By Gretchen Williams, Columnist
Weymouth Corners has been called Mayberry for its small town vibe. Anchored between Walker and Averill, this slice of 8th Street is home to a variety of interesting and delicious establishments.
The new “Sissy’s Cafe” is an instant hit, coming to life in the former Chin Chin location. The Chinese neighborhood favorite had a devoted following; Sissy’s is already packed with San Pedro locals looking for coffee and seeing friends. It is early days yet, so service is sorting itself out.
The staff is willing and friendly, and the coffee is excellent. Sissy’s concept of breakfast/brunch/lunch is a good one, giving a wide variety of choices beyond the standard egg combos. The avocado toast is a menu favorite, and far exceeds expectations! Feta cheese, pickled onion, tomato and radish garnish are both pretty and tasty additions to a perfectly ripe avocado on toast. Bacon and eggs on toast with pecorino cheese and house made onion jam is a dynamite combo for $10.
Breakfast Chilaquiles Rancheros is San Pedro on a plate, sauced corn tortillas, eggs, cheese, beans, crema and wonderful salsa. Steak and eggs is skirt steak with eggs and fried onions, topped with the best chimichurri sauce ever! This is a very good deal for $16.
Lunchtime is addressed by the classic, grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup – here a bargain combination of grilled Havarti and american cheese and creamy tomato bisque for $12. Spicy chicken panini sandwich is bright with pickled veggies, mint, sambal aioli and chile crunch, amazing for $13.
Salads are lavish and full of fresh ingredients. Greek salad has the traditional cucumber, tomato, Feta cheese, onion and olives. Caesar salad is dressed with Pecorino cheese, tomato and fried garlic for a new twist. Decidedly different is the Harvest salad, with strawberry, apple, pecans and yam mousse. All salads are a terrific deal for $10, with additions of chicken, steak or bacon available. Sissy’s Cafe promises to be a San Pedro favorite.
Polly Ann Bakery is easy to find at Weymouth Corners – just follow the delightful aroma of baking bread or maybe the sweet smell of cookies, or the golden brown hint of pies in the oven. Polly Ann has been perfuming the neighborhood with baking goodness since 1938, when the Voss family established the bakery.
The traditional offerings of Dutch Crunch bread, filled and frosted eclairs, apple turnovers, sugar cookies and chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin, cinnamon rolls, donuts, holiday specialties , all pale in comparison to the San Pedro history of weddings. Polly Ann Bakery has a collection of photos of the decades of lovely San Pedro brides and their wedding cakes. This sweet record of many years of love and commitment is testament to Polly Ann Bakery and its dedication to the community.
Pirozzi’s Italian Deli is another piece of San Pedro history, with their corner of Weymouth Corners. Always a small grocery store, the ethnicity of the proprietor changed over the years, but the fruit and vegetables kept moving. The Norwegian Petersons had it for many years; it has been Asian and Croatian and Italian. Now solidly Italian, Pirozzi’s has a wide variety of Italian and other European products as well as sandwiches, lasagne and pizza dough and marinara sauce. Homemade Italian cookies are sometimes available, especially at holidays. Pirozzi’s offers a good selection of olive oils, wine vinegar, pasta of every style and shape, cheese, salami and Italian sausages. Fresh bread from Portofino and other bakeries is a wonderful thing in the morning.
Buon Appetito!
Sissy’s Cafe’
1432 W. 8th Street
San Pedro 90732, 424-273-2026
Polly Ann Bakery
1440 W. 8th Street
San Pedro 90732, 310-519-0966
Pirozzi’s Italian Deli
1453 W. 8th Street
San Pedro 90732, 310-548-0000