California Gold: Polly's On the Pier

View from the park

Text and photos by Jason McKenney

There are few things more relaxing than taking a quiet walk through Redondo Beach on a lazy Sunday morning. I had little Frankie in her stroller and we were out the front door by 7:30am. The overnight marine layer was quickly fading away and patches of blue could be seen above between puffy white clouds.

From home we headed down Torrance Blvd towards the shoreline. We crossed the Pacific Coast Highway and continued on to Catalina Ave where we turned north. Motor traffic was still light. Weekend cyclist teams were passing us by like gliding flocks of birds. Many of these groups nowadays seem to be populated almost exclusively with retirees, chattering away like teenagers as they ride.

Halloween on board!

We were moving parallel to the beach which was just on the other side of a row of apartment buildings and condos. Walking at a healthy pace I noticed some other Redondo eateries that I enjoyed visiting. The Standing Room shares a small space with Catalina Liquor and delivers amazing burgers with a Korean twist. Catalina Coffee & Café was where the missus and I stopped for a large breakfast prior to getting married (at a courthouse in Compton of all places). Their waffles are out of this world.

None of these places were my focus today. On this particular Sunday morning, my eldest daughter and I were making our way to another one of Redondo’s best breakfast nooks: Polly’s On the Pier.

I turned the stroller west into Czuleger park and we walked out to a circular bench built up with concrete that somewhat emulates the bow of a ship, providing a great view of the Pacific and the horizon beyond. During the week, this little hideout will often be commandeered by high school kids smoking pot or riding skateboards. Today I had it all to myself.

International Boardwalk

Moving on, we followed the sidewalk down the hill of the park and towards the pier. We walked along the International Boardwalk where some very interesting boats are docked. This is also a great place to rent stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and take glass-bottom boat tours.

Heading out through the parking lot past the R10 Social House (great seasonal bistro food) and Sambas (lots of meat, lots of samba), we walked along the breakwater towards the small wooden pier where Polly’s is located. Time to rest.

Across the breakwater

Polly’s is open from 6am til 2pm every day and is cash only. We sat outside by the water. Frankie pointed at the long-legged pelican walking along the hand rail and yelled, “Nini!”

“No, Frankie, that’s not our dog.”

The pelican was waiting patiently for any dropped bait the fishermen further down the pier might leave behind.

Polly's On the Pier

Drinking hot coffee with cool morning sea air in your lungs must be what heaven is like. Or it might be like the 3-egg omelette I ordered that was stuffed with cheese and fresh crab. Brutally delicious. Our waitress, a chipper young woman named Cassie, suggested the Minnie Mouse pancakes for Frankie. For $2 she got a large pancake, two silver dollar pancakes on top for eyes, and a generous helping of melons and pineapple on the side. Frankie devoured the pancakes as if she had just returned from the war. Nap time would soon be on her horizon.

Redondo Beach is not exciting. If you want that, go to Sunset or LA Live or Koreatown. Redondo is a place meant for leisurely walks and breakfasts by the sea. And on a slow Sunday morning what could be better than that?

Frankie loves her pancakes

The RB later in the day, after the sun had returned