Foodologie, Maria Leyesa’s vibrant bake shop just off the maindrag of 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, is doing its largest menu expansion in years thanks to a new array of drinks.
“It’s really about wanting to expand beyond cookies and brownies to give customers a full experience,” Maria said. “We’ve been taste testing the past few days with customers and they’ve loved it. So we’re ready to hard launch into our first, full-fledged drink menu.”
She’d long been a matcha drinker, preferring it over coffee for its gentler energy and lower anxiety. For years, customers would ask for coffee, but Maria hesitated. In her mind (and the minds of many others), “coffee” meant a full espresso setup: Water connection. Counter space. An entire rearrangement of her tiny bakery. And that is something, simply put, she didn’t have the space or plumbing for.
That changed when friends who run a coffee shop in Mississippi introduced her to Amigo Coffee Roasters. And the idea of working with cold brew instead. It clicked: Cold brew required no espresso machine or water hook-up, and could still deliver a rich, craft-quality beverage.
The crafting of the drink menu at Foodologie.
Maria Leyesa approached Foodologie’s new drink program the same way she does her desserts. With curiosity. Care. And an eye for balance: nothing too sweet, nothing too bland. She began with coffee, sourcing cold brew from Amigos Coffee Roasters, a small-batch company that not only provides the beans but also the matcha, which is single-sourced from Kyoto. The cold brew comes in familiar and inventive forms alike: a simple pour with cold foam, a churro-inspired version dusted in cinnamon sweetness, and a smooth vanilla “latte” style blend.
For tea lovers, Maria turned to Offshore Tea Co., a Long Beach–based purveyor known for its high-quality teas—specifically their Hōjicha. A deeply earthy, roasted Japanese green tea that offers a nutty, caramel depth, it is perfect for pairing with Foodologie’s cookies and brownies.
Still, it’s Maria’s Filipino roots that give the drink menu its most distinctive touch. Drawing inspiration from the coconut water–based drinks trending in cafés across Southern California, she infused her creations with Filipino flavors like pandan and ube, blending them with coconut water and matcha cold foam.
“Everyone’s doing matcha or some type of coffee-alternative like coconut water,” she said, “but pandan takes it to another level.”
The result is a menu that feels both familiar and new—playful, customizable, and deeply personal, much like the sweets that built Foodologie’s name.
How did Foodologie start?
In Belmont Shore, Long Beach, Foodologie has emerged as a vibrant new bakery founded by Maria Leyesa, a first‐generation Filipino-American whose journey into baking began amid the pandemic. Leyesa, formerly an occupational therapist, started posting her experimental cookie and brownie creations on Instagram in 2020, and what began as a passion project quickly gained momentum. Her signature menu blends Americana and Filipino influences, with staples like classic chocolate chip cookies alongside ube brownies and the whimsical “Ubedoodle.”
By mid-2023, Leyesa moved beyond her home kitchen and pop-up operations to open a physical shop at 195 Claremont Ave. Using social media as a way to both document the process and garner an even bigger following, Foodologie soon became a staple in the community As demand grew, Leyesa extended her reach by stocking her baked goods in over 25 local shops—and she now runs a small team of employees to meet the increasing order volume.
Today, Foodologie stands as more than just a bakery—it’s a reflection of Leyesa’s dual heritage, entrepreneurial spirit, and creative leap into a new chapter. In Long Beach’s growing scene of Filipino-American cuisine, it holds a special place, drawing both loyal locals and curious visitors who come for the fresh bakes, inventive flavors, and the story that flavors every bite. And now, every sip.
Foodologie is located at 195 Claremont Ave.
