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An overhead shot of food at a wooden table including a roast chicken at Selva in Long Beach, California.
Selva.
Wonho Frank Lee

The 20 Essential Long Beach Restaurants

The LBC has it all with soulful Cambodian cooking, outstanding barbecue, impressive Colombian fare, and more

by Mona Holmes and Brian Addison Updated
10 comments / new
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Selva.
| Wonho Frank Lee
by Mona Holmes and Brian Addison Updated
10 comments / new

Long Beach, whose population is roughly equivalent to that of Atlanta, Georgia, has a distinct flavor all its own. Far more than a seaside hangout or home to one of the country’s largest shipping ports, the massive city includes fantastic dining options that span Levantine hits, old-school Italian spots, excellent tacos, and Cambodian restaurants, a rarity in Los Angeles. Here now are 20 essential restaurants in Long Beach.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

The Nest: A Breakfast Joint

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The vibes are immaculate at the Nest. Owner Antonio Appling serves an undeniably Black Southern menu with a distinctly Southern California point of view. The biscuits and gravy are incredible, while the breakfast torta with roasted pork is on point.

9260 Alondra Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706
(562) 804-5097
(562) 804-5097

Tacos La Carreta

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José Morales and his son, also named José Morales, opened a taco cart (la carreta) in a Compton tire shop seven years ago. The Morales’s upgraded to a truck last year where they turn out some of Southern California’s best Mazatlán-style tacos. The truck is typically parked on the northernmost border of Long Beach and serves chorreadas, vampiros, and tacos de carne asada. Check Instagram for hours and availability.

3401 E 69th St, Long Beach, CA 90805
(562) 377-2819
(562) 377-2819
Tacos La Carreta truck
Tacos La Carreta truck
Matthew Kang

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Robert Earl's BBQ

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Be patient when ordering at Robert Earl’s BBQ, a laid-back, family-owned restaurant on the north end of Long Beach. The rib tips are particularly tender, while the sides are all spectacular — it is impossible to say which one is best.

703 E Artesia Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90805
(562) 726-1116
(562) 726-1116

Sal's Gumbo Shack

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Always order the namesake gumbo at Sal’s two Long Beach locations, but don’t miss the po’ boys, candied yams, cornbread, oxtails, mac and cheese, and the occasional pound cake special.

4470 California Pl, Long Beach, CA 90807
(562) 423-2113
(562) 423-2113

Nonna Mercato

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Owner Cameron Slaugh spent time in the kitchens of Osteria La Buca and Eleven Madison Park before opening the Attic in Long Beach and most recently, Nonna Mercato. Part bread bakery, part patisserie, and part coffee shop, Nonna Mercato is an excellent weekend hangout with Roman-style pizzas.

3722 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807
(562) 595-1100
(562) 595-1100

Little Coyote

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Little Coyote, whose New York-style pizzas regularly sold out when it first opened on Retro Row in 2020, now has a second Long Beach location. Both restaurants serve pizzas, salads, pasta, and well-priced beer.

3500 N Los Coyotes Diagonal, Long Beach, CA 90808
(562) 352-1555
(562) 352-1555
A stack of white boxes of pizza with olives on the topmost pie.
Little Coyote
Matthew Kang

Also featured in:

Grilled Fraiche

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Find the fantastic Caribbean restaurant Grilled Fraiche in the same plaza as Target and Trader Joe’s. The menu includes traditional oxtails, patties, and jerk chicken, along with vegan crab cakes made from garbanzo beans. The restaurant has additional locations in Hyde Park, Hollywood Park, and Florence on Firestone Boulevard.

2210 N Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 431-2499
(562) 431-2499

Sushi Kinoya

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Most LA neighborhoods have an unfussy strip mall spot that turns out solid sushi and sashimi. Sushi Kinoya also makes maki rolls and offers wonderfully affordable lunch specials.

5521 E Stearns St, Long Beach, CA
(562) 598-8169
(562) 598-8169

Phnom Penh Noodle Shack

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Phnom Penh Noodle Shack started as a five-seat restaurant in 1985 and grew into a neighborhood favorite that’s filled with loyal fans most days of the week. On the menu are some of the city's best Khmer-style rice porridge, stir-fried noodles, and pork noodle soup.

1644 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 433-0032
(562) 433-0032
Storefront of Phnom Penh Noodle Shack with blue signage and bike racks on the sidewalk.
Phnom Penh Noodle Shack
Wonho Frank Lee

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La Esperanza Restaurant

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Adriana Moran opened the original La Esperanza Bakery in 1994 in Torrance and a second outlet in the center of Long Beach in 2017. Moran serves Guatemalan and Salvadoran dishes in a cozy setting.

1626 Orange Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 269-0486
(562) 269-0486

Pickle Banh Mi Co.

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This Vietnamese sandwich expert serves every one of its 15 banh mi creations on house-made baguettes. Wash everything down with Vietnamese coffee and snag a baguette for later for just $1.

1171 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 612-0356
(562) 612-0356

Selva

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Chef Carlos Jurado’s restaurant is one of only a few Colombian spots in Southern California. The dining room boasts a long bar and bright windows, while the Colombian hot dog is a must-have on every table.

4137 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804
(562) 343-5630
(562) 343-5630
A corner peek into a bar with checkered tile flooring at Selva restaurant in Long Beach, California.
Selva.
Wonho Frank Lee

A&J Seafood Shack

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It’s incredible how much food is produced from the small but mighty A&J Seafood Shack. Owner Vannak Tan’s 280-square-foot stall prepares a slew of fantastic dishes using family recipes spanning from Phnom Penh to Oahu’s North Shore.

3201 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804
(562) 386-2000
(562) 386-2000
A&J Seafood Shack, Long Beach
A&J Seafood Shack
Cathy Chaplin

Also featured in:

Crystal Thai-Cambodian Cuisine

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Find lukewarm service and red-hot cooking at this under-the-radar Cambodian restaurant. Some of the menu’s best items include the spicy papaya salad and the pad kee mao, flat rice noodles with meat, chile, and garlic. Note: the restaurant tends to close earlier than posted hours if the dining room is empty.

1165 E 10th St, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 591-7636
(562) 591-7636

Also featured in:

Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House

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Sura may pale compared to Koreatown’s finest, but this Long Beach restaurant keeps locals from having to trek too far for bubbling tofu soups and bibimbap. There’s also an interesting section of the menu that’s a mashup between Ktown-Long Beach with hand-battered crispy squid, panko breadcrumb shrimp fries, and bulgogi nachos.

621 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA
(562) 495-7872
(562) 495-7872

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Gusto Bread

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The Long Beach bakery from Arturo Enciso has garnered national attention for its pastries, boules, baguettes, and cookies. Stop by to peruse Gusto’s daily inventory or place an order online before pick-up. Gusto often sells out early.

2710 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
(562) 343-1881
(562) 343-1881
Baguettes at Gusto Bread in Long Beach, California
Gusto Bread
Farley Elliott

Also featured in:

Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites

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Dima and Sam Habibeh’s Long Beach restaurant Ammatoli has a menu straight from the Levant region that encompasses Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. Most dishes have a familiar Mediterranean ring with hummus, labneh, and spicy garlic lemon chicken. The wine list has winemakers from Italy, France, and Lebanon.

285 E 3rd St, Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 435-0808
(562) 435-0808
A Lebanese flatbread with mint, olives, tomatoes, and cheese at Ammatoli restaurant in Long Beach, California.
Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites’ Lebanese flatbread.
Brian Addison

Also featured in:

The Wild Chive

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Chef Soozee Nguyen turns out an inventive plant-based menu near the ocean in Bluff Park including noteworthy burgers, pesto chicken sandwiches, and an excellent vegan croque-madame.

2650 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 588-9421
(562) 588-9421

La Parolaccia Osteria

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Born in Italy, Stefano Procaccini opened La Parolaccia in 2004 and brings a taste of Rome to Bluff Heights. He’s been serving pizzas and plates of amatriciana, carbonara, and cacio e pepe for nearly two decades, along with focaccia sandwiches stuffed with mortadella and burrata.

2945 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 438-1235
(562) 438-1235
A man holds up a mortadella sandwich on house-made focaccia at La Parolaccia.
La Parolaccia Osteria.
Brian Addison

Also featured in:

Reno Room

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Opened in 1945, the Reno Room dive bar is one of Long Beach’s oldest establishments. On the menu are beers and cocktails, along with wet burritos, tacos, and asada fries from the adjacent kitchen, Coco Reno.

3400 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 438-4590
(562) 438-4590

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The Nest: A Breakfast Joint

9260 Alondra Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706

The vibes are immaculate at the Nest. Owner Antonio Appling serves an undeniably Black Southern menu with a distinctly Southern California point of view. The biscuits and gravy are incredible, while the breakfast torta with roasted pork is on point.

9260 Alondra Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706
(562) 804-5097
(562) 804-5097

Tacos La Carreta

3401 E 69th St, Long Beach, CA 90805

José Morales and his son, also named José Morales, opened a taco cart (la carreta) in a Compton tire shop seven years ago. The Morales’s upgraded to a truck last year where they turn out some of Southern California’s best Mazatlán-style tacos. The truck is typically parked on the northernmost border of Long Beach and serves chorreadas, vampiros, and tacos de carne asada. Check Instagram for hours and availability.

3401 E 69th St, Long Beach, CA 90805
(562) 377-2819
(562) 377-2819
Tacos La Carreta truck
Tacos La Carreta truck
Matthew Kang

Robert Earl's BBQ

703 E Artesia Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90805

Be patient when ordering at Robert Earl’s BBQ, a laid-back, family-owned restaurant on the north end of Long Beach. The rib tips are particularly tender, while the sides are all spectacular — it is impossible to say which one is best.

703 E Artesia Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90805
(562) 726-1116
(562) 726-1116

Sal's Gumbo Shack

4470 California Pl, Long Beach, CA 90807

Always order the namesake gumbo at Sal’s two Long Beach locations, but don’t miss the po’ boys, candied yams, cornbread, oxtails, mac and cheese, and the occasional pound cake special.

4470 California Pl, Long Beach, CA 90807
(562) 423-2113
(562) 423-2113

Nonna Mercato

3722 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

Owner Cameron Slaugh spent time in the kitchens of Osteria La Buca and Eleven Madison Park before opening the Attic in Long Beach and most recently, Nonna Mercato. Part bread bakery, part patisserie, and part coffee shop, Nonna Mercato is an excellent weekend hangout with Roman-style pizzas.

3722 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807
(562) 595-1100
(562) 595-1100

Little Coyote

3500 N Los Coyotes Diagonal, Long Beach, CA 90808

Little Coyote, whose New York-style pizzas regularly sold out when it first opened on Retro Row in 2020, now has a second Long Beach location. Both restaurants serve pizzas, salads, pasta, and well-priced beer.

3500 N Los Coyotes Diagonal, Long Beach, CA 90808
(562) 352-1555
(562) 352-1555
A stack of white boxes of pizza with olives on the topmost pie.
Little Coyote
Matthew Kang

Grilled Fraiche

2210 N Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90815

Find the fantastic Caribbean restaurant Grilled Fraiche in the same plaza as Target and Trader Joe’s. The menu includes traditional oxtails, patties, and jerk chicken, along with vegan crab cakes made from garbanzo beans. The restaurant has additional locations in Hyde Park, Hollywood Park, and Florence on Firestone Boulevard.

2210 N Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 431-2499
(562) 431-2499

Sushi Kinoya

5521 E Stearns St, Long Beach, CA

Most LA neighborhoods have an unfussy strip mall spot that turns out solid sushi and sashimi. Sushi Kinoya also makes maki rolls and offers wonderfully affordable lunch specials.

5521 E Stearns St, Long Beach, CA
(562) 598-8169
(562) 598-8169

Phnom Penh Noodle Shack

1644 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813

Phnom Penh Noodle Shack started as a five-seat restaurant in 1985 and grew into a neighborhood favorite that’s filled with loyal fans most days of the week. On the menu are some of the city's best Khmer-style rice porridge, stir-fried noodles, and pork noodle soup.

1644 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 433-0032
(562) 433-0032
Storefront of Phnom Penh Noodle Shack with blue signage and bike racks on the sidewalk.
Phnom Penh Noodle Shack
Wonho Frank Lee

La Esperanza Restaurant

1626 Orange Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813

Adriana Moran opened the original La Esperanza Bakery in 1994 in Torrance and a second outlet in the center of Long Beach in 2017. Moran serves Guatemalan and Salvadoran dishes in a cozy setting.

1626 Orange Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 269-0486
(562) 269-0486

Pickle Banh Mi Co.

1171 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90813

This Vietnamese sandwich expert serves every one of its 15 banh mi creations on house-made baguettes. Wash everything down with Vietnamese coffee and snag a baguette for later for just $1.

1171 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 612-0356
(562) 612-0356

Selva

4137 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804

Chef Carlos Jurado’s restaurant is one of only a few Colombian spots in Southern California. The dining room boasts a long bar and bright windows, while the Colombian hot dog is a must-have on every table.

4137 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804
(562) 343-5630
(562) 343-5630
A corner peek into a bar with checkered tile flooring at Selva restaurant in Long Beach, California.
Selva.
Wonho Frank Lee

A&J Seafood Shack

3201 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804

It’s incredible how much food is produced from the small but mighty A&J Seafood Shack. Owner Vannak Tan’s 280-square-foot stall prepares a slew of fantastic dishes using family recipes spanning from Phnom Penh to Oahu’s North Shore.

3201 E Anaheim St, Long Beach, CA 90804
(562) 386-2000
(562) 386-2000
A&J Seafood Shack, Long Beach
A&J Seafood Shack
Cathy Chaplin

Crystal Thai-Cambodian Cuisine

1165 E 10th St, Long Beach, CA 90813

Find lukewarm service and red-hot cooking at this under-the-radar Cambodian restaurant. Some of the menu’s best items include the spicy papaya salad and the pad kee mao, flat rice noodles with meat, chile, and garlic. Note: the restaurant tends to close earlier than posted hours if the dining room is empty.

1165 E 10th St, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 591-7636
(562) 591-7636

Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House

621 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA

Sura may pale compared to Koreatown’s finest, but this Long Beach restaurant keeps locals from having to trek too far for bubbling tofu soups and bibimbap. There’s also an interesting section of the menu that’s a mashup between Ktown-Long Beach with hand-battered crispy squid, panko breadcrumb shrimp fries, and bulgogi nachos.

621 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA
(562) 495-7872
(562) 495-7872

Related Maps

Gusto Bread

2710 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814

The Long Beach bakery from Arturo Enciso has garnered national attention for its pastries, boules, baguettes, and cookies. Stop by to peruse Gusto’s daily inventory or place an order online before pick-up. Gusto often sells out early.

2710 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
(562) 343-1881
(562) 343-1881
Baguettes at Gusto Bread in Long Beach, California
Gusto Bread
Farley Elliott

Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites

285 E 3rd St, Long Beach, CA 90802

Dima and Sam Habibeh’s Long Beach restaurant Ammatoli has a menu straight from the Levant region that encompasses Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. Most dishes have a familiar Mediterranean ring with hummus, labneh, and spicy garlic lemon chicken. The wine list has winemakers from Italy, France, and Lebanon.

285 E 3rd St, Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 435-0808
(562) 435-0808
A Lebanese flatbread with mint, olives, tomatoes, and cheese at Ammatoli restaurant in Long Beach, California.
Ammatoli Mediterranean Bites’ Lebanese flatbread.
Brian Addison

The Wild Chive

2650 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803

Chef Soozee Nguyen turns out an inventive plant-based menu near the ocean in Bluff Park including noteworthy burgers, pesto chicken sandwiches, and an excellent vegan croque-madame.

2650 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 588-9421
(562) 588-9421

La Parolaccia Osteria

2945 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803

Born in Italy, Stefano Procaccini opened La Parolaccia in 2004 and brings a taste of Rome to Bluff Heights. He’s been serving pizzas and plates of amatriciana, carbonara, and cacio e pepe for nearly two decades, along with focaccia sandwiches stuffed with mortadella and burrata.

2945 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 438-1235
(562) 438-1235
A man holds up a mortadella sandwich on house-made focaccia at La Parolaccia.
La Parolaccia Osteria.
Brian Addison

Reno Room

3400 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803

Opened in 1945, the Reno Room dive bar is one of Long Beach’s oldest establishments. On the menu are beers and cocktails, along with wet burritos, tacos, and asada fries from the adjacent kitchen, Coco Reno.

3400 E Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 438-4590
(562) 438-4590

Related Maps