Restaurants in Hawthorne

american cafe with mexican, italian and deli comfort food with a old fashion bakery

Executive Chef Eric Greenspan—who cut his teeth at restaurants such as Patina and Meson G—instills traditional American cuisine with a modern flair at The Foundry on Melrose, so named for its use of industrial designs to accent its art-deco décor. Featured in publications such as LA Weekly, the constantly evolving menu melds upscale dishes such as shellfish chowder with whimsical renditions of diner classics, including the signature burger stuffed between Hawaiian bread and onion-ring hula skirts. Often echoing with live music, the lavish dining room culls elements from the Machine Age to warm its space with antique light fixtures, sconces crafted from vintage heat registers, and colorful artwork. Outdoors, heat lamps protect diners from obnoxiously loud snowmen, and wicker chairs juxtapose the classic look of candles and white linens.

For the casual observer passing Tuk Tuk, it might seem as though there has been an accident. The front of a tuk tuk—the Thai term for rickshaw—juts from the front of the building above the awning, as though its wheel has just burst through the wall. But if that observer ventured inside, they would find neither debris nor an apologetic teleporter proclaiming that his calculations were off. Instead they would see diners seated beneath colorful wall art and hanging lamps whose shades resemble curving Möbius strips, or, according to one review from Gayot, snail shells. Then, once the adrenaline faded and reality set in, the investigating observer would be smacked by what was so obvious to everyone else: the aroma of mingling spices.

A compendium of noodle dishes, wok stir-fries, curries, and house specialties, the menu prioritizes the power of complementary ingredients. According to the same Gayot review, chef Aoi Rattanamanee has a particular knack for seasoning grilled dishes: "Chicken is marinated overnight in garlic, cilantro and black pepper, fostering deep flavor." The spicy basil fried rice mixes chili and thai basil within a vegetable medley, and the Crying Tiger beef derives its zest from garlic, galangal root, and soybean sauce. Those in search of proven staples can indulge in pad thai or one of three curry variants, whose ingredients have all simmered in a creamy coconut milk.

With a carefully curated menu of diverse dishes made from local and sustainable ingredients, Hugo's Restaurant caters to vegan and carnivorous palates alike. Organic eggs from the Chino Valley Ranch grace breakfast plates until 4 pm—when the plates must start their night jobs as decorations on shelves—in various cooked-to-order forms, such as poached alongside black bean cakes in the eggs blackstone ($11.25) or scrambled with chicken sausage in the chilaquiles ($11.50). Burgers and sandwiches ($11.50–12.75), whose ingredients sizzle and sit between ciabatta buns or eggrolls, are the cornerstones of the Hugo’s lunch menu.

Scientists envision a future where crust scraps will be used to fuel Americans insatiable desire for fuel made out of crust scraps. Today's Groupon helps pass the time with $20 worth of cheese-spackled, toppings-topped, earth-friendly mealpies for $10 at Pizza Fusion, an eco-conscious pizzeria. 1905: Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2, hypothesizes a fusion-style reaction, while Einstein himself hypothesizes a romance between Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins. 1946: Designer bombs tested at Bikini Atoll create a variety of decorative cloud shapes, including beach ball, dolphin, and silhouette of the United States.1978: Attempts to use nuclear fusion to prevent magician David Copperfield from appearing on TV are largely successful. 2010: Simultaneous, worldwide experiments with nuclear fusion result in the renewed popularity of player pianos and the transformation of friendly cats into gigantic-instrument-of-mayhem cats.

Growing up in the 1950's on a military base in Germany, Craig Martin spent his evenings curled up next to the radio trying to sneak in rock 'n' roll music and midnight broadcasts of The Wolfman Jack Show. Nostalgic for the decade that he was born in but didn't quite get to experience, Martin built Cafe 50's, packing the walls with memorabilia and serving 1950s-style American food. Noted in the Zagat guide for being child-friendly and mentioned in L.A. Parent Magazine on 2009's Best of Breakfast, Lunch, and Treats lists, Cafe 50's two Los Angeles locations cater to both children and children-at-heart, with staff members giving each child complimentary balloons and hosting magic shows every weekend.

While children enjoy the magic tricks, adults make entrees disappear from plates, such as the breakfast burger crowned with jack cheese, bacon, and a sunny-side-up egg tied to a never-ending string of handkerchiefs. The staff of tennis-shoe-clad servers dressed in crisp red and white 50s-style uniforms replenishes emptying milkshake glasses with one of 42 deluxe milkshake flavors from the fountain. They dress up the ice cream or nonfat yogurt bases with house-made fudge brownies or nonfat granola and fresh banana slices.

The staff pours out shakes and cocktails, which servers bring to vintage booths. A 1957 Seeburg jukebox pours a selection of rock 'n' roll songs out over those vintage booths, and black and white movie-star photos dot the walls alongside vintage Coca-Cola signs. To further augment the atmosphere, a 1955 television airs episodes of I Love Lucy while a cigarette machine dispenses candy, which can be cooked with an ordinary cigarette lighter.