Chianina steakhouse to permanently close; Michael’s on Naples closed indefinitely

As the pandemic continues to surge throughout Los Angeles County, taking in record numbers of new cases and hospital patients, the restaurant industry continues to navigate rough waters that have caused many to sink. For the Michael Restaurant Group, co-owner and son of founder Michael Dene Carl said the pair had to face “two extremely tough decisions:” To close Michael’s on Naples Ristorante indefinitely and to permanently close their steakhouse Chianina.

Chianina steakhous’s closure brings heartbreak and an end to part of Long Beach’s most acclaimed dining spots.

“We’d like to thank all our loyal customers that have supported us over the years and we look forward to serving you once again after the governor lefts our closures and curfew—our rooftop and parklet are ready as soon as we get a green light,” Michael said. “Unfortunately, the surrounding counties are open for outside dining as well as modified indoor dining, leading to much success for some restaurants as they fight to survive—and we operate very safely and look forward to the day when we too can open as well.”

Chianina—the third undertaking of restauranteur Dene, founder of Michael’s on Naples and the now-shuttered Michael’s Pizzera—marked two trajectories for Long Beach food scene. One, it represented an unapologetic return to the classic steakhouse, honoring the space formerly held by Kelly’s Steakhouse (Long Beach’s longest-running, all-beef eatery); the Italian steakhouse showcases straight-forward, high-end beef with nothing more than salt’n’pepper as seasoning. Then, on the other hand, Chianina took a huge leap toward the era of ethical eating, where waste is not tolerated and ingredients are sourced as close to home as possible, to maintain sustainability.

On top of this, it was the sole place in the world outside of Italy proper where one could have a piece of Chianina beef, the prized Italian bovine thanks to a relationship with an Oregon rancher cultivated by Dene.

Not only did the restaurant have a much-loved, albeit disorganized butchery at Coronado and Anaheim to assure that all ingredients—including the beef of its cherished Chianina cattle being raised in Utah—are consumed, but manager Alejandro Duran led a team that genuinely elevated the city’s culinary pedigree.

Michael’s on Naples will likely continue—just until when is the question.

The closure of these two specific restaurants marks an end—well, one partial, one permanent—to significant junctures in the Long Beach food scene: Michael’s on Naples at its peak was one of the large reasons food lovers began to stretch their existence below the 10 after it was named by Zagat as one of the best restaurants in the region across multiple years.

Following the success of the Naples space, they opened a tiny pizzeria—also recognized by Zagat—that was met with much popularity but not nearly the fanfare of Chianina. A return to the classic steakhouse, Chianina eschewed the communal feeding grounds that was the trend and opted for hyper-exclusive, intimate food—exclusive to the extent that it was the only restaurant space in the nation that served its namesake beef: the Chianina bovine, an Italian staple that is the epicenter of the famed bistecca alla fiorentina plate.

The permanent closure of Chianina and the partial close of their Naples space does not mean the curtain closure for their two other food spaces, Micheal’s Downtown and Michael’s Pizzeria.

“The small pizzeria and downtown will remain open,” Carl said. “But an operation like Michael’s in Naples is too big for the small numbers that were happening and through take-out.”

The last day for take-out service from Michael’s on Naples will be on January 9.