Restaurants in Redondo Beach

Tonya Beaudet was perplexed when a strange sign appeared on the door of her favorite restaurant in 1980. Before long, she deduced that “Here today, gone to Maui” meant that its surf-crazy owner had traded California’s waves for those of Hawaii. Filled with visions of organic feasts, she scrambled to buy the shop, otherwise known as The Spot Natural Food Restaurant. House-made vegetarian fare has ruled the menu for more than 30 years, transforming Tonya into a meat-free eater and converting unabashed carnivores into legume lovers. Sautéed mushrooms and onions crown the restaurant’s veggie burger, whose blend of beans, seeds, and soy cheese the Travel Channel deemed “jam-packed with flavor.” Brown rice and whole-wheat tortillas lend wholesome goodness to hearty burritos, savory garden omelets brim with seasonal produce, and organic ales and purified water refresh palates between bites, preventing diners from plunging into the nearby ocean. To accommodate a wide range of dietary needs, the kitchen can prepare meals without wheat, dairy, or sugar. Tonya and crew’s cookbook helps diners recreate their favorite dishes at home, using healthy ingredients such as garden-grown veggies and raw agave.

RAWvolution founders Janabai and Matt Amsden serve up raw foods chock-full of healthy vitamins and enzymes, earning praise from celebrities such as Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Alicia Silverstone. Forged from locally sourced organic produce, the Amsden’s array of gourmet wheat-, soy-, and gluten-free vegan fare tickles health-conscious palates at two café locations in New York City and Los Angeles. Their prepared-meal service, The Box, also fills clients’ fridges with four to five days’ worth of premade organic meals for at-home noshing.

Reyhan Persian Grill's chefs keep things natural in the kitchen, forswearing preservatives and food coloring of any kind. Taking this freshness creed even further, all meats used for the eatery's Persian dishes and flame-kissed kebabs are purchased daily, then cut or ground onsite.

In the casual dining room, tiered fan blades mingle the aromas of marinated salmon and filet mignon kebabs with the steam of Reyhan's signature lamb-shank stew, simmered with either lima beans and dill rice or fresh green beans and tomato-sauce rice. Outside, a covered patio guards cool hummus and cucumber dips with the swaying leaves of miniature palms. Parasols protect patrons' eyes from the sun, ensuring that they can see clearly should an engagement ring be hidden in the saffron basmati rice.

After the Inca Empire fell, waves of Spanish conquistadors, African slaves, Chinese workers, and Italian immigrants settled in Peru. Naturally, the country’s newfound cultural diversity manifested in one particularly noticeable way: the cuisine. Today, potatoes, chili peppers, and corn––as prepared by the Incas––share plate estate with beef, citrus fruits, soy sauce, and pasta to create the rich and unique cuisine found at El Pollo Inka.

Native Peruvians Rosa and Salomon Jaime opened the first El Pollo Inka in 1987, beginning their own culinary empire that today consists of six locations across California and one in Miami. The restaurant’s Peruvian-style chicken rotates on a rotisserie spit for hours to achieve the juiciness and tenderness that makes it the crown jewel of the menu. However, El Pollo Inka’s beef, seafood, and vegetarian dishes also vie for palate popularity with the help of cilantro, onions, tomatoes, and an all-star public relations team. The restaurant also matches bites with sips from a wine list that includes varietals from Chile.

La Rive Gauche takes its name from the French word for the Seine River’s left bank, a source of inspiration for the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso. The restaurant’s menu embraces the spirit of this iconic riverside area, spotlighting the rich flavors of gourmet French cuisine.

The Zagat-rated venue serves lobster bisque, venison loin drenched in raspberry sauce, sautéed swordfish, and other French favorites. As with any French restaurants, dessert is a must, with decadent delights such as crêpes suzette and chocolate soufflés.

Santino's Tapas & Grill's friendly chefs and servers delight patrons with warm welcomes, a convivial tapas-bar atmosphere, and menu of shareable plates, delicious pastas, paninis, and steaks. The outgoing staff members pride themselves in making each guest feel at home, entertaining visitors with positive energy, witty banter, and sophisticated Vaudevillian comedy routines. As diners eagerly devour fresh salads, mouthwatering Spanish finger food, and juicy cuts of meat, a colorful display of weathered-wood accents, colorful artwork, and interesting cork sculptures excites the eyeballs.