Fishmongers: SoCal

Los Angeles | McCall’s Meat & Fish Co. Before husband and wife Nathan McCall and Karen Yoo opened McCall’s, Los Feliz residents had to leave the neighborhood for great seafood. No longer—diver scallops and wild Alaska halibut are available at this fishmonger. McCall hits the downtown fish markets daily to select every piece, removes scales and bones, and cuts each one to the right serving size. Our pick: Branzino from Greece. 2117 Hillhurst Ave.; 323/667-0674.

San Diego | Catalina Offshore Products. This thriving wholesaler welcomes walk-ins seeking sustainable black cod, tender grouper, California spiny lobster, or sea bass caught in local waters by longtime San Diego or Baja anglers. Ask for Tommy Gomes: Son of a Portuguese fisherman, he knows all and happily shares tips. On Fridays and Saturdays, there are free cooking demos. Our pick: Fresh uni (sea urchin). A slurpy mouthful is a taste of the briny Pacific. 5202 Lovelock St.; catalinaop.com

Santa Monica | Santa Monica Seafood. Above a massive horseshoe display case bursting with bright, fresh seafood, a huge sign lists what’s in stock and, of course, where it’s from. If you’re lucky, they’ll have spot prawns from Santa Barbara. Pick up a whole whitefish and let the fishmongers fillet or butterfly it for you. Starving? Sit down for a bowl of cioppino. Our pick: Indian Candy, salmon covered in brown sugar and smoked over hardwood. 1000 Wilshire Blvd. (also in Costa Mesa); santamonicaseafood.com