Wood & Salt—restaurateur Björn Risse’s California-centric Bixby Knolls gem that served as a sister to his first Long Beach restaurant, Rasselbock—will host its last day of service on Sunday, April 19. It marks the most devastating closure of 2026 thus far, as Wood & Salt—along with staples like Sushi Nikkei and Nonna Mercato—uplifted the Bixby Knolls food scene in ways previously unseen.
“It is with a heavy heart, yet overwhelming gratitude, that we announce Wood & Salt Tavern will be closing its doors,” Björn wrote on the space’s social media. “Over the past six years, this space has become so much more than just a tavern. It has been a gathering place filled with laughter, countless shared plates, celebratory drinks, and unforgettable memories.”
Wood & Salt redefined food for Bixby Knolls. While Lola’s brought the idea of a proper bar to the space, Wood & Salt took it to new levels both culinarily and cocktail-wise. In short, it really introduced Bixby Knolls to true, Californian bistro food, where farmers’ markets determined dishes and a love for handmade pastas, proteins over wood-fire grills, and plenty of heart.
The origins of Wood & Salt…
“We moved here four years ago, and we love this neighborhood,” Björn told me when he was about to open in August of 2020. “There are people walking, the schools are great, the community is great. But as far as food goes, we know what we’re missing. We have great ramen [at HiroNori], great Mexican [at Lola’s], great pizza [at Dutch’s], but we really don’t have great, modern Californian cuisine.”
Think handmade pastas. Plenty of open-flame cooking. And a
It was easy to immediately grasp what Björn was seeking. Long before the rightfully loved Nonna Mercato down the road and future spaces like Marlena in Naples and Bar Becky over in East Long Beach, it was solely Ellie’s that really represented the contemporary Californian cuisine ideal.
A look through some of the food that has been a stand-out at the space…
Across multiple chefs, perhaps no two influenced the space more than its first, Chef Brian Lavin, and its last, Chef Albert Lopez. Surely, Chef Phillip Mack—who headed the kitchen beginning in 2023—proved with his frutti di mare squid-ink fettuccine that pasta can be sexy. But Chef Brian and Albert really defined the space.
Chef Brian set the tone: n’duja-stuffed fried olives that were wondrous salt bombs. Potato gnocchi made with Tehachapi rye with smoked chicken and kale that melded the earthy with the smoky. Tagliatelle short with a short rib ragù that was magical…
And then you have Chef Albert, easily one of our strongest rising stars, who I felt was destined to take Wood & Salt toward new heights. Echoing the pizazz of Chef Jason Witzl, his flavors were unabashedly bold and perfectly fused with the core of the space.
Take his spectacularly created fire-roasted chicken. Drying it above the burning timber of Wood & Salt—dehydrating the sky so that it can satisfyingly crisp up to a Peking duck-like texture—this Cantonese-inspired dish was one of the most stellar fowl dishes in the city. Marinated in a Calabrian chile vinaigrette before being finished over the fire, it is then layered atop an astoundingly acidic mustard aioli—so bright it almost had a beurre blanc quality to it. Drizzled with Calabrian chile oil that has hints of burnt lemon, it is a wonderful example of Chef Albert’s ability to simply go bold.
How Gabriel Ducharme created Bixby Knolls’s best bar program…
Another one of Wood & Salt’s biggest losses will be its head cocktail concoctionist, Gabriel Ducharme. In a neighborhood bereft of proper bars—even EJ Malloy’s is attached to a restaurant—Wood & Salt and Gabriel lef. Like the neighboring Lola’s and its former bar head Erik Rios-Wentzky, it was Gabriel who showcased what sophisticated, elevated drink programs look like in the neighborhood.
His cocktail dinners? Spectacular. His cocktails? Never failed.
Gabriel—the man who has often touted himself as “a People’s Bartender more than a Mixologist’s Bartender”—was perfect for slowly pushing Bixby’s boundaries but also assuring that, first and foremost, they stay in business. Approachable, elegant, and classy, his cocktails reflect the neighborhood as much as his style.
Whether it was a cocktail for Long Beach Last Call or a pairing for a dinner, Gabriel became the epicenter of craft cocktail culture in Bixby Knolls.
One last hurrah at Wood & Salt…
“We are incredibly grateful for each and every one of you who walked through our doors and made this dream a reality. We will truly miss seeing your familiar faces and sharing in your lives,” Björn’s post on Instagram continued.
“Before we turn the lights off one final time, we would love nothing more than to see you. Please come visit us for one last meal, a final toast, and a chance for us to say a proper goodbye. Let’s celebrate the beautiful community we’ve built together. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
Wood & Salt Tavern is located in Bixby Knolls at 4262 Atlantic Ave.
