The Best of Long Beach—

Where to Eat at the Long Beach Airport

The beautiful and convenient passenger concourse at the Long Beach Airport (4100 Donald Douglas Dr) is a big part of why people from across Southern California choose to fly LGB.

Built in 2012 and featuring 100% local concessions, the concourse won awards in the years immediately after its opening, including Best U.S. Airport for Dining in a USA Today/10Best.com Readers’ Choice poll. Here’s our guide to the local restaurants you can try at the nation’s coolest airport.

FIRESIDE DRINKS & BITES

Fancy a glass of wine by the airport’s fire pits? 4th Street Vine Beer & Wine Bar, the first stop on your right as you enter the concourse, brings a taste of Retro Row to Long Beach Airport. The wine bar’s namesake now goes by the name Vine (2142 E 4th St), and the airport location offers beer, wine, cocktails, and a menu of small plates. The fire pits are located in the open-air atrium–which also features a garden–and are the perfect way to relax before your flight.

FRESH INGREDIENTS, FAMILY RECIPES

Many locals have a story about dining at George’s Greek Cafe (5316 E 2nd St), where George Loizides himself would often greet arriving diners with a big hug. The family still owns the location on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore where you’ll often find George’s daughter Nicky welcoming guests with similar warmth and hospitality. At the airport, George’s Greek is a walk-up location serving gyros, spanakopita, salads, and kebab platters.

BUILD A BURGER

Build your own custom burger and pair it with chili, fries, or onion rings at Long Beach Burger Bar by McKenna’s. Turkey and veggie burgers are available alongside traditional beef patties, as are chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and chicken fingers. The restaurant’s name harkens back to McKenna’s on the Bay, an Alamitos Bay eatery that closed more than a decade ago but lives on at the airport.

LONG BEACH IS TACO BEACH

What better cuisine to be met with on arriving in Southern California than Mexican food? Taco Beach (2099 Bellflower Blvd) has been a casual Mexican eatery on Long Beach’s east side since 1998. The Long Beach Airport location can set you up with a breakfast burrito in the morning or spicy margarita in the afternoon. With the game on the TVs behind the bar and friendly bartenders, you may just hope your flight is delayed.

COFFEE AND A SWEET TREAT

The Long Beach Airport knows that weary travelers are often focused on a single priority after they come through security: coffee. Fortunately, Sheldrake Coffee Roasting is available at two locations in the airport, one on either side of the concourse. Both spots are attached to a Sweet Jill’s Bakery satellite, where you can pick up a morning pastry or one of their signature cinnamon rolls. The original businesses are both located on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, Sheldrake’s (4606 E 2nd St) having opened there in the late 1970s and Sweet Jill’s (5001 E 2nd St) a staple on 2nd since 1987.

DINE BEFORE YOU FLY

For those interested in a setting most similar to a dine-in restaurant, The Boathouse at LGB is your best bet. The original, Boathouse on the Bay (190 N Marina Dr), is a cornerstone of Long Beach dining. The airport location offers a capsule version of the restaurant’s menu, including seafood and shareable appetizers. Choose a seat at the bar known for its friendly service or find a table on the open-air patio and watch as planes come and go.

For a map of the concourse and more details about shopping and dining options at Long Beach Airport, visit the LGB website.

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.

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