Primo Italia | Torrance, CA

It's no secret that the breakfasting habits of Italians and Americans are wildly different. A traditional breakfast in Italy is little more than a croissant and a cappuccino, while in the States, we stereotypically tuck into enormous plates of fried eggs, hashbrowns, toast, and bacon. Yes, these may be exaggerated versions of the truth (I don't know about you, but you won't often catch me eating diner-style breakfast on an average weekday morning), but they are at least partially based in fact. To put it simply, food before noon is done differently in Italy, and brunch is not high on their priority list. There are a few things, however, that we can all agree on - for one, we all love Italian food. For another, we can all appreciate the time-honored concept of a grand Sunday meal. Whether it's the Americans' leisurely mid-morning mashup of breakfast and lunch with friends or the Italians' abundant multi-course family affair that stretches into the late afternoon, everyone can agree that Sundays are best spent eating delicious food and enjoying the company of loved ones. 

How best can we celebrate this overlap in the cultural Venn diagram of our two countries' eating habits? Why, by partaking in a long, leisurely Italian-inspired Sunday brunch, of course. Fortunately, the concept of Italian restaurants serving brunch is not foreign to Southern California, so finding that beautiful marriage between vibrant Italian flavors and comforting classic brunch is completely within your grasp. Especially if you live near Torrance - where you will find the delightful Primo Italia, nestled on the top of a little hill. 

What is most evident about Primo Italia upon entering is its unique blend of elegance and coziness; displays of tchotchkes and knick-knacks are paired with luxurious contemporary seating and a sleek marble bar. There's a baby grand piano and an old-fashioned microphone situated by the entrance, inviting you to come back in the evening for a live performance that will undoubtedly transport you to another place and time. Framed old photos tell the stories of charismatic owner Lou Giovannetti's Italian-American family, who worked hard to provide a comfortable life for their children back in New York, and who appreciated the importance of spending time with family and sharing good food. 

A sense of reverence for the past is tangible here, and it extends well beyond the decorating philosophy and into the kitchen. Chef Michelangelo Aliaga, who Giovannetti calls "a true heritage-based Italian cook," moved to the States at the age of 19, and worked his way up through some of the most loved Italian restaurants in the country. His strong culinary background and his passion for history shine through in his extensive dinner menu; each dish tells a story about a place and time in Italian history. The brunch menu is similarly substantial: its upper half is devoted to Italian takes on breakfast classics, and its lower half features some lunch-appropriate favorites from the dinner menu. 

As tempting as the lower half of the menu was, as brunch enthusiasts, we were naturally inclined toward the top half of Aliaga's menu - specifically toward dishes that combined some of our favorite things: eggs and tomatoes. First was the Uova in Purgatorio, or Eggs in Purgatory: two eggs baked in a cast iron skillet with a spicy tomato sauce, served with crusty bread and soft, creamy cheese. The dish was piping hot (even after we'd spent several minutes photographing it) thanks to the skillet, yet the egg yolks remained perfectly cooked and runny. The flavorful sauce highlighted the tangy tomatoes, and supported their bright flavor with a satisfying, subtle spiciness. Bread is a must in a dish like this, and this airy Italian loaf was the perfect vehicle for the saucy, yolky, creamy meal - next time, we'll ask for an extra slice. 

Next was the Omelette di Burrata Pomodoro e Basilico, a fluffy omelette stuffed with Italian staples like creamy burrata cheese, fresh heirloom tomatoes, and aromatic basil. This dish is a perfect example of the Italian tradition of combining just a few simple, high quality ingredients to create something delightfully uncomplicated. It's served alongside some well-cooked potatoes and crunchy bacon, with a few extra slices of those divine, in-season tomatoes as an extra treat. 

A dessert course is an important part of a leisurely brunch, so something sweet was in order to end our meal - the Ricotta Pancake. This dish, while not what you'd normally expect from a pancake, fits its description perfectly: it is a super-dense, creamy cake, baked and served in a cast-iron pan. So yeah, a literal pan-cake. Topped with baked apples, a generous dousing of house-made honey syrup, and a dollop of ricotta, this was a sweet and satisfying end to our meal. Make sure you get a top-up on your coffee before this dish, too - the combination is delightful. 

While the Italian tradition of a big, Sunday meal with family may not exist in most of modern America, it's clear that many of us still yearn for the warm, comforting, nostalgic feeling that such a meal inspires. Perhaps our new tradition of brunch is a response to this need, a way to establish human connection and bonding over an activity that everyone enjoys, on a day that is meant for rest and reflection. Primo Italia offers the perfect environment for embracing this practice - with heartwarming food, a kind and welcoming staff, and a relaxed, beautiful space, you'll feel like you've come home to your big, Italian family just in time for Sunday supper. Mangiamo!

Primo Italia
24590 Hawthorne Boulevard
Torrance, Ca 90505 

The Standing Room | Hermosa Beach, CA

It's summer. That wonderful time of year when time seems to slow down and a lazy day on the beach feels somehow productive. Maybe you follow up that long day in the sun with a refreshing beer at a bar that's just a few steps from the pier, and if you're lucky maybe there's a live show playing that night, too. The band's pretty good, so one would judge you if that beer turned into several with a side of some fries, and you made a proper evening of it. This is summer, after all, the season synonymous with all things fun, and you deserve some fun. But this isn't college anymore (or maybe it is - if so, lucky you), and a day full of that much fun is bound to leave you feeling like a brandy-soaked raisin. The best cure for such an affliction, of course, is a big, greasy brunch - so the obvious choice is to swallow your pride, return to the scene of the crime, and order some Loco Moco and a Bloody Mary. That's right - there's a place in this world where you can wander off the beach, enjoy all the debauchery involved in creating a hangover in the evening, then cure it with brunch the next morning while sitting at the very same table. It's called The Standing Room, and we think you're gonna love it. 

The Standing Room began, oddly enough, in the back of a liquor store in Redondo Beach. When self-trained chef Lowell Bakke started working at the store to help his cousin out, he realized that its fledgling deli counter could be put to better use - and within a few years, he'd transformed the space into a cult-favorite burger stand that still has people lining up around the corner. If a chef's food can convey his personality, then Bakke's "sammies" paint him as a rebel and a dreamer with a great deal of pride for his roots. They're over-the-top, lighthearted, quirky combinations of Korean and American flavors, all presented with aloha (Bakke was born in Oahu, after all). At first, the joint was actually standing room only, leaving patrons to devour their mile-high, sauce laden burgers crouched atop milk crates in the parking lot, silently praying that they could walk away with their work shirts unstained. As The Standing Room gained popularity, the parking lot was tricked out with tables and chairs, and the line grew longer. A sit-down restaurant and bar seemed like the logical next step. 

Enter the Hermosa Beach location, a surprisingly spacious bar/restaurant/music venue just a stone's throw from the picturesque Hermosa Beach Pier, complete with a sizable stage for live shows, a patio perfect for summer day-drinking, and a healthy amount of L.A. Kings paraphernalia. The place is comfortable and full of personality; even in the early morning (ahem, 10 am) when it's nearly empty, it's easy to imagine how lively the atmosphere must be when it's packed on a warm summer night. The menu boasts many of Bakke's most popular sandwiches from the liquor store location, including the sky-high Napoleon Burger, which comes topped with a fried egg and an entire braised short rib, among other things. Brunch is a recent addition to the restaurant's repertoire, and with dishes like Loco Moco, Hawaiian Bread French Toast, and Kimchee Fried Rice, its menu feels like a natural extension of the restaurant's popular lunch and dinner offerings. Sure, there's an Egg White Frittata thrown in for health-minded brunchers, but for the most part this is that incredibly satisfying, almost sinful kind of brunch that is exactly what you need during a summer beach weekend. 

On a recent Saturday morning, we went all-in and sampled some of The Standing Room's most popular brunch fare - and of course, wound up with a spread of heartwarming, stick-to-your-ribs, undeniably delicious food. It was probably enough to feed an army - or at the very least, enough to feed a couple of hungry Brunchographers with enough leftover for their hungry boys at home. These portions are no joke. 

First up was the Chicken & Biscuits, with passion fruit tea brined fried chicken, fluffy buttermilk biscuits, and a generous heap of thick country gravy. One bite of these biscuits will transport you to the south - they taste just like the ones mom used to make: buttery, salty, with just the right amount of crumb. The chicken is sliced thin, which allows for the maximum fried-chicken-batter-to-actual-chicken ratio, and provides plenty of surface area for all that gravy you're going to want to soak up. To balance out all this salty, delicious richness is a sprinkling of sweet pickle slices (just like the ones grandpa used to eat before supper) and some bright pink pickled onions (which we've determined to be some of the most underrated brunch ingredients - bring on the pickled onions!). 

Next, the dish that made Johnna's Hawaiian boyfriend so envious - the Loaded Loco Moco. It begins with a bed of comforting, super-flavorful fried rice that's packed with onions, edamame, kimchee, and pork. Next, a layer of short rib gravy, followed by a perfectly seasoned half-pound beef patty draped with a layer of melted cheddar cheese. To top it all off, a runny fried egg coated in hot sauce and dusted with shredded nori and sesame seeds. Loaded, indeed. This is the kind of meal that you just can't stop eating once you start - it's so comforting that it feels like receiving a really nice hug that you don't want to let go of. So yeah, good luck putting down your fork. 

Those buttermilk biscuits made an appearance once again in the Pork Belly Benedict, this time cloaked in a thick, velvety hollandaise sauce, and paired with crispy pork belly and poached eggs. They were just as satisfying as before, and took on a completely different flavor experience when paired with smoky paprika, rich and salty pork belly, and the bright and slightly tangy hollandaise. This is not a dish for the faint of heart, however - "rich" doesn't even begin to describe it - but for a pork lover, this is the ultimate indulgence. 

No matter where you're from, the food at The Standing Room will make you feel comforted, like you're getting a little taste of home. Maybe it's all that love that Bakke puts into his recipes, with nods to his family and his hometown, or maybe it's that laid-back, summertime vibe that this place always seems to have. Either way, there's something special about a morning spent at The Standing Room, sipping coffee just steps from the beach, and sharing laughs over brunch with friends. 

The Standing Room
1320 Hermosa Ave.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Honey Hi | Echo Park, CA

It's common knowledge that just about everyone in Los Angeles is on a restricted diet of some sort - low carb, high carb, paleo, gluten free, vegan, raw vegan, fruitarian, you name it. Perhaps it's the fault of our year-long summer weather; with beach season extending into February, there can be no packing on of the winter pounds. Or perhaps it's that this place attracts dreamers; starry-eyed upstarts searching for their "best life" - whether that's a high-powered career, a glamorous social life, or simply "healing the gut." No matter the reason, we've all caught the fever at one point or another, and it's rare to have a meal out with friends and not encounter a dietary restriction or two. 

With demand comes supply, and Los Angeles is in no short supply of restaurants that cater to our dietary quirks. Even LAX is home to a fast-food version of Real Food Daily, one of LA's first and most popular vegan restaurants. The trick is not to find a restaurant that will cater to your latest diet, but to find one that will also provide you with something dazzling and unexpected. Because you, too - you primal, plant-and-meat-eating-goddess, you - deserve to indulge in something delicious and nourishing. So get your athleisure-clad butt over to Honey Hi on the double. 

Founded by best friends Kacie Carter and Caitlyn Sullivan, Honey Hi is a celebration of Los Angeles' healthy-eating culture. The inviting little cafe in Echo Park looks like it was plucked directly from your Instagram feed, done up in peachy pink hues with splashes of marble and wood, with pops of color from vibrant orange painted chairs and your table-neighbor's neon "pink drink" smoothie. The menu is awash with terms familiar only to the yoga set; items like "chayawanaprash & grilled stone fruit toast" and "medicinal shroom dandy 'coffee'" can make even the most seasoned cook's brow furrow. Let's not even delve into the drink add-on list - it may conjure memories of that high school vocabulary pop quiz you failed after a month-long absence with mono. 

Yoga Jones buzz words aside, Honey Hi's menu is downright friendly. Carter and Sullivan strive for what they call "radical inclusivity," offering options for just about every dietary preference and constraint. Many dishes are inspired by foods the pair make at home for themselves, and with their shared passion for nutrition and eating for wellness, the result is a robust list of healthy, nourishing meals and satisfying snacks. Their kitchen is intrinsically gluten-free, serving a variety of toasts and sandwiches that feature the rarest of birds, gluten-free sourdough bread. The meats and eggs are exclusively organic, and are sourced with sustainability and humane practices in mind. And because this team is cooking for their customers like they cook for themselves, everything is free of refined sugars, GMOs, and harmful vegetable oils - so seriously, even that friend who orders only a glass of water when you go out to lunch can eat here. 

When we popped in on a recent weekday morning for brunch, Honey Hi was active but not packed, with plenty of free tables between the groups of predictably hip, well-dressed East-siders. Some were discussing creative businesses over cold brew coffee, others were sharing brightly-colored smoothies with their curious two-year-olds. Forever on a mission to sample as much of a variety as we could, we ordered a cross-section of the menu: a sweet yogurt parfait, a toast, a hearty bowl, and an iced coffee. 

The cold brew coffee came first, served with a splash of house-made almond milk. It was strong and robust, as high on the caffeine scale as a good cold brew should be, and smooth in flavor. Next was the cashew yogurt parfait, made with probiotic cashew yogurt from a small business called Blode Küh that you may recognize from local farmers markets. While it's not a dead ringer for yogurt made with cow's milk, some would argue that it's better - the cashew base offers a dense creaminess that is both satisfying and rich. Honey Hi's grain-free granola is packed with nuts and seeds, and is therefore intensely satisfying.  Seasonal berries round out the dish with a burst of freshness and bright flavor. 

The sweet potato and avocado toast is a fun, flavorful twist on L.A.'s signature breakfast, piled high with lemony mashed avocado, soft and spicy roasted sweet potatoes, tangy pickled onions, and fragrant herbs. That gluten-free sourdough toast is pretty darn satisfying as well; good enough to evoke euphoria in any bread-starved, celiac-afflicted individual.  

Finally, the breakfast bowl - a melange of ultra-satisfying-yet-actually-healthy breakfasty foods that is without a doubt the correct way to start your day. It begins with a layer of savory sweet potato hash, topped with a generous helping of crispy Niman Ranch uncured bacon, a bright yellow pastured egg poached in turmeric, and a heap of delicately dressed fresh local greens. A perfect crisp radish is placed like a cherry on the top, alongside creamy avocado and a dusting of herbs and spices. It's the type of thing you want to wake up to every morning, if only you lived just a little closer to Echo Park. 

As a food lover in Los Angeles, it can be difficult to find balance amidst an abundance of exquisite, decadent, indulgent cuisine. Fortunately, cleaning up your dietary act no longer means giving up on inventive and exciting food - with places like Honey Hi on the scene, we can have our cake (or grain-free chocolate chip cookie) and eat it too. 

Honey Hi
1620 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Baran's 2239 | Hermosa Beach, CA

One of the many unexpected quirks of Los Angeles is its penchant for strip malls. They're everywhere here; small ones and large ones, sometimes double-decker, usually U- or L-shaped, and always equipped with an inadequate amount of parking spaces. Sometimes, they hold the types of businesses you'd expect - dry cleaners, small bank branches, coffee shops - and then other times, they're home to some of the finest restaurants in the city. It remains a surprise to find out that the restaurant you've heard so much about is actually tucked in between a foot spa and a smoke shop, but this is not unheard of in Los Angeles, so you roll with it. And when you roll into Baran's 2239, you'll be glad you did. 

Its space is tiny - surprisingly so; it's a narrow room lined with tufted banquettes, with a long community table down the center. There’s a short bar at the back, where the regulars gather to nosh and chat with the staff. Its style is part gastropub, part industrial-chic, with a mirrored wall to reflect the light coming in from the large windows at the front. During the day, the vibe here is calm and mellow, and at night (when reservations are required, no matter the day of the week), it is warm and alive with conversation. The food that comes out of the kitchen in back is unexpected, creative, brave. This is a neighborhood joint at heart, but there is a strong point of view and a sense of élan that you might not expect. 

If you were to peek behind the swinging door to the kitchen, you'd find that Baran's 2239 is in many ways a family affair. Brothers Jonathan and Jason Baran named their first restaurant venture in honor of their family's historic restaurant, The Brotherton Farmhouse, which operated for fifty years at 2239 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena. Meanwhile, Chef Tyler Gugliotta, an old friend of the Baran brothers and a South Bay native, sources much of his produce from Weiser Family Farms, owned by his aunt and uncle. It all adds up to a comfortable, familiar feeling when you walk in the door, and it's probably part of what makes Baran's 2239 so popular with the locals. 

Brunch is a new venture for the Baran's team, and when we visited on a recent Saturday morning, it seemed that word had not yet gotten out - though with such a tempting menu, it's bound to catch on fast. There are options for both a healthy, vegetable-centered brunch or a more sinful, decadent one, and of course, plenty of beers and cocktails if it's a boozy brunch you're after. We aimed for balance when we ordered - a straight shot through the middle with a mix of sweet and salty, heavy and light. It was just right. 

We started with a Daily Donut - a house-made donut with seasonally rotating flavor options. Ours was a chocolate coconut donut, filled with a luscious coconut mousse and topped with crunchy toasted coconut shavings. We loved the texture of the donut - it was denser than most, and able to stand up to the substantial toppings and filling. This was such a perfect way to start the meal - fun, flavorful, and surprisingly not too sweet. 

Next, we opted to try the granola with honey pepper yogurt, faro, and market fruit. The faro granola was super crunchy and had a satisfying hint of saltiness, which played nicely off the fresh fruit. Our favorite part of this dish was the honey pepper yogurt - it was creamy, savory, and sweet all at once, and not at all what you'd expect yogurt to taste like.  

With summer in full swing, California produce is at its peak, which means we're craving big, fresh salads all the time - so we couldn't resist ordering the Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad, which featured dates, pistachios, and a preserved lemon vinaigrette. The dressing was reminiscent of a Japanese Yuzu dressing, and it provided a nice tanginess to compliment the sweet dates. This is a simple, satisfying, refreshing dish that makes a great contrast to any heartier brunch dishes you might be indulging in. 

Finally, we ordered the Smoked Belly Hash, with potatoes, pepper relish, and sunny side up eggs - a standout dish. The potatoes were melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and paired perfectly with the smoky pork belly and the delicious runny eggs. We loved the slightly spicy sauce, which felt like a lively, uplifting way to round out such a rich and hearty dish. 

Baran's 2239 feels like a hidden gem, a burst of vitality in a sleepy little strip mall in a part of town you wouldn't expect. It's delicious, creative, and yet somehow comfortable - we can't wait to come back and see what they come up with next! 

Baran's 2239
502 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Tribal Café | Los Angeles, CA

It's probably obvious by now we really enjoy brunch foods. But while our favorite decadent treats like pancakes, waffles, fried eggs, and bacon are a lot of fun for our taste buds, they’re probably less fun for the rest of our bodies. So when we can find a way to sneak in some healthy brunch that tastes just as good as the naughty stuff, we’re happy campers. 

Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

Inside Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

We recently found just that - healthy brunch food that also happens to be delicious - just off the 101 Freeway in Downtown Los Angeles. Open in its somewhat unlikely location for over ten years, Tribal Café is a charming little health food oasis. Good health, a supportive community, and creative collaboration are at the core of what makes Tribal so special; philosophies upheld by the restaurant’s lively founder, Josh Jose. Josh’s enthusiasm for health food is contagious; just a few minutes discussing vegetables with him will have you feeling excited about eating cabbage, kale, and beets. It’s no wonder the restaurant has formed its own little neighborhood tribe - it feels like there's an ever-present group of friendly creative-types meeting here over green juices to discuss their latest ventures and what’s going on in their community.

Filipino Adobo Breakfast Bowl at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

Inside Filipino Adobo Breakfast Bowl at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

In his efforts to bring “healthy food to the masses,” Josh hopes not just to provide healthful alternatives to underserved communities through the food served in his cafe, but also aims to educate his customers so that they can make good nutrition choices in their daily lives. In fact, he recently taught some of his customers how to make green smoothies at home, so they could save a few bucks while still enjoying the nutritional benefits offered by the concoctions. Josh joked with us that teaching your customers to make their own version of your product may not be the most sound business practice, but it's clear that it's that sort of commitment and enthusiasm that has strengthened Tribal Café's customer loyalty. 

Mushroom Veggie Burger and Filipino Adobo Breakfast Bowl at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

The menu at Tribal is sprawling (literally), covering an entire wall with options ranging from açaí bowls, juices, and smoothies to paninis, salads, and grain bowls, with tempting options for vegans and meat-eaters alike. As difficult as it was to narrow down our options on our recent visit, we opted for smoothies, the Filipino Adobo Breakfast Bowl, and the Mushroom Veggie Burger. 

Super Alkaline Smoothie at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

The green smoothies at Tribal are what you could call super-charged - there are so many veggies packed into each one, it’s difficult to keep track. Each smoothie starts with a base of leafy greens, mixed veggies, and fruits, then is customized with added ingredients. The added ingredients in our “Super Alkaline” smoothie were ginger, avocado, strawberry, and pineapple. This was refreshing and energizing - and filling enough to be a meal in itself!

Filipino Adobo Breakfast Bowl at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

Next up was the Filipino Adobo Breakfast Bowl, a Tribal Café favorite. This beautiful bowl was packed with garlic brown rice, sweet potatoes, peanuts, pickled carrots, cilantro, apples, and breakfast potatoes, and was topped with a perfectly poached egg. The avocado is optional, but was a really delightful addition (but really, when is avocado not a delightful addition?). To add a little bit more zip, the bowl was also served with adobo sauce and salsa roja. We loved how hearty and satisfying this bowl was; it was like everything you’d want in your breakfast bowl, and then a little something extra. 

Filipino Adobo Breakfast Bowl at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

Mushroom Veggie Burger at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

Finally, there was the Mushroom Veggie Burger special, stacked high with cheese and a rainbow of veggies. We loved the flavorful homemade patty, made with grilled mushrooms, pumpkin seeds, brown rice, and millet. This dish felt the most like an indulgence out of the group, but with all the fresh, whole food ingredients, it also felt like a responsible one. 

Mushroom Veggie Burger at Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

Apart from its delicious, healthy fare, what is most impressive about Tribal is the warm sense of community that surrounds it. Josh and his staff are kind and welcoming, eager to sit down and chat with you about food, health, and creativity. At Tribal, you will find not just food that nourishes your body, but an atmosphere of kindness and generosity that will nourish your spirit. 

Tribal Café, Los Angeles, CA

Tribal Café
1651 West Temple St.  
Los Angeles, CA 90026