collection of Japanese Navy battleships? Tokyo Japanese Outlet has all of the above, and more. A great shop for novelty items, including Iwako erasers, skin products, Japanese candy, and an abundance of Hello Kitty gear. The items aren't cheap, but they are certainly hard to find anywhere else.

(2109 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles)

Stop 4: Balconi Coffee Company

The coffee just keeps getting better and better in Los Angeles, and it's all thanks to coffeehouses like Balconi Coffee Company. It's one of the coolest coffee shops we've visited, with fashionable Japanese guys watching the baristas at the counter and screenwriters chatting about Middle Eastern economics next to the front window. It's not pretentious, though (huzzah!) and the siphon brewing is an admirable process. We enjoyed the Almond Essence Latte, which was perfectly frothy. A delightful afternoon stop.

(11301 W Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles)

Stop 5: Shopping on Sawtelle Blvd

When we first started hanging out in Little Osaka, the shopping on Sawtelle Boulevard surprised us. Why? Because it's GOOD. There's quite a few fantastic boutiques with cool and unique items you definitely won't find at your nearest Westfield Shopping Mall. Some of our favorites:

Blackmarket: Love, love, love this shop for delicate jewelry, one-of-a-kind shirts, handmade cards, and badass shoes. On our recent trip, we ogled their tea-length tie-dye dresses, printed trousers and varsity jackets. Holy moly, we want it all. 

(2023 Sawtelle Boulevard)

Giant Robot: This shop is a little less expensive than Blackmarket, and also sells cool t-shirts and Asian comics. We loved their coffee table books and funky tea sets.

(2015 Sawtelle Boulevard)

Rimo: This boutique is very reminiscent of clothing shops in South Korea, although most of the items are made by Japanese manufacturers. Their accessories are a hit - darling headbands, statement belts, hats and scarves, all within the $12-$30 price range.

(2008 Sawtelle Boulevard)

Stop 6: Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery

There are plenty of nurseries on Sawtelle Boulevard, but we had heard that Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery had been declared one of LA's best. The nursery is large and beautiful, and although we didn't buy anything, enjoyed chatting with the adorable older ladies who run the place (who are also extremely knowledgeable!) A lovely family-owned business.

(1905 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles)

Stop 7: Seoul Sausage Company

There are almost no words to describe Seoul Sausage Company. You may have seen the guys behind the restaurant on the Great Food Truck Race (they started out as a catering company, and then ventured into food trucks, which still operate throughout LA), or heard the buzz around town. The heart of this passion project is a love for Korean barbecue and sausages, which has morphed into a majorly delicious and unforgettable culinary experience.

We ordered the Galbi Sausage with kimchi relish and garlic aioli, as well as the Flaming Ball (a mix of kimchi and fried rice) and Lil Osaka Ball (a mix of potato and curry beef) with siracha mayo. TO DIE FOR. The loud hip-hop and counter-top seating makes it feel like the perfect 2am spot, even at 6pm. Get yourself over here as soon as humanly possible.

(11313 Mississippi Avenue, Los Angeles)

The Details:

Parking around Sawtelle is a nightmare, and mostly limited to 2-hours. We parked farther west, and then walked about 5 minutes to the heart of the neighborhood. Since everything is located within only a few blocks, it's incredibly easy to get around on foot.

A map of our day looks something like this: