Hermosa Beach Restaurants: What and Where to Eat

Hermosa Beach, one of the beach cities of Los Angeles Country, can be seen as a food lover’s paradise.

I believe food is one of the top reasons to visit this city (and others in the area). This article will guide you through the culinary world of this fun spot.

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Hermosa Beach Restaurants

You can count on me to tell you the real deal about the Hermosa Beach Restaurants since I have resided in the community for more than 15 years. I am giving details about my personal favorites and some tips on how to save money.

Hope you enjoy this eating guide! Please remember to support locally owned business!

Breakfast

Good Stuff and Martha’s 22^nd Street Grill are excellent options for breakfast. They offer various healthy choices and have outdoor seating next to the beach.

I love the food at The Grindz. My favorite dish is the Kalua Pork served with scrambled eggs, black beans, and pico the gallo.

Do not forget to check out the Australian vibe at Gum Tree Café. This café serves sandwiches and salads made with organic and locally sourced ingredients. The Aussie touch is on the meat/chicken pies, vegemite toasts, flat whites, and tim tams served. Their coffee, chai lattes and lemonades are delicious too. I love this place and highly recommend it.

For a retro experience, go to Ocean Diner. This homey restaurant serves omelets, skillets, apple crème Brulee waffles, pancakes, French toast, sandwiches, burgers, and salads. This is a neighborhood favorite. You can start having your coffee while waiting for a table.

Brunch

During weekends, many places have delightful options for brunch. Keep in mind these restaurants are open for business during lunch and dinner times too.

Dia de Campo

Owners describe this place as a modern surf lodge, fish house, and raw bar. I describe it as modern Mexican food done right. For brunch, they serve burritos, chilaquiles, chile verde, hanger steak, and chicken & churros. All of these have a surprising twist.

During other times, they have short rib empanadas, chiles rellenos, chimichangas, ceviches, tacos, oysters and shrimp & chorizo enchiladas on the menu. Their chef specials are really good.

They have late afternoon and late-night specials every day of the week and it is one of the few restaurants in Hermosa that have afternoon specials during the weekends. Oh, and did I mention the décor is fantastic?

The Hook & Plow

The local California dishes served in here include short rib hash, pear and burrata salad, and roasted pork sandwich.

I like their short rib sandwich (comes with onion jam, arugula and gorgonzola sauce), the burger and the ahi poke tostadas.

They have a happy hour (with plenty of food) every weekday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Crème de la Crepe

This beach favorite offers options such as crepes, waffles, French toast, omelets, and benedict eggs.

Palmilla Cocina Y Tequila

This establishment takes Mexican food to the next level and serves dishes such as crab benedict, mole negro enchiladas, and salchichon scramble.

Its elegant dining room (which remind me of Copacabana and Ipanema beaches) and deep flavors make Palmilla a local favorite.

Lunch and Dinner

Here is a sample of where to have lunch and dinner in Hermosa Beach. Notice this is a limited list since the options are many.

Greenbelt

This small restaurant, located in the Hermosa Beach Plaza, has survived the test of time. This is one of the places I frequent the most and have many memories of eating glorious food surrounded by incredible blends.

Anyway, the restaurant is still going strong because the food is good. They serve interesting salads with super fresh ingredients, pan roasted chicken, steaks, burgers, mussels, Brussel sprouts, kale chicken Caesar, braised short rib pizza, truffle fries and much more.

Two dishes not to miss: the chicken wings (they are the bomb!) and the sticky toffee cake.

They have food specials during weekdays (and Sunday afternoons).

Tower 12

For many years, I ignored Tower 12. I assumed it was another bar serving mediocre and processed food. Boy, I was wrong!

I finally visited the place after they went through a major renovation. My taste buds were blown away. The dishes I tried were far superior to what other restaurants serve in the area.

I love their chef boards (charcuterie, cheeses, nuts, bread and spreads), burrata toast (can I have one right now?), wood-fired garlic shrimp and grilled ahi tuna niçoise salad. They have a wide selection of wood fire pizzas and burgers.

The menu is extensive, and it may take some time to decide on something, but the probabilities of going wrong in here are low.

They have daily food specials from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Their portions are generous (more than in other places).

Rebel Republic

Rebel opened its first restaurant in Redondo Beach several years ago and it has now branched out to Hermosa.

This is yet another gastropub serving delicious and totally craveable food. They serve spicy fried chicken and short rib sandwiches, fried devil eggs, Memphis pork ribs (one of my favorites), Buffalo sprouts (with blue cheese), olive oil poached salmon and cumin meatballs.

They have daily and Taco Tuesday specials.

The Standing Room

This is another spot with origins in Redondo Beach. For years, the Standing Room has been serving some of the best burgers in Los Angeles from a tiny space located next to a convenience store. You have to order your food to go or eat in the small outdoor patio area.

Recently, the owner of the burger joint opened a proper restaurant in Hermosa Beach serving American-Korean fusion dishes. I describe the food in here as the comfort food you didn’t know you needed in your life.

I have more than enjoyed everything I have tasted at The Standing Room. Plus, they serve a lot of their dishes in a pig-shaped plate. How not to love that?

Try the carnitas fries, tuna poke nachos, Korean BBQ chicken, the Bully (a sandwich with bulgogi, kimchee, caramelized onions, and cheddar), crispy pork ribs and the dressed burger.

They do a lot of live music, so it is a nice place to visit with friends.

Fritto Misto

By far, this is one of the favorite Italian cafés in the Beach Cities. They have found gold by serving dishes such as ravioli, pasta puttanesca, garlic shrimp spaghetti, chicken marsala, and artichoke gnocchi. In addition, they serve appetizers, salad and dessert (like crème Brulee and tiramisu).

Get prepared to wait if you visit Friday or weekend evenings.

El Pollo Inka

We stop by this Peruvian restaurant 3 or 4 times per month. We cannot have enough of their lomo saltado, ceviche, jalea, tallarin verde and pollo saltado. They specialize in rotisserie chicken. Actually, their chicken combo is one the best deals in the beach (for less than $20 you get an entire chicken and two big side dishes).

If you have not tried Peruvian food yet, what are you waiting for?

Other Dinner Options

Rok Sushi

I do not think the actual sushi and rolls served in this restaurant are the best in terms of flavor. On top of that, the prices are a bit on the high side. However, I do visit from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. when I am craving things such as a salmon collar, karagee chicken, fried calamari and miso cod.

Abigaile

Dishes: poutine, Moroccan lamb, lomo saltado, spicy tuna poke

The Rockefeller

Dishes: seared ahi tacos, prime beef burgers, pan roasted chicken

Steak & Whiskey

Dishes: a variety of steaks, lamb osso buco, stuffed chicken breast

Zane’s

Dishes: Cioppino, seared scallops, lobster tail, chicken piccata

Casual Eats

The following establishments offer quick and cheap eats.

The Pita Pit
Paisanos Pizza and Pasta
Brother’s Burritos
Slater’s 50/50
Hermosa Beach Fish Shop
Pedone’s Pizza and Pasta

Ice Cream

And, if you are at the beach, you need some ice cream to deal with the heat.

Paciugo
Paradis Ice Cream
Baked Bear

Coffee

For great coffee and baked pastries, visit Java Man. They also serve killer breakfast burritos, paninis, and salads.

Gum Tree Café is another great place to get coffee, tea and lemonade.

Healthy Eats

The Beach Cities are notorious for their commitment to healthy eating. Most of the restaurants in here use organic, non-GMO and locally sourced ingredients.

However, The Source Café takes things a further step by catering to those with gluten-free, raw, vegan and keto lifestyles.

Paradise Bowls serves acai and pitaya bowls and smoothies.

Hermosa Beach Parking

Parking next to the beach is available on a multi-level structure, lots and individual spots. Payment is through a meter. Be aware that many of the parking spots close to the beach have a 2-hour limit.

There are free parking lots with 6 to 12-hour limits next to the Hermosa Beach Community Center and at Valley Drive and 11^th Street.

Hermosa Beach Weather

Hermosa Beach is blessed with an excellent year-round weather. In summer, temperatures reach the 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Winter temperatures oscillate around the 60 degrees.

Even though the weather is pleasant all the time, some businesses observe shorter operating hours during winter. If you are visiting during this season and have your eyes set on a particular place, make sure it is operating during your visit.

The beach gets crowded during summer weekends. I recommend arriving early to secure a parking spot.