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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.
Poly Burgers officially moves; original building demolitioned
Poly Burgers has faced significant change in the past two weeks: Earlier this year, it vacated its flagship location at the southeast corner of Atlantic and New York in order to move into the newer part of the property’s updated retail complex at 1434 Atlantic Ave. Unlike its former sister‚ Babette’s Bakery—which closed after 30-plus years of service not re-signing their contract with the landlord—Poly’s decided to stay within the development, taking on a newer space while giving up its older one.
Speak Cheezy has a fully decked-out Super Bowl menu, including par-baked pizzas
Speak Cheezy has a Super Bowl menu that you can pre-order from—from baby Sicilian-style pies to wings—and it also includes par-baked pizzas that you can take home, throw in the oven at 500 degrees, and get the closest thing to a fresh pie you can probably get at home on game day. Par-bake orders will be taken until Friday, Feb. 5 at noon.
El Barrio Cantina’s $40 rotisserie chicken dinner is a slam-dunk for families
This is the insanely valuable $40 whole rotisserie from El Barrio Cantina—and it can easily feed a family of four. Chef Uli—one of the most cognizant chefs when it comes to understanding many folks don’t have much money to spend on going out lately—has been experimenting with his newly minted roaster and the result is amazing. Comes with the whole chicken, flour tortillas, salsa verde, a toum-like garlic sauce, corn salad, balck beans, and potato salad. Just obsessed.
Chef Uli will have “a few on hand each night.”
Panda Express to move into former Gold’s Gym/Chuck E Cheese space in DTLB
As the massive Portico complex continues its development—it broke ground this month after demolishing a huge portion of the former City Place retail development—the remaining businesses on the north side of 4th Street will also have to look for new homes as developer JPI plans to demolish their spaces to make way for the second portion of its development.
Panda Express will be moving across the street to the former Gold’s Gym/Chuck E Cheese space, which operators Mosaic have portioned out into smaller parcels. Its new address will be 290 E. 4th St.
Taking over former Smog City space inside Steelfcraft, Drink Off Duty’s grand opening is Saturday, Feb. 7
After opening in the Bellflower Steelcraft location in 2024, beer bar brand Drink Off Duty has taken over the former Smog City space at Steelcraft in Bixby Knolls. Their grand opening will take place this Saturday, Feb. 7. Check out their tap list here.
Waldo’s Pizza and Hamburgers Nice team up again for collaboration
Following their wildly popular collaboration at Due Fiori last year, Waldo Stout of Waldo’s Pizza and Jairo Bogarín of Hamburgers Nice will be partnering up again. This time, they’ll be at Daniel Munoz’s Everywhere Brewery in Orange (who also happens to be opening an Everywhere taproom on 4th Street in Long Beach).
Holey Grail abruptly closes on 2nd Street following piling back rent
With a notice that back rent was due, Holey Grail has abruptly shuttered its doors in Belmont Shore. Opening in June of 2024 to much fanfare, the Hawai’i-based taro donut concept that was born out of a food truck came with much applause Stateside. It joined a slew of other sweet shops that opened and closed with the same speed: There’s La Macaron, which closed late last year and is being replaced by a concept called Espresso Bar. Republic of Pie opened and shuttered in less than a year, only to be happily replaced with The Second Owl. Meanwhile, longtime staples like Frosted—which celebrated 20 years—and Sweet Jill’s are doing perfectly fine.
ICYMI: With new winter menu, Tokyo Noir proves why it is one of Long Beach’s best bars
Tokyo Noir is one of the spaces taking Long Beach’s cocktail scene to another level. Like Baby Gee, lead barman Kevin Lee’s obsession with melding the esoteric and accessible via libations in a Japanese-inspired speakeasy is something worth applauding. Him and his team—like Jacob Campbell in the feature photo—are a tightly coordinated ship. And their winter offerings only compound that.
For the full feature, click here.
ICYMI: Ají Peruvian Cuisine in Long Beach celebrates 12 years as a purveyor of Peruvian flavors
As our food scene continues its renaissance and evolves, I always try to support and uplift the OGs that helped make that happen. After 12 years of serving 4th Street, Ají Peruvian Cuisine is a legacy space that deserves that spotlight. Come Feb. 10, they’ll be hosting a formal party with live music, food specials—don’t skip the corn croquettes—and all around good vibes.
For the full feature, click here.
ICYMI: Long Beach pioneer Milana’s New York Pizzeria offers $16 pies to celebrate 16 years
One of our finest pizzerias is having their Sweet Sicteen—and come Feb. 19, they’ll be offering whole cheese pies for just $16. For those that don’t know Milana’s, understand one thing: they helped usher in our city’s pizza renaissance.
