The Best of Long Beach—

Explore Long Beach’s Zaferia Neighborhood

Long Beach’s next trending neighborhood to explore is Zaferia, which offers some of the city’s most interesting restaurants, historic pubs, and fun things to do, from live theater to baseball.

This district centers around Anaheim Street and you can see it all during regular Via Zaferia! events when the entire district is activated with family friendly activities and a free shuttle. Or go for date night with some fun craft cocktails at Port City Tavern with a show at the Long Beach Playhouse, or see the Long Beach Coast play at Blair Field followed by schooners of beer at Joe Jost’s.

BARS & BREWERIES

Visitors to Zaferia can follow an epic pub crawl through the neighborhood, starting at Long Beach’s oldest bar, Joe Jost’s (2803 E Anaheim St). Do as the locals do and order a frosty schooner of beer with pickled eggs on the side. Next is Long Beach Beer Lab (4000 E Anaheim St), where experiments with fermentation result in both delicious beer and bread. Enjoy your craft brews with freshly made pizza and pinball. Finally, sail into Port City Tavern (4306 E Anaheim St), a nautically themed bar with cocktails named after local landmarks and history like the Horny Corner and Sprucey Goosey.

RESTAURANTS

You can spend a whole day (if not several) eating your way through Zaferia. Start your day with coffee and a pastry at Hey Brother Baker (3929 E Anaheim St). Or head to The Sconeage Bakery (4339 E Anaheim St) for a freshly baked scone or granola. Looking for a bigger breakfast? The cinnamon banana French toast or a Cowboy Omelet at The Crooked Duck (5096 E Pacific Coast Hwy) are delicious options. For lunch, it’s tacos at Guisados (1201 Redondo Ave) or Vietnamese cuisine at Pho Hong Phat (3243 E Anaheim St). Stop in for a glass of wine or two at Buvons Wine (1145-1147 Loma Ave), or linger on the patio for dinner. Restaurant options for dinner include Selva (4137 E Anaheim St), a highly rated local favorite serving dishes inspired by Colombian cuisine, and Chiang Rai (3832 E Anaheim St), a Michelin-recognized eatery serving Thai street food. One of the best spots to end the night is The Bamboo Club (3522 E Anaheim St), a tiki bar with a full menu of tropical and Asian-inspired dishes and live music on weekends.

LONG BEACH PLAYHOUSE

Established in 1929 as the first performing arts organization in the city, the Long Beach Playhouse (5021 E Anaheim St) is a staple of entertainment in Zaferia. Larger shows including musicals are staged from September to June on the Mainstage, including an annual production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and smaller more offbeat plays are put up in the Studio Theatre, including an annual New Works Festival. During the summer, acting, singing, and dance workshops are available for both adults and youth, as well as internships in costuming.

RECREATION PARK BANDSHELL

Just outside the Zaferia boundary, the Recreation Park Bandshell (701-939 Federation Dr) hosts free concerts in the park and theater productions throughout the summer months. The Shell was dedicated in 1929 and is one of the city’s few Spanish Revival-style public structures. Events include an annual High School Battle of the Bands Contest, the Long Beach Bluegrass Festival, and a seven-week series of concerts called Summer at the Shell. For theater lovers, Shakespeare by the Sea usually opens their season here in June. Dates are available here. There is ample bench seating accommodating an audience of up to 600, but you can also bring a picnic and spread out on the grass.

BASEBALL AT BLAIR FIELD

Make a day of it and catch a baseball game at nearby Blair Field (4700 Deukmejian Dr)! The Dirtbags, CSULB’s baseball team, plays here, and so does the Long Beach Coast, who also go by the alter ego, The Regulators, inspired by the team’s part owner Warren G. This Pioneer League team had its inaugural game at Blair Field in June 2026 and made the playoffs in its first season! Game days feature local concessions like craft beer from Trademark Brewing, loaded Regulator Dogs, and theme nights with community groups and nonprofits, plus tons of Long Beach pride.

Author

Claire Atkinson

Claire Atkinson is a Southern California native who has lived in Long Beach for over 20 years. She spends her free time visiting local parks, farmers markets, and museums, and loves learning about Long Beach history and culture.