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Food

Thai pizza, Cambodian-Cajun seafood, carne en su jugo, and Lao sausage. The diversity of these restaurants speaks volumes as a reflection of the vibrant, diverse community that surrounds it.

By James Tir and Javier Cabral

These are the best restaurants in East Long Beach, which may feel more like a local’s-only beach community than its nearby neighbors given its distance from the freeway.

But it's one that warmly welcomes non-local visitors, who travel a bit further south on the 405 to experience this different taste of LBC, full as it is with family-owned restaurants-cum-bonafide community gems.

The spots on this list don’t need much hype because they have a base of loyal customers supporting them every day. The diversity of these restaurants not only speaks for itself, but speaks volumes as a reflection of the vibrant, diverse community that surrounds it.

Welcome to East Long Beach!

There aren’t many Colombian restaurants in Los Angeles, and none come to mind that reinterpret the South American nation's rich cuisine the way Colombian American chef Carlos Jurado does at his flagship saloon, Selva. Peruvian scallop crudo with salsa aji and fermented aji amarillo, seared scallops on tender arepas with sauteed mushrooms, and perhaps the best Bandeja Paisa (Colombia’s national dish, this one has your choice of chorizo or morcilla, plus eggs, chicharron, arepas, plantains, avocado, and beans) found in California, thanks to Jurado’s commitment to transparent sourcing when it comes to his juicy meats. To wash that all down, their Batida cocktail, with funky cachaça and fresh-made coconut cream, tastes like a vacation upon every sip.

4137 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

Cambodian food is one of the most unique cuisines found abundantly in Long Beach, even outside of the borders of Cambodia Town proper. Case in point, you can get a Cambo fix at the humble but mighty A & J Seafood Shack. This location is literally a shack that slings–you guessed it–seafood. They specialize in the Chinese-Cambodian “salt and pepper” treatment of seafood that often involves battering, deep-frying, and wok tossing the seafood, such as crab, shrimp, and lobster, in a myriad of spices. The end result is some of the most intensely spiced shellfish you'll find, packing a salty, spicy, and umami punch a surfeit of fresh jalapeños and the MSG-laced dust.

3201 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

If you ask any Long Beach-er who has “seen some things” and has opinions on the best pho spot in town, a majority would name drop this 90s legend, Pho Hong Phat. The Cambodian-owned Vietnamese pho spot is a soup noodle haven, slinging almost twenty variations of classic beef pho with thinly-sliced rare steak, brisket, tripe, and more over many decades. For the uninitiated, their “not pho” menu also hits the spot, offering items like Phnom Penh noodles (the Cambodian cousin to pho), Hainan chicken, and banh sung. The latter, in particular, makes the perfect foil to the warm, brothy pho experience–cold rice vermicelli noodles, lettuce, beansprouts, various herbs, grilled pork, and crispy egg rolls in a bowl served with a side of coconut milk, sweet fish sauce, and crushed peanuts–a surprisingly light and summery dish.

3243 E Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

If you are reading this and thinking that Thai flavors couldn't possibly work in the context of pizza, then you wouldn’t be alone in your assumptions. But if you are a pizza fan and into trying new things, you owe it to yourself to visit this strip mall-based, cultural pizza phenomenon. With the first bite of either the yellow Thai curry or tom yum paste pizza, you are instantly confronted with the same intense and bold flavors you love when you order Thai take-out. Only these flavors are all superbly baked into the crust, instead of in a bed of noodles. Those in the know will often ask for an extra side of Panang curry or red curry dipping sauce to sluice their slices through for maximum flavor, sold for about $1 extra per cup. Some of us may even prefer it to marinara sauce, when it comes to dipping your leftover “pizza bones.” If you really seek to ball out, make sure to also order a papaya salad to throw on top of your pizza. Again, just trust us on this one.

929 Redondo Ave. Long Beach, CA 90804

With over twenty different establishments in the city serving genuinely tasty Thai food, it’s very hard for any particular spot to stand out. Michelin-mentioned Chiang Rai rises above the crowd for its focus on Northern Thai and Issan cuisine, with khao soi being their star. It encompasses both soft and crunchy egg noodles, wading in a pool of thin massaman-like curry and topped with your choice of Issan sausage, rare wagyu beef, shrimp tempura, or soft shell crab. The Issan sausage is especially delightful, its origins in Lao cuisine. The sausage presents a savory and herbaceous bite to the whole adventure. Other notable items to try are the "Midnight Chicken" with yellow curry roti, Thai-style steak tartare, and gaeng hung lay (soy sauce and ginger braised pork belly with cashews).

3832 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

Oho Sushi Studio is Southern California's quintessential neighborhood sushi bar. It’s a spot where the sushi chefs not only greet you as soon as you walk in, but they’ll take a photo (on film) of you and hang it on their wall if you go there enough times. That's easy enough to do, because the sushi is still very affordable here. Maybe not the most premium grade of fish and rice at play here, but neither does it embrace the cheapest. Still, mid-grade sushi is incredibly easy to develop a habit of eating, making us frequent fans of this menu, which is printed to resemble a newspaper with an anime fetish. The establishment is Thai-owned and shares a parking lot with a motel, which adds to its allure with random characters rolling through. Stick with the simple cut avocado-tuna rolls or spicy hamachi handrolls, or go crazy with their more mish-mashy stuff; you’re always guaranteed to have a good time and leave full at Oho Sushi Studio.

4917 CA-1 Long Beach, CA 90804

While Latinos have been drinking fresh-pressed juices long before the trendy cold-pressed chains of L.A. were charged exorbitant rents for the same privilege, the first cold-press juicer was supposedly invented right here in Long Beach. These two factoids dovetail at Vida Juice, one of those very old-school Latino-owned businesses specializing in juice. It’s the kind of low-key spot where you can make a quick pit-stop on a busy day when you forget to eat fruits or vegetables; one of their nutritious and unfiltered juices will quickly remedy that. Owned by a father-and-son team, it’s also the kind of place where you can pick up vegetarian empanadas and pre-made deli salads if you feel like chewing your vegetables instead. You’ll get bonus good human points if you bring your own mason jar for the juices.

3026 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

Tiki aficionados travel the world over to seek out different locales for getting mashed on a Mai Tai or zonked on a Zombie. Bamboo Club is one such glorious destination, with a stream of both locals and tourists arriving on a regular basis. Though they have an impressive repertoire of both tiki and original craft concoctions, they also have a very amenable roster of Southeast Asian and Polynesian-inspired bites. The imaginative menu consists of Thai tea-brined fried chicken sandwiches and spaghetti squash pad thai. The most critical things to order here, however, are their wings, which embrace a range of regional flavors. These include Laka wings, which are tossed in citrusy nuoc cham sauce; Ku wings, which add heat to the former; Lono wings, lacquered in a pineapple teriyaki sauce, and Pele wings, emanating intense heat from a wealth of bird's eye chilies.

3522 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

Carne en su jugo, Guadalajara’s hearty stew of shaved beef simmered in a bright tomatillo broth and topped with bacon, can all too often seem like a rarity around L.A. County. Cañada’s Grill is doing its part to minimize that deficiency. Here, the dish is hyper-savory, rib-sticking, and tastes as close to homemade as you can get anywhere in L.A. If you want something lighter, their bright green aguachile hits the spot on a sweltering day. For breakfast, their chilaquiles rojos are served with rice and beans, with the power to keep you going all day.

3721 E Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804

This New Orleans-inspired eatery is relatively new to the scene, serving comforting morsels that add a splash of chef-driven flair to NOLA classics such as gumbo, po’boys, frog legs, and fried bologna sandwiches. Another brainchild of Selva chef Carlos Jurado, Bar Envie straddles the line between casual and not-so-casual, allowing less of an auteur's approach to food than his other place. Yes, it’s pretty, but you still leave your meal feeling stuffed. The shrimp and grits are especially decadent, with the crustaceans coming sautéed among the holy trinity of onions, bell peppers, and celery. That gets set atop a bed of creamy cornmeal porridge and finished with housemade chili oil and a bacon crumble. Wash that down with a root beer float and your friends will be green with envie.

4000 E. Anaheim St. A1 Long Beach, CA 90804

Long Beach has a real blue collar, no-frills type of vibe, so you’re generally hard pressed to find this sort of fine dining concept, centered on a no-waste, farm-to-table kitchen. Heritage bucked all of the local trends, landing it both the first Michelin Star and Michelin Green Star in the city. Owners and siblings Phillip and Lauren Pretty curated a seasonal, no-modifications-allowed, pre-fixe menu with ingredients sourced from local farmer’s markets and their own Long Beach farm located. The current menu's offerings include grilled diver scallops with Dungeness crab and corn, and a natural Prime ribeye with short rib jam and black garlic pomme puree. If you’re looking to impress, this meal is not only meticulously presented, but demonstrates a very thorough exploration of flavor and ingredients.

2030 E. 7th St. Long Beach, CA 90804

LONG BEACH — It’s Long Beach Poly vs. Serra football week, and according to Poly coach Stephen Barbee it’s the best nonleague game of the year in Southern California.

“I truly look forward to this game,” said Barbee, who took over as Poly’s head coach in 2018. “Two great programs. The coaches and the kids know each other very well and it’s a great rivalry. It’s always a great game. It seems to bring out the best in us every single year, year in and year out. I’m glad to continue to have this game. I feel it’s the best nonleague matchup every single year in Southern California.”

Poly (2-1) will play at Serra (2-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Last season, Poly beat Serra 17-3 at Veterans Stadium with a strong running game and stout defensive effort holding the Cavaliers to 22 yards passing and 104 yards rushing.

However, Barbee is 2-4 overall against Serra since 2018 and the Jackrabbits have never beaten Serra on its home field in Gardena. Barbee said playing Serra is not necessarily a way to measure his team’s abilities, but is a great matchup between two quality programs that are on the cusp of being Division 1 playoff teams, according to the CalPreps rankings.

One of the Poly’s emerging players on defense is senior cornerback Michael Beresford (Eastern Washington commit), who transferred from Palos Verdes after his junior season.

“I’ve been preparing hard with my whole, entire team,” said Beresford. “My whole, entire team is ready to play Serra. It’s very much a different atmosphere being at a different school, at a bigger level, but I want to say me and my team are very much prepared. We were dialed in all week and I think we’re going to dominate Serra… Whoever wants it more is going to win that game.”

Beresford said he’s also looking forward to contributing on special teams against Serra as a returner.

“If we get our blocks right, I’m going to crib it,” said Beresford in reference to running back a kick or punt for a touchdown. “It’s a team thing. If one man does his job, everybody does their jobs, we’re going to score.”

In Beresford’s first game in a Poly uniform against Mission Viejo last week, he made the game-clinching interception as time expired in the fourth quarter.

“He’s an incredible talent,” said Barbee when asked about Beresford. “He’s playing DB for us. He was a big key to shutting down those very vaunted receivers from Mission Viejo. I feel he can match up with pretty much anybody one-on-one but he’s not just a one-trick pony in a sense. He’s able to be huge on the return, he got quite a few yards for us in the return game and honestly, he can play some wide receiver too. I’ve seen him in 7-on-7 do work on people. He’s honestly a great team player to have, somebody who is open to doing whatever the team needs and I’m very excited to see him play his senior year here.”

Poly is ranked No. 6 in the CIF-SS by CalPreps after last week’s 32-28 comeback win against Mission Viejo. Serra is ranked No. 11 by CalPreps, with wins against Cathedral and Warren and a Week 0 loss at No. 5-ranked Orange Lutheran (3-0).

Barbee offered three keys to success for his team against Serra: limit the production of Cavaliers running back Cincere Rhaney, who is averaging 9.2 yards per carry this season; prevent receiver Zacharyus Williams from making big plays; and win the turnover battle, which could be enough to swing the score in one team’s favor.

Meanwhile, even as a newcomer, Beresford believes the Poly team could be special this season.

“I think it’s about all the effort we put in,” said Beresford. “All the coaching we’ve received, and I think it’s really mental. We want to win. We know that we had a good year last year, but we know we lost our first game in the playoffs and we know we don’t want to lose the first game in the playoffs. Everybody’s just dialing and knowing we don’t want to lose in the first round of the playoffs and we want to go and win CIF and go even beyond that. That’s the goal we want to reach and we’re going to reach.”

Long Beach Poly football coach Stephen Barbee explains why he believes Poly vs. Serra is the best nonleague game of the year in Southern California. @CoachSBarbee also breaks down the matchup and shares 3 keys to success for @LBPoly_Football vs. @Serra__Football. pic.twitter.com/6iDqdSkG6s

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) September 7, 2023

Tropical Storm Hilary pummeled Los Angeles County over the weekend, see how many inches of rain Long Beach saw during the storm.

|Updated Mon, Aug 21, 2023 at 2:45 pm PT

LONG BEACH, CA — The first tropical storm to hit the county since 1939 pummeled Los Angeles over the weekend, breaking rainfall total records and straining utility systems.

Long Beach saw nearly nonstop rain over the weekend as Tropical Storm Hilary moved into Southern California, making way for drier skies ahead according to the National Weather Service. Over the last three days, Long Beach got a total of 2.62 inches of rain according to NWS.

Most of LA County’s coastline saw between two and four inches of rain over the last three days. The San Fernando Valley saw between three to four inches of rain while downtown LA saw just under three inches.

Mount Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains logged the most amount of rainfall in the last three days according to NWS with 8.56 inches fallen.

NWS reported that virtually all daily rainfall records were broken on Sunday. Even before the day concluded, NWS officials said August rainfall records were set in Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Find out what's happening in Long Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This recent storm brought a variety of dramatic weather conditions throughout the county, including a magnitude 5.1 earthquake that rattled much of LA. Residents of Catalina Island were also advised to evacuate as a precaution and were provided shelter in Long Beach, according to the city's Mayor Rex Richardson.

Many cities in the county experienced outages, with thousands of customers having been without power as systems were tested. On Sunday, nearly 18,000 Southern California Edison customers in Long Beach had their power cut due to storm complications, according to officials.

Following the downpour, Los Angeles County beaches were put under a health advisory as high levels of bacteria are expected for at least 72 hours after significant rainfall.

“Bacteria levels can increase significantly during and after rainstorms, as contaminants within the runoff enters the ocean,” according to the LA County Department of Public Health. “Elevated bacteria levels in ocean water may cause illness, especially in children and the elderly.”

Southern California is bracing for its first tropical storm in over 80 years as Hurricane Hilary moves toward the region, and Long Beach is expected to see flooding, high winds, heavy rains and increased swells.

Here’s everything you need to know about the storm and how to prepare.

When will Hurricane Hilary hit Southern California?

Forecasters are currently predicting the hurricane will make landfall in a sparsely populated area of the Baja peninsula in Mexico in the early morning hours of Sunday. While Hilary will likely still be categorized as a hurricane at that point, it’s expected to continue moving north, weakening in power as it goes.

The National Weather Service is forecasting that it will be downgraded to a tropical storm before it reaches California, which is expected to happen Sunday evening.

How will it impact Long Beach?

While Hilary won’t technically hit Southern California until Sunday evening, the entire region is expected to see rain as early as Saturday afternoon.

Long Beach specifically is expected to see showers and thunderstorms Saturday night. The National Weather Service is expecting a 40% chance of precipitation Saturday night, with 5 to 10 mph winds after midnight. On Saturday, the total amount of precipitation is expected to be less than a tenth of an inch.

On Sunday, Long Beach will see rain and possibly thunderstorms, according to the NWS, with wind gusts as high as 30 mph on Sunday night. Throughout the day, the city is expected to see about 3 inches of rain.

The storm is expected to clear up by 11 a.m. Monday, though showers and thunderstorms will still likely affect the Monday morning commute.

A flood watch will be in effect for Long Beach from 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday.

How can I prepare?

Residents of areas that have historically been prone to flooding can begin preparing now by sealing or using sandbags to protect low-lying areas.

Empty sandbags are available at all neighborhood fire stations in the city. Sandbags and sand to fill them are available at:

Residents can also pick up sandbags and sand at the Lifeguard Station located at 72nd Place and Ocean Boulevard at the end of the peninsula.

What can you do to prepare for #TropicalStormHilary? Look below for some action items #CAwx pic.twitter.com/q8UKSFHoVk

— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) August 19, 2023

NWS officials are encouraging everyone in the storm’s path to take common-sense safety measures such as staying off beaches, checking on vulnerable neighbors and securing loose items in case of high winds.

City officials have asked residents to follow @LongBeachCity on Twitter for updates or sign up for emergency text-message and email alerts here.

Bakersfield College coach R. Todd Littlejohn was so nervous and excited that he didn’t want to look at the scoreboard during the final minutes of his team’s game against Long Beach City College.

After a tremendous effort on both sides of the ball the Renegades were in position to defeat the Vikings and Littlejohn just wanted the clock to run out.

When it finally did, he was ecstatic. After a back-and-forth battle for four quarters BC edged Long Beach, 29-27, at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

“The clock couldn’t tick fast enough,” Littlejohn said. “…We persevered. We grew up. Last week so many young players, it was their first college and they learned very quicky it’s not an extension of high school. They were able to adjust from the speed of it from last week. We cleaned up some things.”

The announced crowd of 1,856 was treated to a thrilling game, featuring numerous big plays by both teams.

But it was the Renegades, who came up clutch when it mattered most.

Trailing 21-13 after Long Beach quarterback Will Madonna, the SCFA Week 1 Offensive Player of the Week, connected with a wide-open Oscar Willis for a 27-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, BC scored 16 unanswered points to take control.

The most decisive blow of the Renegades surge was an interception return for a touchdown by David Stevenson that gave BC a 29-21 advantage with 9:14 remaining in the game.

Just over a minute earlier the Renegades took their first lead of the night, 22-21, on a 19-yard field goal by Bradyn Ornelaz.

“That pick-six was huge because it was going back-and forth,” Littlejohn said. “…We were able to capitalize on that particular play and I think that was a huge turning point because now you saw the energy from the sidelines. You saw the body language and now guys are selling out even more.”

Losing by eight points but with plenty of time left, Madonna responded to Stevenson’s six-point thievery, by quickly marching the Vikings down the field with the help of two BC 15-yard penalties.

The eight-play, 87-yard drive ended with Madonna throwing a 20-yard TD pass to Jaquavion Caldwell.

Attempting to tie things up, Long Beach went for the two-point conversion but came up empty when Logan Bowers showed his tremendous athleticism, chasing down Madonna and sacking him.

After that, BC turned to its offensive line and power running tandem of Jalen Hankins and Jordan Norwood to grind away the final six minutes.

Hankins finished the game with 76 yards on 18 carries, while Norwood ran the ball for 71 yards.

The Renegades solid ground game helped open things for the passing of quarterback Carson Woods, who continually zipped strikes to his receivers the entire game.

Woods, who struggled at times during his Week 1 college debut against Golden West, looked much more comfortable directing the BC offense the second time around.

The Liberty High product completed 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards with two touchdowns and zero turnovers. He had only one incompletion during a wild first half that ended with Long Beach leading, 14-13.

“He’s just getting better,” Littlejohn said. “I know the competition with he and (second string quarterback) Joseph Campbell helps that.”

The Renegades defense appeared like it was going to be in for a long night after the Vikings high-powered offense scored a touchdown just three minutes and 38 seconds after receiving the opening kickoff.

However, after exchanging punts, Woods got the Renegades offense rolling and tied things on a three-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Hankins.

That combination struck again with a 10-yard TD connection late in the first half, that was set up by a 67-yard pass from Woods to Dominique D’Amato.

BC missed the ensuing PAT that would have tied the score.

That missed kick was the second miscue of the game by the Renegades special teams, which had a punt blocked and recovered in the end zone by Long Beach earlier in the second quarter.

BC’s stellar play on both offense and defense during the second half more than made up for the two first-half special teams mishaps.

“We were much more effective running the football tonight,” Littlejohn said. “Jalen Hankins and Jordan Norwood did a phenomenal job in that. Our O-line got great push and we were able to sustain drives more than we did last week.”

Madonna finished 17 of 35 for 218 yards and two touchdowns passing, a far cry from his state-high 440 yards and five touchdowns during the Vikings Week 1 game.

“I know our defensive coaches were a little frustrated at times because there were some blown coverages,” Littlejohn said. “There were some mistakes in leverage and things like that, but they rallied, and they stayed with it.”