Jackson Kalb trained at fancy places like Melisse and Factory Kitchen before opening this neighborhood Italian-American restaurant serving everything from heaping kale salads to excellent pasta. Kalb has expanded to a second restaurant in Venice called Ospi, which reaches even higher with pasta and pizza, but Jame is still the place El Segundo locals favor.

Hawthorne’s Zam Zam Market continues to be one of the best places for South Asian food in LA, with a stripped down menu that focuses on flavor over anyting else. Call ahead to see what they’re serving, and be sure to get plenty of naan, too.

Craig Batiste and his wife Dorothy started putting incredible, colorful ingredients on french fries in 2016, serving out of their home kitchen and now expanded to multiple locations across LA and even into Las Vegas. In less than a year, they have over 20 franchises sold, but it all started here in Gardena. Try the Beyond Meat loaded fries for a plant-based tray of comfort.

Gardena and Torrance boast plenty of old school Japanese restaurants, from the breakfast trays at Fukagawa to the incredible noodles at Ichimiann and Otafuku. Kotohira still masters the bento, serving beer and sake in a room that looks like it was pulled out of Japan decades ago.

The longtime Gardena Bowl coffee shop has been a neighborhood destination for breakfast foods and Hawaiian-inflected dishes like the Royal fried rice plate topped with roast pork, and wonton saimin. Currently only open for takeout.

Now an established neighborhood classic, Love & Salt serves California-Italian fare from restaurateur Sylvie Gabriele in the former Cafe Pierre space (her father Guy’s restaurant). Chef Tracey Harada oversees the reliable, well-executed menu of pastas, pizzas, salads, and entrees in a bustling modern ambience.

David LeFevre’s fancy steakhouse sports some serious retro vibes. The steaks here rank among the best in Los Angeles. Exceptional sides and a diverse wine list round out this ocean-side restaurant that is sure to withstand the test of time with its midcentury modern feel and charming old school service.

Brazilian cuisine in LA is still coming to its own, but places like Panelas are showing Angelenos how much of the food is meant to be enjoyed: with alcohol. This hidden Redondo Beach restaurant has homestyle Brazilian comfort fare that can be enjoyed with beer and wine-based vodka capirinhas (they’re still waiting for a full liquor license so folks can have full-strength cachaca).

Ivan Vasquez took his Palms restaurant and planted a massive flagship in Old Torrance, serving his mother’s favorite mole and other Oaxacan dishes with a huge list of mezcales. The locals have figured it out, turning Madre! into one of the most reliable Mexican restaurants in the city. Try the mole estofado and tlayuda for the full experience.

Creole and New Orleans fare have a wonderful home at Carson’s Darrow’s New Orleans Grill, with favorites like red beans and rice, jambalaya, and shrimp po’boys alongside catfish suppers.

Torrance has plenty of izakayas and drink-friendly Japanese restaurants, from Wadatsumi to Torihei. Hachi has an impressive menu of after-work Japanese drinking dishes, from pressed saba sushi to grilled chicken skewers.

Lomita catering company Bites & Bashes, operated by mother-and-daughter duo Julie and Crystal Coser, serves healthy, delicious California fare at their daytime cafe that incorporates Korean flavors with amazing fresh produce, often from the family’s own farm in Palos Verdes. There’s something for everyone on menu, from breakfast burritos to vegan Korean glass noodles. (Note: Crystal Coser is a former associate editor of Eater LA, but was not involved with this South Bay restaurant guide)

Owner Andrew Siber opened The Whale & Ale down in San Pedro back in 1995, and the British pub has become a staple addition to the neighborhood ever since. It’s worth a drive to the South Bay for the pub’s standout fish and chips alone. Open for limited dine-in seating, patio seating, and takeout.

Chef Kristin Colazas Rodriguez’s tiny San Pedro bakery regularly sells out of croissants, cookies, and other delectable pastries well before its posted closing time, which speaks to the place’s incredible popularity. Colazas Rodriguez recently expanded Colossus to a new spot in Long Beach.