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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, is developing, or repeated news where you might have missed the full features.
Lazy Dough officially takes over former Seabirds space on 4th Street
Leaving a huge gap in both the 4th Street and citywide vegan options when it closed its doors in August of 2024, Seabirds has now been formally replaced by Lazy Dough, which hosted a preview of their fusion-centric menu. While jobs for their bakery side—which heavily focused on pastries in the job description—have been formally deactivated, the food seems to be a wide array of offerings, from spring rolls and egg rolls to breakfast burritos and salad and ceviche.
Asian-centric bowl chain Azn to take over former Crab Shack Express in DTLB; now hiring
Growing chain Azn—an Asian-centric bowl place that allows various types of bowls to be customized—will be taking over the Crab Shack Express space that closed on The Promenade at 3rd Street last year. Not to be confused with the much more Google-able name of “Pagoda,” the fast-casual bowl spot from P.F. Chang’s, Azn has slowly exploded across the past year with locations mainly in Georgia.
Olive & Rose abruptly closes bagel concept in DTLB
While folks initially lined up for its bagel offerings—including a much-hyped and controversial $100 bagel slathered in a gloriously greenish layer of caviar—owners Chef Philip Pretty and Lauren Pretty have shuttered the concept. The restaurant itself has expanded, despite the loss of its head bartender, Noah Friedman (who returned to his former bartending space at Baby Gee): The French-Californian restaurant has debuted lunch on Mar. 19. It is served Tuesdays through Saturdays weekly from noon to 4PM.
Shlap Muan and I Luv Ur Buns collaborate for Cambodian Heritage Month
One of the season’s most heartwarming collaborations is officially being offered at Steelcraft in Bixby Knolls. On one hand, chicken wing-slash-Cambodian legend that is Hawk Tea of Shlap Muan. And, on the other, queer-and-Cambodian bao master Sonya Suon of I Luv Ur Buns. Together, they have created the “Shlap Muan Bao,” to be served at I Luv Ur Buns’s Bixby Knolls space at Steelcraft. This will only be available for the first half of April when, after, Sonya reveals her next Cambodian-on-Cambodian collab.
Coffee Drunk continues expansion—and this time, it’s into Phoenix
What do we love? To hear a Long Beach brand reach ever more heights with their presence. Coffee Drunk, which opened its first location just west of 4th Street and Temple Avenue in late 2020, has since quickly expanded. Owners Breezy and Matthew Church opened a second location in Cal Heights at the northeast corner of Wardlow Road and Myrtle Avenue, just east of the Meat & Vino shop. And then they opened a Bixby Knolls location as well.
And now? They are expanding into Phoenix.
Tap24 Bar & Grill closes in East Long Beach
Tap24—East Long Beach’s attempt mid-pandemic to create a true gastropub in the Traffic Circle area with a focus on craft beer—has permanently shuttered. It follows the (much more liked) Marketplace Grill, which gave the neighborhood a sense of lighter, more California-centric offerings, and the (wildly but lovingly gaudy) Frisco’s before that.
Auld Dubliner to open at 7AM across entirety of Grand Prix weekend
Nothing more rise’n’shine than the smell of some whiskey at 7AM. The Auld Dubliner has got you covered should you be covering the Grand Prix area during this weekend’s upcoming festivities.
ICYMI: The essential Long Beach pizza list
Ah, yes, that ever debatable essential Long Beach pizza list. It’s been updated. And yes, I know the ones I left off already. Have a look here.
ICYMI: After decades, Central American staple La Ceiba shutters its doors in Long Beach
La Ceiba, the Long Beach restaurant that has blended Honduran and Salvadoran food at different locations across decades, has formally shuttered its doors.
Click here for the full article.
ICYMI: Yes, there’s a free disco party aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach (costume contest included)
After hundreds boogied on down last year aboard the Queen Mary in true disco (and funk and 90s R&B) fashion, Longbeachize and Visit Long Beach are again partnering up to provide a night for Long Beach denizens aboard the Queen Mary. The free disco’n’funk party inside the ship’s famed Art Deco masterpiece that is the Observation Bar will be on Thursday, April 10 from 8PM to 11PM.
