Belmont Shore’s Stroll & Savor is a steadfast Long Beach tradition—and it begins its summer run on Wednesday, June 18 and Thursday, June 19 from 5:30PM to 9PM nightly. Following that, the annual event will be hosted on the third Wednesday and Thursday of each month: July 16 and 17 as well as August 20 and 21.
What began as a small community gathering to support local restaurants and retailers has become one of Belmont Shore’s most beloved traditions. Stroll & Savor is a two-night culinary crawl that turns Second Street into a walking food festival.
For those that don’t know, here’s what Stroll & Savor is all about.
The origins of Stroll & Savor trace back to the early 1990s. Then, the Belmont Shore Business Association was looking for creative ways to create foot traffic during slower months. Inspired by the rising popularity of “bite nights” in other parts of SoCal, they envisioned an event that would not only spotlight the neighborhood’s growing restaurant scene but also give locals a reason to wander and linger—hence, the “stroll” and the “savor.”
Held monthly during summer (typically June through August), the format is simple and wildly effective. From long-standing favorites like Shannons and George’s on 2nd to newer eateries and dessert shops—this year’s event includes newer spaces like The Win~dow, Ribbro, Oakberry, Northern Cafe, and L’Antica—the event offers an easy taste of Belmont Shore’s culinary range. And it’s not just restaurants—local businesses also join in, offering retail specials, giveaways, and community engagement.
How it works and what to expect.
Guests purchase booklets of tasting tickets and meander 2nd Street at their own pace, exchanging tickets for bite-sized portions, desserts, and drinks from participating vendors. A booklet of 12 tickets costs $15 this year. $15.00 Samples range from one ticket for a mini cupcake to seven tickets for a poke bowl, while the average tickets needed for samples is four. You’re looking at decent bowls of pasta from Domenico’s for roughly $5 and three pieces of sushi from Sushi Nikkei for $6. If you buy two packets, you’ll have a ton of food for $30.
Don’t skip the simple but legendary tri-tip sandwich from Shannon’s, a served-only-at-Stroll-&-Savor staple.
If there is one thing not to skip—even if solely to seep in Long Beach nostalgia—it is the tri-tip sandwich from Shannon’s Bayshore. Served since 1995, this is one you will find a perpetual line at for good reason. Three slices of marinated-overnight tri-tip, some garlic aioli, au jus, and a super soft sourdough roll. It’s a Stroll & Savor legend—and for good reason.
“It all began on a family camping trip,” said Riley Hodges of Shannon’s. “On the way to the campsite, my dad came across someone grilling tri-tip over an open flame barbecue. And it smelled so good. When we got back home my dad created his own marinade. He combined it with tri-tip to soak in overnight. The following morning, he grilled the meat over our barbecue, sliced it up, and served on a sourdough roll. He created a garlic aioli for spread. Added some of the au jus to go with it. And voila: Shannon’s Bayshore Tri-Tip was born. The secret is in the marinade. It’s been a hit ever since it was created, and gives our sandwiches such juicy flavor.”
Stroll & Savor is more than just the bites.
But Stroll & Savor has never been just about the food; it’s also about supporting Belmont Shore as a whole through reinvesting back into businesses, be it restaurants or retail or otherwise. For longtime Shore residents, it’s a reunion. For newcomers, it’s a way to explore. Families, couples, solo wanderers—all come out to enjoy the summer evenings, live music, street performances, and the kind of small-town energy that Belmont Shore still manages to hold onto.
Over the decades, the event has grown in scale but not in ego. It’s still grassroots, still community-run, and still one of the most accessible food events in the city—no VIP wristbands or exclusive lounges here, just good bites and good vibes under the Long Beach sky. Now in its proud third decade, Stroll & Savor remains a rightful seasonal, communal staple.
Even more, it’s a reminder that sometimes the best things in a city aren’t locked behind gates or fences or mass ticketing sites, but found walking down a well-loved street with food in hand and neighbors by your side. It is a way to connect with business owners, whom you will find often being the ones serving everyone.
Stroll & Savor takes place on Wednesday, June 18, and Thursday, June 18, from 5:30PM to 9PM on the 2nd Street stretch between Livingston Dr. and Bay Shore Avenue. For more information, click here.
