Gardena Bowl Coffee Shop

This no-frills diner inside an inland South Bay bowling alley serves destination-worthy homestyle takes on Hawaiian local food. The South Bay is home to a sizable Japanese American population, including many who moved to L.A. from Hawaii. As such, there are plenty of eateries serving “local food”—a term for fusion-style island cuisine informed by Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Puerto Rican and Portuguese immigrants. While Gardena Bowl serves the usual American breakfast plates, this no-frills neighborhood joint is best known for local food breakfast staples like the Hawaiian Royal (a teriyaki-laden mix of sausage, chashu, green onions and scrambled eggs over rice) and French toast made with Hawaiian-style sweet bread. If you’re arriving closer to lunch hour, order the loco moco, served with a classic beef patty or kalua pork; a comforting bowl of saimin noodle soup; or one of the teriyaki rice plates. The bowling alley crowd and a steady stream of regulars keeps Gardena Bowl fairly busy, however, so steel yourself for a wait if you’re arriving on the later side of the morning on weekends.