After a recent long weekend based in Redondo Beach, we came home reminiscing about the foods and created a running list of the best places to eat in South Bay. This little stretch of coastline located south of LAX and west of the 110 freeway, includes Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach. These quaint beach towns not disapoint when it came to food and as usually we made it our mission to eat our way through as much of it as one family weekend allows. Here’s everywhere we’d send you first.
Mickey’s Italian Deli
We loved Mickey’s so much we went back for round two before heading home. Their breakfast burritos are hearty, tasty, and easy to grab on your way to the beach. If you’re spending a morning at Hermosa Beach or the Redondo Beach Pier, this is exactly the kind of low-key, high-flavor stop that makes a trip feel local instead of touristy.
Good Neighbor
Right next door to Mickey’s (yes, it part of the a laundromat) is Good Neighbor is where I grabbed matcha with a house main passion fruit orange syrup that I am still thinking about. It’s a small, easy stop, and worth a stop if you’re staying nearby.
Harbor Bar & Bistro
Tucked into the lobby of Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina, Harbor Bar & Bistro is easy to underestimate, it’s casual and unassuming, but the food held its own against anywhere else we ate that weekend. A best places to eat in South Bay list would not be complete with out it. We shared shrimp tostadas to start, then I had blackened salmon with rice and grilled vegetables and david had the ribeye steak with roasted potatoes and vegetables, the kiddo had a woodfired pizza. Save room for dessert: the cheesecake was outstanding, and the key lime tart was the perfect tart companion. It’s a great option if you want a sit-down dinner without leaving your hotel.
(Read the full story of our stay in our Redondo Beach family weekend getaway post.)
Baelato
For an after-dinner or after-beach treat, Baelato is our pick for gelato in the area. It’s a great stop to add to a pier walk, especially with kids in tow. Ours was fully on board with an ice cream break every single evening.
Pier Bakery Churros
Right on the Redondo Beach Pier, Pier Bakery Churros is a must. We kept it classic with two regular churros, but David went all in with an affogato topped with coffee, ice cream, and a churro which was the perfect pick me up for this night owl.
Quality Seafood
You can’t be oceanside with out getting some fresh seafood. For a proper seafood dinner, (and one of the best places to eat in South Bay) Quality Seafood delivered. David’s lobster bisque was a standout, and the beach bucket I had was loaded with fresh crab, shrimp, mussels, potatoes, and corn, it a was messy, hands-on meal that makes for a great beach-town night out. (Mussels are not my favotire but David are mine and said they were fresh and tasty!)
Old Tony’s
Not exactly a meal stop, but Old Tony’s earns its place on this list for its second-story bar, live music, and some of the best sunset views in the area. They do offer a food menu but we were stuffed, maybe next time! It’s a great way to close out a day of eating your way through South Bay. Grab a seat upstairs, order a drink, and let the view do the rest.
My Best Places to Eat in South Bay Food Recap
If you only have one weekend in the area, here’s the shorthand: burritos and matcha from Mickey’s and Good Neighbor to start your day, Harbor Bar & Bistro or Quality Seafood for dinner, and churros or gelato from Pier Bakery Churros or Baelato any time you’re walking the pier (which, in South Bay, is often). Cap it off with a sunset drink at Old Tony’s, and you’ve got a genuinely great food weekend without ever needing a car.
South Bay isn’t a flashy food destination, it’s a lived-in, local one, and that’s exactly what makes it worth the trip.
