The ancient Romans named the sea around them Mediterraneo, which means “middle of the land,” and it was the middle of their world, the place where African and European cultures met. Those cultures still meet on the menu at Mediterraneo, where dishes with Middle Eastern, Spanish, French, Italian, and Ottoman roots sit side by side with original creations. The ideas are ancient, the execution modern, and although you see the Pacific from their patio, the flavors are from another ocean altogether.
At some restaurants dining outdoors is a second-class option, the place you dine when it’s full inside and you don’t want to wait. At Mediterraneo, it’s many people’s first choice. The chairs inside are somewhat more comfortable, but the enjoyment outside of people watching and the pier view are more than ample compensation. The food and service are just as good regardless of where you sit and you can dine inside in any town. Why not enjoy the charms that make Hermosa unique? — RF
(73 Pier Avenue, HB. themedhb.com, (310) 318-2666)
Runner-up: Martha’s
— RF
73 Pier Avenue, HB, themedhb.com, (310) 318-2666
Runner-up: Open Sesame
