Mendocino Farms to open first Long Beach brick-and-mortar at LBX

Mendocino Farms, the beloved, chef-driven sandwich show, is finally opening a proper brick-and-mortar in Long Beach. Taking over the former Wahoo’s space at the Long Beach Exhange complex, it’s a welcome addition for not just East Long Beach. But also the local fans who’ve tired of their limited ghost kitchen concept inside Daisy Diner or have had to trek to El Segundo or Costa Mesa just to get their fix.

Wait—isn’t Mendocino Farms already in Long Beach? Yes and no.

Beginning in 2020, the brand launched its first-ever Long Beach location, “Mendo to Go.” It was a delivery- and pickup-only kitchen operating out of a shared commercial space at 1388 Daisy Ave. It’s part of what’s known as a cloud kitchen model: no tables, no counter service. Just a focused, streamlined setup for prepping and pushing out orders—whether you’re ordering through their app, website, or third-party delivery service.

This also meant limited access to what others normally experience at a Mendocino Farms—mainly, a consistently rotating menu of sandwiches, dine-in options, and a direct face-to-face hospitality experience.

So what is Mendocino Farms?

When husband-and-wife team Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen opened their first location on Bunker Hill in DTLA in 2005, the goal was simple but ambitious—to take the fast-casual lunch staple and rethink it with a chef’s mindset and a farmer’s ethics.

The name “Mendocino” nods to the agricultural region in Northern California, a place known for small farms, sustainable practices, and a slow-food approach. While the restaurant wasn’t founded in Mendocino County itself, the brand borrowed that identity as its north star. And this meant emphasizing fresh, seasonal ingredients, partnerships with local purveyors, an ethos rooted in transparency and care…

From day one, Mendocino Farms positioned itself as a different kind of sandwich shop. Instead of deli standards, the menu offered dishes like the “Not So Fried” chicken sandwich, filled with shaved roasted chicken breast and housemade krispies; or the “Vegan Banh Mi,” a plant-forward take that even won over meat-eaters.

Mendocino Farms has quickly grown. (And, yes, they are owned by the company that owns Panda Express.)

Its growth was steady but strategic. As popularity grew, so did investor interest. In 2010, Whole Foods Market partnered with the brand to bring in-store Mendocino Farms locations. That same year marked the company’s first real move outside Downtown LA. In 2015, private equity firm TPG Growth acquired a significant stake, setting the table for national expansion. Then in 2019, the company sold a majority stake to Panda Restaurant Group—the parent company of Panda Express—securing the capital and infrastructure needed to scale.

Mendocino Farms will be located at 4201 McGowen St. inside Suite 205. No opening date has been advertised.