by Garth Meyer
A former Riviera Village liquor store has been transformed into BeachLife Grotto restaurant, to open July 24, the latest project from BeachLife Festival co-founder Allen Sanford and partners.
“We took a dilapidated liquor store, which is a kind of a thing of the past, that wasn’t contributing to the community much, and adaptively reused the building,” Sanford said.
Architect Miles Pritzkat, whose office is also in Riviera Village, designed the two story-white wood building, with open beams on the top-floor deck.
The liquor store’s walls were kept and its slanted roof torn out.
Sanford worked with Pritzkat to emulate two bygone favorites, the Admiral Risty in Palos Verdes and Millie Riera’s Seafood Grotto, which Sanford went to as a kid with his family at Avenue I and the Esplanade.
The new venture in Riviera Village is helmed by chef Jacob Ramos, BeachLife Festival culinary director, with suppliers byway of restaurant partner Jeff Jones of Quality Seafood.
“We can tap into his network,” Sanford said.
What items will be featured?
“Whatever’s fresh,” he said.
The BeachLife Grotto menu includes a “Seafood Towers” section, named after the three stages of BeachLife Festival – Low Tide, High Tide and Riptide – listing clams, oysters, lobster, mussels and shrimp, along with housemade sauces and garnishes.
Also inside the restaurant is a retail store, selling Maisie Jane’s “beautifully packaged snacks,” Tech Trends’ retro bluetooth speakers and Graham Dunn retro pickleball paddles.
“A BeachLife version of a general store,” Sanford said. “Our spin at curating a mix of wearables, beach gear, and at-home goods, all in keeping with the culture and tradition of Redondo Beach.”
Plans for the July 24 restaurant opening?
“To utilize the beautiful restaurant that we built, and start creating the magic that we’re hoping to create,” Sanford said. “ … A seafood-based restaurant of the highest quality, focused on an interesting way to bring people new fish dishes.”
Ramos has run the BeachLife concerts’ food operations the past two years.
“We got tired of waiting for the Festival to do more food and beverage, so we decided to do it every day,” Sanford said.
The restaurant and bar will feature “Storyteller,” BeachLife’s own rum, promoted by musician Donovan Frankenreiter and others at the 2024 Festival in May.
Partners in BeachLife Grotto include Jones, Frankenreiter, former Redondo Beach Police Chief Keith Kauffman, Pennywise’s Jim Lindberg, Rob Lissner, and Michael Greenburg of Skechers.
Private openings are set for this weekend, limited to California Surf Club members, the waterfront project from the same partners.
“We’re excited to give people something that doesn’t exist in the Riviera,” Sanford said of the Grotto. “I love the Riviera Village. I think it’s the last bastion of the South Bay.” ER
