Welcome to Foodie Friday, our biweekly report on the latest neighborhood nosh and local libation news in Long Beach, where every other week we’ll feature what’s happening in the scene and the latest buzz in the blogosphere about the best places to eat, drink and be merry.
Those with a sweet tooth should know that the last day to order tickets online for The Sweet Experience, a dessert expo presented by Dean Bernard Events is this Saturday. Local dessert and pastry chefs will be slinging free samples of their sugary product on Sunday at The Renaissance Long Beach Hotel at 111 East Ocean Boulevard. It’ll be a family-friendly event, with cookie decorating, games and raffles throughout the day. Click the link here for tickets.
Saturday is the last day of Dine Out Long Beach Restaurant Week 2.0. If you’re having some trouble selecting an eatery to try, check out the Long Beach Post’s staff picks. Some restaurants are even pet friendly.
@TheThickshake is officially open as a tenant of The Streets in DTLB. Just waiting for warmer weather now! @LongBeachPost pic.twitter.com/irVgxeWy2r
— Asia Morris (@hugelandmass) February 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/TheAsiaMorris/status/967138256469897216
The first Thick Shake Factory in the U.S. celebrated its official grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony last week. In attendance were franchise owners Chaitanya Madala and Sumanth Vydana, Managing Member of Shooshani Developers and Owners of The Streets Tony Shooshani and Economic Development Manager at Downtown Long Beach Alliance Adam Carrillo.
With a line out the door, Do Good Donuts opened to eager customers on Wednesday, marking the official soft opening of the mini donutry now located across the street from Restauration at 2707 East 4th Street. The soft opening will continue Saturday and Sunday 8:00AM to 8:00PM, with the shop closed Monday.
Chipotle Announces Opening Date for New Downtown Long Beach Location
The new Chipotle Mexican Grill in downtown Long Beach will open on Thursday, March 8, a spokesperson told the Post this week. The restaurant will be located at 245 Pine Avenue, Suite 190.
“We’re always looking for great communities where we can open new restaurants, and the downtown Long Beach area seemed like a great fit,” said Chipotle’s PR and Communications Manager, Quinn Kelsey.
Mother’s Market to Celebrate Signal Hill Grand Opening, Pie Bar Opens a Second Location in Glendale
Phyllis and Neal Strawder of Bigmista’s Barbecue have closed Bigmista’s Morning Wood, according to LongBeachize, due to issues with parking and making enough to sustain the business, but not much else. Although serving barbecue for breakfast to a number of regulars from the neighborhood was a rewarding experience, the two are closing up shop for now in hopes of being able to expand on the concept in the future.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYejd2pFFkD/
In other husband-and-wife-team news, Los Angeles residents Ilana and Sterling Steffens are making progress with their 20,000-square-foot space next to The Packard, set to open as Trademark Brewing, Eater LA reported. Made in small batches, Trademark offers bitter, dry-hopped IPAs to coffee-dark stouts and porters, according to the website.
The company announced their decision to set up operations at 233 East Anaheim Street last year, and with the building permits secured just this week, the brewery can start making major progress in becoming part of the city’s quickly growing craft scene.
Photo from Paradise Bar & Restaurant.
Eater LA also reported that Long Beach’s iconic Paradise Bar and Restaurant will close in April, with the announcement that the Alamitos Beach gay bar was, according to LongBeachize, purchased by the owners of Black, a bar in LA near the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Eater LA states the gay piano bar scene of greater Los Angeles has been struggling to stay afloat for years.
Paradise is asking patrons to share photos, videos and memories of the great times had there, with a note that any posts on the Facebook event may be used for the Farewell Thank You Party later in March.