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Long Beach Food Scene Intel is a series from Brian Addison that will recap food news throughout the city. This is news that needs just a quick mention, is developing, or repeated news where you might have missed the full features.
Philz Coffee introduces fall menu
Philz Coffee has unveiled its 2025 Fall menu, each to be showcased at its Belmont Shore and Bixby Knolls locations. Two drinks are highlighted:
- Caramel Banana Brew is new to the menu, made with Philz’s Mission Cold Brew, almond milk, rich banana caramel sauce made with banana puree, and topped caramel.
- Spiced Vanilla Soul is a returning drink, crafted with Philz’s flagship Philtered Soul Cold Brew, Ghirardelli vanilla sauce, spiced oat milk, and finished with cinnamon.
Instead of playing into the Pumpkin Drink Game, they’ve added pumpkin bread as pastry offering, along with a Kouign Amann, and raspberry danishes. (NorCal stores, mind you, will be getting a much more drool-worthy pecan pie Kouign Amann.)
IDOWU Afro-Caribbean Market opens on Broadway
IDOWU Afro-Caribbean Market has officially at 1246 E. Broadway in the Gayborhood, offering a variety of goods ranging from canned mackerel and palm oil to frozen Jamaican patties and DG Genuine Kola.
Nick the Greek celebrates National Gyro Month with steak gyro
For National Gyro Month, massive chain Nick the Greek—whose Long Beach location took over Theofanis Pietris’s former Pietris bakery back in 2023—is introducing the Steak Pita, a craveable modern twist on the classic gyro.
The wrap features skewered steak layered with Roma tomatoes, red onions, tzatziki, French fries, and a dash of paprika, all wrapped in pita bread.
Beachwood Distilling reveals patio in Bixby Knolls
Beachwood Distilling—which unveiled its updated, wonderfully wide-reaching cocktail program—has also unveiled its newly minted, wonderfully wide-reaching patio that allows a little escape from the cavernous space should you seek some sun.
Dutch Bros. coming to Carson
Dutch Bros. Coffee will be opening in Carson, a first for the Oregon-based cofee chain. It will open at 20377 Avalon Blvd. in the former Pizza Hut space.
Founded in 1992 by brothers Dane and Travis Boersma in Grants Pass, Oregon, began as a pushcart operation serving espresso drinks along the railroad tracks of their hometown. Rooted in a culture of friendliness and community connection, the company quickly grew into a regional powerhouse, establishing its home base in Grants Pass while fostering a distinct brand identity built around speed, energy, and a loyal following. Over the years, Dutch Bros. expanded aggressively throughout the West, eventually making a significant push into California, where its colorful drive-thru stands and signature sweet, high-energy drinks gained a cult-like fan base. Today, the company continues to scale rapidly across the state, blending its Oregon roots with California’s vibrant coffee culture, and has grown into one of the largest privately held drive-thru coffee chains in the country.
Seoulicious opening Sept. 2 in DTLB
Taking over the former Flame Broiler across from the courthouse, little is known about Seoulicious, as little has been noted on social media, and their website offers no menu, just a mention of another location near Disneyland. Here’s what they shared when first scoring the space in Long Beach: “We’re serving up authentic Korean BBQ and island-inspired dishes made with care, consistency, and full-on flavor. From Seoul to Hawaii and straight to your table—our menu is all about great food, good vibes, and unforgettable meals.”
Auld Dubliner’s Friday Flight Night returns with Irish stand-out Dingle
I’ve long extolled on the wonders of The Auld Dubliner’s monthly Friday Night Flight series. For years now, publican and all-around good human David Copley has given mini lectures on whiskey distilleries from around the world. With it, you get three pours of the mighty liquid, a small bite to pair with each, and the eloquence and charm of Mr. Copley himself, who will educate you on the distillery’s history and the nuances between each pour.
And this one? It’s highlighting a trio of some of my favorite Irish water, the seasonal trio of Dingle Distillery. Go.
End-of-summer night market at Partake Collective on Sept. 19
Celebrate the end of summer—LBC-style. Join Partake Collective for an evening full of good vibes, amazing local vendors, delicious food, music, and fun for the whole family on Friday, Sept. 19 from 5PM to 9PM. Free Long Beach tote bag for the first 25 RSVP’d guests—first come, first serve—courtesy of Street Threads. Free ice cream sandwiches for kids while supplies last.
El Super has 99-cent Taco Tuesday special weekly
Those still looking for that one-dollar taco special on Tuesdays have a place to go: El Super grocer in DTLB now offers a variety of tacos—from buche and carnitas to pastor and pollo—for just 99 cents.
Pasta making classes at Italian Homemade Company announced for October
The Italian Homemade Company—an underrated gem at 2nd & PCH—have announced their October pasta making classes on Oct. 2, 9, and 16. For availability, click here.
Chef GianMarco Cosmi—the brother of Mattia Cosmi, who founded in the company in San Francisco in 2014—has been nothing but a steward for both 2nd & PCH and the fifth location of Italian Homemade itself, offering up stellar pasta and the city’s best versions of piadina—the yeast-less flatbread that creates some amazing sandwiches—and cassone—the Northern Italian stuffed flatbread staple, which is like piadine but thinner.
Long Beach Pride to host Tacos’N’Beer 5K
Culture, community, and not-sostraight-up celebration are the heart of the Tacos N’ Beer 5K Festival, which hits Long Beach’s Marina Green Park on Sunday, Sept. 7,, with an 8AM kickoff.
Whether you walk, jog, sprint, or dance your way through the 3.1-mile oceanfront course, you’ll be cheered on by live mariachi, DJs, and plenty of energy along the way. Cross the finish line and you’re rewarded with two tacos, a cold beer if you’re 21+, plus a medal and event T-shirt to mark the occasion. The party keeps rolling with an after-fest full of family games, costume contests, and awards for the fastest finishers. Entry runs $64.99 (plus fees)—with a $5 discount using code LBPRIDE—and prices go up soon. Marina Green Park, 500 East Shoreline Drive, is the place to be.
ICYMI: Steelhead Coffee (with Salud Juices attached) to take over former Viento y Agua space in Long Beach
Big news: Steelhead Coffee will expand its mini caffeinated empire as it partners with Salud Juices (who will have its own bar area) to take over the former Viento y Agua space in Belmont Heights. With three existing locations—their flagship in Cal Heights; its second location at Steelcraft in Bixby Knolls; and their third on Broadway at Redondo—the brand is honord to be stepping into a long-running coffee space.
For the full feature, click here.
ICYMI: Panamanian staple Caribbean Soul Kitchen LA to take over Taco Beach space in Downtown Long Beach
This makes me so damn happy, Long Beach.
Panamanian staple Caribbean Soul Kitchen LA is heading south to open a new, larger location in Downtown Long Beach. They will take over a 3,000-square-foot space at 211 Pine Ave., in the former Taco Beach space. The new restaurant will seat nearly 150 people and, if all goes according to plan, open its doors by December.
For the full feature, click here.
ICYMI: Liv’s to close in Belmont Shore; searches for new Long Beach home as lease nears end
Major bummer: Liv’s—the massively underrated seafood space in Belmont Shore—will be closing up shop as its lease nears an end on 2nd Street. It also means Our Spot Coffee, the incredible coffee pop-up that has had a residency at Liv’s since May of this year, will be looking for a new home.
The decision from owner and chef Rob White comes because it “simply makes sense right now. We’ve been searching for more spacious places across the city to move the concept to… Frankly put, I just don’t think we’re giving people the experience that I’ve always envisioned for that concept.”
