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Long Beach Food Scene Intel is a series from Brian Addison that will recap food news throughout the city, both news that needs just a quick mention or repeated news where you might have missed the full features.
Baby Gee owners take over former Shady Grove/Restauration space for trattoria concept
Baby Gee owners Daniel Flores and Gianna Johns have had a little something up their sleeves for the past few months. They have formally taken over the former Shady Grove Foods space. (Shady Grove was set to close in January of 2024, then to have some hopeful talks with Mayor Rex Richardson, only to eventually permanently shutter in February.)
The concept? Dubbed Due Fiori (or “Two Flowers”), the space will be a trattoria: Think traditional Italian, lotsa wine and beer, neighborhood vibe. Given they live down the street, Daniel’s experience at the lauded Bestia, Gianna’s own Italian heritage, and the pair’s masterful propelling of Baby Gee as a drinking institution, this one is definitely going to create some hype.
Speaking of Baby Gee: Their happy hour returns (hot dogs included)
If you missed the launch of Baby Gee’s happy hour last year, fear not: It is back. The beloved bar will host a Monday-through-Friday happy hour from 5PM to 7PM each day. The offerings? 1/2 price bottles of wine, $10 cocktail specials, $4 hot dogs (which are awesome), and more.
Mexican concept from owners of Green Olive, Ancestros, to open Sep. 11
The owners of The Green Olive space on Long Beach Boulevard in Bixby Knolls will open their Mexican concept, Ancestros, on Wednesday, Sep. 11. The concept was first unveiled when the owners did a bit of guerilla marketing by handing out free tortas from their Green Olive space back in April. They took over the former Pan space at 3550 Long Beach Blvd., which was vacated last year so the Pan could re-open in the former Bebe’s Diner.
And yes, the inaugural menu includes those very tortas, along with your other Mexican staple varietals: aguachile, esquites, queso fundido, mole, carne asada… The weekly hours of operation will be: Mondays through Wednesdays 10AM to 8:30PM; Thursdays through Saturdays from 9AM to 9PM; and Sundays from 9AM to 8PM.
Remember Cielo at The Sky Room? They formally announced their return under the name ‘Halo’
Though we already knew about the food and bar concepts at the upcoming Fairmont Breakers hotel in DTLB back in April—including Halo, which is replacing what was known as Cielo at The Sky Room—it was a cute announcement that formally brought forth the idea. Per Facebook, the much-loved space—popular for its tacos, breathtaking views, and club atmosphere above The Sky Room—said it will officially be called Halo.
Unlike Cielo, however, the entirety of the rooftop will be accessible from the space—and with it, unquestionably hold the title of the city’s most gorgeous bar-with-a-view.
Axiom BBQ is now taking applications for its third BBQ festival iteration
For those that might have missed its staggeringly quick transformation, the annual Long Beach BBQ Festival—headed by overall awesome humans Qiana and Ian Mafnas of Axiom BBQ—went from a few vendors its first year to a full-blown, thousands-of-attendees event at Shoreline Aquatic Park. There were local players like Brother’s Keeper (which also happened to win Kevin Bludso’s barbecue competition earlier this year) and Big Brian’s Meats, along with upcoming players like Full Send BBQ. It’s unquestionably Long Beach’s ultimate barbecue event.
With only 30 spots for vendors at 2025’s event, set to take place over two days on May 31 and June 1, planning already needs to start for the festival. To apply as a vendor, click here.
ICYMI: Underrated Long Beach restaurants—2024 Edition
My favorite list of the year is here: Long Beach’s underrated restaurants of 2024. As with last year’s list, I am trying to include places that have never been on the list previously.
Huge shout-out to Broken Spirits Distillery for supporting my work and this list. Read, share, eat well, be kind.
Click here for the full listicle.
ICYMI: LB Taco Co. to permanently close in DTLB; for-the-‘Gram Madres Brunch to move in
The Long Beach Taco Company has been purportedly bought by Madres Brunch, an Insta-centric breakfast and brunch destination with five locations across SoCal. As to when the changeover will formally happen is up in the air…
