Blue Zones Project Approved™ Restaurants encourage customers to make healthier choices by changing the food environment or providing menu options that are based on what people are eating around the world that help them live to 100. Confections by Kirari West in Redondo Beach is now part of the Blue Zones(R) movement!
Designated in July 2025, Confections by Kirari West, at 625 N. Pacific Coast Hwy. in Redondo Beach, joins its nearby sister store, Kirari West, as a Blue Zones Project Approved Restaurant.
Originating as a family-owned bakery in Japan, restaurant owner Hiro Saito opened Kirari West Bake Shop in Redondo Beach’s King Harbor Plaza in 2014. While the bake shop’s menu offers traditional bakery items such as hardy loaves, soft muffins and flavorful cookies, this is not your average bakery.
According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 2 million people in the United States suffer from wheat intolerance, or celiac disease. This means that people impacted by this disorder have trouble digesting foods like bread, pasta or anything made with wheat flour. While many restaurants offer choices on the menu without wheat, there is no guarantee that cross-contamination does not occur in the cooking process.
At Kirari West, there is no risk of cross-contamination as the store’s inventory consists entirely of non-gluten products. The bakery’s popularity has not only skyrocketed as a result of their gluten-free options, it also has seasonal beverages, baked goods and savory dishes that everyone can enjoy.
Since opening its doors more than two decades ago, Kirari West has expanded with locations in Portland and a second location in Redondo Beach. While Confections by Kirari West started out solely with baked goods like artisan breads, scones and even Bake-at-Home gluten-free flour mixes, you can now find menu options like their quinoa bowls and smoothies.
Their Daybreak Bowl is the perfect way to start your day with a base of hearty kale and quinoa, roasted corn, creamy avocado and a sunny side up egg. For all their bowls, you have the option to pick from their Power of Green Sauce, Tahini Sauce or Berry Vinaigrette to enjoy with your veggies. Consider pairing your bowl with one of their fruit smoothies sweetened with natural ingredients like honey or dates. Between their Amazon Violet Smoothie blended with acai or their Oregon Sunshine Smoothie with fresh oranges, there’s something on the menu for everyone to enjoy.
As part of their pledge to be a Blue Zones Project Approved Restaurant, you can find smaller portion sizes for their pancakes and pizzas, alternatives to whole fat milk as well as salad dressings served on the side. Their staff has also committed to making healthier choices in their personal lives by signing the Blue Zones Project(R) Personal Pledge.
Food tastes better together. We’re grateful to Hiro and his team for providing healthy menu options that allow us to dine together.
Sources:
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease/definition-facts
