Two Guns Espresso

★★★★★

Stark black and white image of a sign painted directly on an outer wall. Wooden boards are visible next to it, and the top of a window frame below it. The sign reads 'How about a cup of' in cursive, and then in MUCH LARGER SANS-SERIF BLOCK LETTERS, 'JOE'.This is serious coffee.

They don’t even have WiFi – you come here for the coffee and food (and maybe to hang out), not to park your laptop for the day. The hours are a bit short (they mainly serve breakfast and lunch, and close by mid-afternoon), but they make up for it in quality.

Two Guns brought the Flat White here from New Zealand in 2011, long before Starbucks started serving it – and the authentic version is not to be missed! Their mocha is the perfect balance of coffee and chocolate (most places are too heavy one way or the other), with just enough sweetness and no more. Even their chai lattes are just sweet enough.

Their breakfast sandwiches are good too, though I hardly ever end up here at breakfast or lunchtime. When I do, I usually go for the Stanwich.

The original Manhattan Beach location on PCH was one of my regular stops for years before the shopping center closed down to make way for new construction at the end of 2022. Thankfully they’d already expanded to a small chain in that time, and all the locations I’ve been to have been just as good as the original.

Locations

El Segundo: Lots of indoor seating and a good-sized patio across from the Civic Center. Next door to Rinaldi’s, which is a good sandwich place, though Two Guns has a full breakfast/lunch menu here. Lots of Pokémon Go stops and gyms in the area too. (321 Main St. / map)

Manhattan Beach Blvd: Pickup only the last few times I’ve been there. A good place to stop while walking to or from Downtown Manhattan Beach from PCH. Street parking only. (875 Manhattan Beach Blvd, between Poinsettia and the Urgent Care / map)

Redondo Beach: (Back on PCH!) Lots of indoor seating. I’ve only been to this one once, and I don’t remember if they have a patio or not. There’s a small parking garage on the PCH side, and a small parking lot uphill on the side street. (1212 PCH at Avenue E / map)

Manhattan Beach/Highland I’ve never been to this one. (3516 Highland, just south of Rosecrans / map)

Hermosa Beach: This one’s new, and I haven’t been to it either, but it’s right by the Ardmore/Valley greenbelt, so it’ll be a good place to stop on the way to or from a walk. (555 Pier Ave / map)

More info at Two Guns Espresso.