CITY GUIDES | CALIFORNIA

Where to Eat in Long Beach: From Michelin Stars to Strip Mall Secrets

By Mei Chen | Aug. 3, 2026

Heritage

AUTHOR BIO: Mei Chen has worked for nearly a dozen start-ups in as many years, taking her to several West Coast cities. While she’s sure her current day job is permanent, she also has her eye on Carmel.

I spent years living in Long Beach, and if I’m being completely honest, a part of my heart never really moved out. It was an era defined by ocean air, leafy Craftsman-lined streets, and a dining scene so effortlessly diverse that picking a spot for dinner felt like choosing your own adventure.

These days, living elsewhere in Southern California means making peace with highway gridlock, but I will willingly, almost eagerly, brave soul-crushing cross-town traffic on the 405 just to cross city lines.

Sometimes it’s a nostalgic pilgrimage back to my old comfort-food haunts, often it’s a direct beeline to Cambodia Town for a steaming, fragrant bowl of kuy teav that instantly resets my sanity, and more and more, it's to pull up a chair at the wave of ambitious, uncompromising new spots pushing the city's boundaries. Long Beach has never tried to emulate LA or OC—it has always comfortably done its own thing, and right now, it’s eating better than ever.

Whether you’re a long-time local or just looking for a reason to cross the bridge, here are 12 essential Long Beach restaurants worth fighting traffic for.

Ammatolí

$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Chef Dima Habibeh’s Levantine kitchen in Downtown Long Beach doesn't dilute its regional roots to cater to the uninitiated. Instead, fiery sumac, bright pomegranate molasses, and smoky charred eggplant anchor a menu that draws lines straight back to Jordan and Palestine. Between the towering rotisserie shawarma and freshly puffed pita baked in plain sight, the airy, sun-lit space feels less like a suburban dining room and more like a coastal Mediterranean crossroads.

Best for: Unapologetic, spice-forward Levantine feasts

The Attic

$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Set inside a 1920s craftsman home on Broadway, this neighborhood staple transforms southern-leaning comfort food into an art form without losing its relaxed porch-side soul. Chef Arturo McLeod turns out indulgent dishes like slow-braised short rib, shrimp and grits, and their famous Cheeto-crusted mac and cheese that shouldn't work as well as it does. The dog-friendly patio fills up fast on weekends, buzzing with locals nursing fiery Bloody Marys under the shade trees.

Best for: Indulgent weekend brunches and porch-side Long Beach energy

Chiang Rai

$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

In an unpretentious strip mall on Anaheim Street, Chiang Rai earned its Michelin Bib Gourmand by serving northern Thai specialties you won't find on standard neighborhood menus. Chef Anek "A&J" Chai runs a dual-kitchen operation, slinging traditional Thai staples alongside a "Local Foods" menu from his hometown. I usually go for the fiery khao soi and herbaceous sai oua pork sausage. The dining room is colorful, eccentric, and unapologetic about its spice levels, offering zero hand-holding for sensitive palates.

Best for: Uncompromising, heat-packing northern Thai soul food

Gusto Bread

$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

What started as a home-cottage operation run by Arturo Enciso and Ana Belén Salatino has grown into one of Southern California's most celebrated artisan bakeries. Enciso uses organic, nixtamalized heirloom corn, wild fermentation, and a wood-fired oven to craft baked goods rooted in panadería traditions. The line often winds out the door for their crusty sourdoughs, masa cookies, and flaky pan dulce, all served in a warm, wood-accented space that smells perpetually of toasted grain and oak smoke.

Best for: Wood-fired heritage-grain pastries and sourdough

Heritage

$$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Housed in a converted Craftsman home in Rose Park, brothers Chef Philip Pretty and Lauren Pretty run Long Beach’s only Michelin-starred establishment—and one of its most zero-waste conscious. The six-course tasting menu changes constantly, built almost entirely around organic produce harvested from their own farm just a few blocks away. I’m forever a fan of the vibe, which avoids high-end stuffiness, offering an intimate, residential dining room where precision farm-to-table cooking meets neighborhood charm.

Best for: Farm-driven Michelin-starred tasting menus

Homareya

$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

This low-key izakaya offers a genuine slice of Japanese drinking and dining culture without any flashy theatrics. The kitchen focuses on comforting, unpretentious small plates—think crispy karaage, delicate yakitori, simmering pots of nabe, and impeccably fresh sashimi paired with an extensive sake list. With its dim, cozy interior and steady stream of regulars, it’s the kind of neighborhood hideaway that feels like a well-kept secret.

Best for: Late-night sake and intimate izakaya small plates

La Parolaccia Osteria

$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Founded by the Beccagutti family back in 2006, this rowdy Belmont Shore fixture brings the noise, warmth, and unapologetic richness of a true Roman trattoria. The kitchen crafts house-made pastas from scratch daily, sending out steaming plates of rich carbonara, pillowy gnocchi, and thin-crust Roman-style pizzas. The dining room is tightly packed and perpetually loud, fueled by flowing Italian wines and a neighborhood energy that I always think of as delightfully unscripted.

Best for: Rowdy Roman pasta nights

Olive & Rose

$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Occupying a sun-drenched space inside the historic Broadlind Hotel building, this chic European-style bistro serves as the casual, vibrant counterpart to sibling-concept Heritage. Chef Philip Pretty brings his same commitment to local ingredients here, translating them into approachable, high-flavor plates like dry-aged burgers, steak frites, and fresh oysters on the half shell. The mid-century modern aesthetic and leafy patio make it an effortless all-day stop for a cocktail and a casual bite.

Best for: Breezy patio dining and elevated bistro classics

Phnom Penh Noodle Shack

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Operating since 1985, this family-owned fixture in Cambodia Town is the undisputed beating heart of Long Beach's Cambodian culinary scene. Started by the Tan family, the kitchen specializes in kuy teav—a deeply fragrant rice noodle soup rich with pork broth, herbs, and tender cuts of meat. The atmosphere is loud, fast-paced, and utterly unpretentious, drawing generations of locals who line up early for a steaming bowl and crisp dough sticks for dipping.

Best for: Legendary Cambodian noodle soups

Selva

$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Located in the Broadway Corridor, Chef Carlos Jurado channels his Panamanian roots and classical training into an energetic Colombian and pan-Latin smokehouse. The kitchen centers around a wood-fired grill, turning out charred skirt steak with bright chimichurri, smoky whole fish, and crisp empanadas alongside tropical cocktails. The space is moody, dark-wooded, and pulsing with music, which feels to me less like a fancified restaurant and more like a neighborhood house party.

Best for: Wood-fired Latin smokehouse plates

Sky Room

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Perched atop the newly restored, historic Fairmont Breakers hotel, this legendary rooftop landmark brings high-altitude glamour back to the Long Beach waterfront. The kitchen turns out refined coastal American plates and classic chops, but the real reason I go is the panoramic 360-degree views stretching across the harbor and out toward Catalina Island. Art Deco detail, white-glove service, and soaring night vistas make it the city's best spot for dramatic nights out.

Best for: Harbor views and high-altitude celebrations

Sushi Nikkei

$$$$ | MAP | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM

Founded by Chef Daiwa Ito, this modest Bixby Knolls storefront delivers an electric take on Nikkei cuisine, the century-old fusion of Japanese sushi techniques and vibrant Peruvian ingredients. Traditional nigiri is elevated with touches of ají amarillo, tangy leche de tigre, seared wagyu, and charred rocoto peppers. It's a small, minimalist room where the focus remains entirely on the inventive, acid-bright flavor combinations landing on your plate.

Best for: Electric Peruvian-Japanese sushi fusion