190th Street starts at the top of a hill with a view of the ocean and ends at Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles. There’s only one noteworthy restaurant along with its entire length, and perhaps that contributes to what makes Hop Saint special. All the creativity and culinary passion along those many miles are channeled into one place that bursts with energy. Steve Roberts and his team offer house-brewed beers alongside quirky but successful takes on American roots cooking. There’s a heavy influence of Southern cooking here, but also an irreverent experimentalism, and the daily specials show that the innovation keeps coming. There’s a great reason to dine east of Sepulveda, and its name is Hop Saint.
HopSaint Brewing Company
5160 W. 190th St., Torrance
(310) 214-4677
hopsaint.com
Runner-up: Baran’s 2239
502 Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach
(424) 247-8468
barans2239.com
