It’s October and it’s a bajillion degrees, and I still can’t write about comfort food in Long Beach because apparently fall is on standby. Nobody I know wants ramen, soup, or any reason to turn on their oven. This is the in-between appetite: you’re hungry, but you refuse to put anything hot in your body. If you’ve been frantically Googling cold food in Long Beach, or you just want something refreshing that isn’t another smoothie, sit down. I did the homework. Ceviche in Long Beach, poke in Long Beach, Vietnamese food in Long Beach, and a very cold drink, all in one place.
The Big News: Brodard Comes to Long Beach
Let’s start here, because I have feelings about this one. Daniel and I used to make the trip down to Orange County for Brodard all the time, and the reason was always the spring rolls. They are next-level greatness. Now there’s one in Long Beach, which means I no longer have to plan an entire drive around a craving. Honestly, the best Vietnamese food in Long Beach just got a serious contender.
Brodard Address: 6480 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 100, Long Beach, CA 90803 (2nd & PCH, in the former Tocaya space) Hours: Opening date October 1; listed as open daily 11am–9pm Price: Spring rolls $7.95–$15.95 (grilled pork $7.95; grilled shrimp, steamed prawn, tofu and asparagus, and eggplant tempura $8.95; seared ahi tuna and coconut shrimp $14.95; ribeye and roasted duck $15.95); salads $19.95–$23.95; vermicelli bowls $20.95–$23.95
The one to order is the grilled pork spring rolls, the dish the original is famous for. If you want a full cold meal, the fresh shredded chicken salad ($19.95) and the grilled chicken vermicelli bowl ($20.95) are the hot-day moves, and there are vegetarian rolls too (tofu and asparagus, or eggplant tempura).
The story behind it is worth knowing. Brodard opened in 1996 in Orange County’s Little Saigon, started by husband-and-wife Thuong and Diane Dang, whose family had run a bakery in the coastal Vietnamese city of Nha Trang. After Thuong had a stroke around the time they opened, Diane took over running the restaurant. Nearly 30 years later, it’s a Southern California Vietnamese institution. Brand new and beloved usually means a wait, so go off-peak. You’re welcome.
More Vietnamese Food in Long Beach: Fresh Rolls and Cold Plates
Pho America Address: 1826 Pacific Ave, Long Beach, CA 90806 Hours: Dine-in daily 10am–9pm; takeout and delivery 10:30am–8:30pm Price: Fresh spring rolls (2) $11.50; vermicelli bowls $14.95–$15.75; salads $15.50–$19.50
A solid move for fresh rolls without the Brodard crowds. The spring rolls come two to an order, in shrimp and pork, shrimp, or grilled pork, beef, or chicken. They also do salads topped with grilled pork, chicken, shrimp, or steak. Prices are from their online menu, so they may shift.
Benley Vietnamese Kitchen Address: 8191 E Wardlow Rd, Long Beach, CA 90808 Hours: Monday–Saturday 11am to about 7:45pm; closed Sunday Price: Fresh spring rolls $16.95; pork rice vermicelli bowl (bun thit nuong) $20.50
A family-recipe spot on the east side of town. Order the lemongrass pork spring rolls or the pork rice vermicelli bowl, a light noodle bowl that works on blistering hot days like this. Prices are from their online menu.
Ceviche in Long Beach
Ruta 15 Ceviche Bar | Mexican Kitchen Address: 1436 E 7th St, Long Beach, CA 90813 Hours: Sunday–Thursday 11am–9pm; Friday and Saturday 9am–10pm; closed Wednesdays Price: Ceviches and aguachiles run about $16 to $31 on the online ordering menu; in-restaurant prices may be a bit lower
They serve traditional dishes and innovative ceviche, and they’re a go-to name on every Long Beach ceviche list. The menu includes shrimp or fish ceviche, shrimp aguachile in verde, rojo, or negro, tostadas, and cocteles.
Aji Peruvian Cuisine Address: 2308 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814 Hours: Monday–Thursday 5–9pm; Friday and Saturday 5–9:30pm; Sunday 12:30–3pm and 5–8:30pm. Happy hour Monday–Thursday 5–6:30pm. Price: Ceviches $23; causas $21–$23
The pick if you want your cold food with a little more ceremony. The Ceviche Mercado is the standout, just-spicy-enough, with sea bass, octopus, shrimp, fried yucca, and cancha (Peruvian corn nuts). The causas are chilled potato mash topped with things like Dungeness crab, shrimp, or spicy tuna, which is very much a hot-day food. Heads up: it’s dinner only on weekdays. Prices are from their online menu.
Northgate Market Address: 2120 Pacific Ave, Long Beach, CA 90806; 2038 E 10th St, Long Beach, CA 90804; 4700 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807 Hours: Daily 7am–10pm at all three Price: Sold by the pound. Fish ceviche about $11.54/lb; shrimp ceviche, shrimp and octopus, mango shrimp, and shrimp aguachile (verde or negro) about $13.64/lb; 5 lb fish ceviche party tray about $51.44; small shrimp cocktail about $10.49. Prices may differ in each store.
The move if you just want to grab some authentic ceviche and tortilla chips and go. Northgate’s ceviche bar has over 12 varieties of fresh seafood marinated in lime juice every day. The full variety is at the Pacific Ave and Cherry Ave stores. The smaller 10th St store has just the basics, fish or shrimp ceviche in standard personal sizes, which makes it the fast in-and-out neighborhood option. Call your closest store before you drive over, because selection can change. Don’t be the person who sweats through the parking lot for nothing.
Poke in Long Beach
Poke Kai Address: 6424 E Spring St, Long Beach, CA 90815 (Spring and Palo Verde) Hours: Monday–Saturday 11am–9pm; Sunday 12–8pm (some listings show earlier closing times, so confirm before you go) Price: Regular bowl (3 scoops) $19.75; large bowl (5 scoops) $22.75
One of my favorites. It’s a build-your-own setup where you choose salad or rice and pile on toppings like cucumber, edamame, jalapeño, and crab.
Poké2 Grill at The Hangar at LBX Address: 4150 McGowen St, #11, Long Beach, CA 90808 (Long Beach Exchange) Hours: Daily, roughly 11am–9pm; online ordering runs 11am–8:15pm. Price: Medium bowl (3 scoops) $15.50; large (4 scoops) $18.50; small bowl with crab $13.00
The other one I love, and it’s perfect if you’re already at LBX and your group can’t agree on what to eat together. It’s another build-your-own bowl spot where you pick your bases, proteins, and toppings.
Poke Pola Address: 5040 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803 (Belmont Shore) Hours: Daily 11am–9pm Price: Regular bowl around $20 per reviewers; delivery apps list $22.86 for a regular and $26.99 for a large
A good stop if you’re already on 2nd Street. It’s build-your-own, and reviewers rave about the thick-cut salmon. Parking on 2nd Street is its usual self, so give yourself time.
Poke Bar Address: 525 E 1st St, Long Beach, CA 90802 (downtown) Hours: Monday–Saturday, roughly 11:30am–8pm; listings differ on Sunday and exact times, so confirm before you go Price: Build-your-own bowls $14.95–$18.95; signature bowls $12.95–$13.95; grilled bowls $13.95–$14.95
A quick lunch option with build-your-own bowls and signature bowls like The O.G. Tuna and the Firecracker. They say they use fresh fish only.
What Food in Long Beach Are You Eating?
Hot weather doesn’t have to mean a sad desk salad. Between Brodard’s spring rolls, a ceviche tostada, and a poke bowl, there is plenty of cold food in Long Beach to get you through this heat. Save this one for the next heat wave, because there will be another one. There is always another one.
FAQs
What’s the best cold food in Long Beach? You have options. For cold food in Long Beach, I’m sending you to fresh spring rolls at Brodard, ceviche at Ruta 15 Ceviche Bar or Aji Peruvian Cuisine, and a poke bowl at Poke Kai or Poké2 Grill. Nobody has to turn on a stove.
Where can I get the best Vietnamese food in Long Beach when it’s hot? Brodard’s first Long Beach location at 2nd & PCH is the one everyone’s talking about, and yes, I’m one of them. It has an October 1 opening date and is famous for its grilled pork spring rolls. Pho America and Benley Vietnamese Kitchen are also great for fresh rolls and cold vermicelli bowls if you want to skip the line.
Where is Brodard in Long Beach? 6480 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite 100, at the 2nd & PCH shopping center, in the old Tocaya spot. It has an October 1 opening date and is listed as open daily 11am to 9pm. Go off-peak or bring snacks for the wait.
Where can I get the best ceviche in Long Beach? Ruta 15 Ceviche Bar (1436 E 7th St, closed Wednesdays, so don’t show up and blame me) and Aji Peruvian Cuisine (2308 E 4th St, dinner only on weekdays) are my top picks for ceviche in Long Beach. If you just want to grab some ceviche and tortilla chips on the way home, Northgate Market’s ceviche bar has you covered. Call your closest store first.
Where can I get poke in Long Beach? Poke in Long Beach is not hard to find. Poke Kai (6424 E Spring St) and Poké2 Grill at The Hangar at LBX are my personal favorites. Poke Plus (1422 W Willow St), Poke Pola in Belmont Shore, and Poke Bar downtown will also take care of you.
What should I eat when it’s too hot to cook in Long Beach? Go cold and fresh: spring rolls, vermicelli bowls, ceviche, poke. Every single one is on this list, and none of them require you to stand near a hot anything. Your air conditioner and I are proud of you.
What’s the cheapest cold food in Long Beach? Poke Plus on Willow is the budget pick for a poke bowl (call to confirm current prices). Poké2 Grill and Poke Bar also have bowls in the mid-teens.
