Beer And Beach

Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach have always been bastions of casual cool, but in the last year, these three new spots have been drawing the crowds with high-quality ingredients, craft brews and boutique wines.

Chefs Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts (of Beechwood) opened the rustic-looking Hudson House (pictured) in a no-man's-land stretch of Redondo Beach. Upscale small plates like spiced, ground-lamb patties grilled on sugarcane skewers ($10) are a draw, as is the juicy, pretzel-bunned burger with Jarlsberg cheese ($10). The expansive beer list includes finds like Hair of the Dog's rich and chocolatey "dessert beer," and Uncommon Brewers' kaffir lime-scented Siamese Twin.

At Simmzy's, Manhattan Beach beer-geeks and families are equally drawn to the California-healthy fare: cool-and-crisp salads with chicken, apple and walnuts ($12), olive-oil-poached tuna with house-tartar, or sweet-and-tangy wings ($10.50). But it's the beer list that distinguishes the place–more than 20 brews on tap include gems like Port Brewing's Old Viscosity and "off-the-handle" specials like Ballast Point's Double Double IPA.

Bouzy, the sister restaurant to the beloved Chez Melange, does the family's British roots proud with a deliciously rich braised short rib sandwich topped with fontina and a side of hand-cut fries ($10). The Kogi-style, kimchi-topped, all-beef hot dog ($5) is the perfect mate for beer. More than 30 brews rotate on tap, and you'll find others like Ferran Adria's "food-friendly" Estrella Damm Inedit in the bottle. One benefit to sharing a wine cellar with its sibling: Quartinos include Miner Viognier and Hitching Post's Generation Red.