Little Sister Manhattan Beach

"There are four locations of Little Sister around LA—two in the South Bay, one downtown, and another in Irvine—and of them all, the one in El Segundo at The Point is best suited for the “pop in, pop out” lunch with that person you haven’t seen since 2019. First: this is a mall, so parking is easy. Second: the Vietnamese food here is fantastic and served with lots of fresh herbs, so you can eat things like shrimp and pork belly summer rolls or a crispy Vietnamese crepe and not be too weighed down in case you want to eat with higher-tier friends later. And although it’s a sit-down spot, service is pretty fast. Ideal for when you don’t want to hear about what Tim from Accounting is up to while you wait for the check." - Sylvio Martins, Garrett Snyder, Nikko Duren

"Tin Vuong’s second Manhattan Beach location eatery is a staple for locals. Vuong’s menu draws from his Vietnamese family’s recipes, plus influence from his upbringing in the San Gabriel Valley. And for $39, the dineLA options include salt and pepper prawns, lamb satay, and tres leches cake." - Mona Holmes