WHY A parade of cocktail-friendly small plates with a beach breeze. WHAT M.B. Post is chef David LeFevre’s first project since his departure from the Water Grill, a so-called ‘social house’ in the oceanfront location once occupied by the Manhattan Beach Post Office. Not everything wows or works, but there are some very good dishes. [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY You’ve been surfing for hours and you’re ready to stoke that engine with really good pancakes or a way better burger than you’ll find elsewhere around here. WHAT A neighborhood hangout with wooden tables, lots of windows and flat-screen TVs, Four Daughters is home to well-prepared comfort food made with the luxurious ingredients expected [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Excellent and affordable cocktails and wine by the glass, a killer burger and farmers’ market produce. WHAT Mike Simms has hit a home run with this indoor-outdoor bistro that rises above its shopping-mall setting. Skip the undercooked pizzas and too-small crab cakes in favor of the terrific curry spinach dip, caramelized brussels sprouts, thick [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY A 24/7 godsend for insomniacs, students and night-shifters. WHAT The food’s fine, but the real value of this ’70s-woodsy coffee shop is that it’s open 24 hours a day, a rarity for a large, full-service restaurant anywhere in L.A., let alone a beach town. Regulars get the muffins, crab cake Benedict, burgers and egg [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY House-brewed beers, cozy booths and food that’s better than the pub norm, all an easy walk from the pier and the beach. WHAT The beer brewed onsite in large copper vats isn’t as good as Craftsman’s, but their Hefeweizen amd Manhattan Beach Blonde go down great after a walk on the beach. Regulars crowd [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY An open-air beach bar in Manhattan Beach with good food and drink. WHAT Not much more than a single room opening onto a street patio, this tiny gastropub has two dozen really good rotating tap beers, gobs of wine by the glass and an Angus burger with sweet smoked onions, cheddar, and garlic aioli [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY Excellent Brooklyn-style pizza (thin-crust) sold by the slice here or delivered promptly by the whole pie. WHAT Former New Yorkers (yes, plenty of them live in MB) say this is the closest thing to home in L.A., and indeed the crust has that not-soggy-yet-floppy-enough-to-fold-in-half consistency so essential to a New York pie. You can [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For produce as good as at the better farmers’ markets, and not just produce: quality meats and poultry and great local-producer items like baby food, coffee and cookies. And did we mention the free delivery? WHAT If every neighborhood had a market like this, life would be perfect. Grow carries local produce, as organic [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY The best takeout coffee in the area and, if you have time to sit down and eat, very good food, too. WHAT This is not really a place to sit with just a cup of coffee and linger—the people waiting for a table for breakfast or lunch will look daggers at you—but it’s a [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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WHY For the best breakfast in Manhattan Beach, and a terrific lunch, too—with a view of the ocean! The fries are worth the fat grams. WHAT Great coffee (try the one with a hint of orange peel) and excellent ingredients make this cheerful, always-busy little café the breakfast and lunch spot of choice in Manhattan [...]
October 28, 2011 | Posted in
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