California's Shopping Hotspot Is A Walkable Long Beach Neighborhood Jam-Packed With Good Eats And Trendy Stores

If you didn't hear it already from The Dove Shack or Sublime, Long Beach is one of those California cities that isn't just an area code, but an entire identity. Contrasting the posh ambiance and expensive price tag that comes with visiting other coastal Los Angeles cities, Long Beach persists as a grungier, less crowded, and certainly more affordable West Coast beach town. There's pride in the LBC (Long Beach City) lifestyle, and every corner of this sprawling city, with its more than 50 distinct neighborhoods, has its own way of expressing it. One neighborhood known for its walkable streets, excellent eats, and trendy boutiques is Bixby Knolls, a historic community in Uptown Long Beach, not far from the Long Beach Airport.

The origins of this neighborhood date back as far as the 1840's with the Bixby family, their home, Los Cerritos Ranch House, and the surrounding rancho, which would eventually form the foundation for Bixby Knolls and many other nearby neighborhoods. The district stepped into its uptown identity in the 1940's and 50's, with Long Beach residents flocking to Bixby Knolls for the trendiest restaurants, shopping, and sightseeing amongst some of the largest "old money" homes in the city. While Bixby Knolls' popularity has waned in decades since, recent efforts at revitalization have paid off. The introduction of a First Friday Art Walk in 2008 reestablished Bixby Knolls as a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood with interesting eateries and contemporary boutiques. Today, First Fridays continues to be one of the most popular neighborhood events in the LBC.

If you find yourself in Long Beach on the first Friday of the month, the Art Walk is not to be missed. However, don't worry if the stars don't align. A cold beer, a nice slice, and some good shopping can be found in Bixby Knolls any day of the week.

Atlantic Avenue is the main artery of Bixby Knolls and its famous First Fridays Art Walk. It's no surprise then that here is where you'll find some of the best eats in town. Locals love Thunderbolt Pizza, which serves up creative pies like "We Be Jamming!" with fig jam and smoked bacon, and "NYC White" with a classic ricotta-garlic-cracked black pepper combo. With additional gluten-free and vegan options, plus pizza by the slice (and by the sandwich roll!), this place truly does it all. 

With all that delicious dough, you'll need something to wash it down. Fortunately, Bixby Knolls has the highest concentration of brewpubs in all of Long Beach, per the city's tourism board, which has dubbed this neighborhood "Brewery Knolls" for this very reason. Around the corner from Thunderbolt, you'll find Ambitious Ales (one of my personal favorites, as a former resident of Long Beach's eclectic Arts District) and Rasselbock Kitchen & Beer Garden. Beachwood Brewing is also a couple of blocks down the road and serves as an LBC mainstay for good beer and occasional live music. Finally, you can't go wrong with SteelCraft, which is just a few blocks off Atlantic Ave, and not only serves up Smog City beers on tap, but functions as an industrial food hall for unique eats, coffee, and dessert, too. 

Beyond pizza and beer, you'll find all sorts of other diverse food options around Bixby. This Reddit thread full of local recommendations suggests Jongewaard's for superb diner food and baked goods, Nonna Mercato for Italian, and Sushi Nikkei. Another local spot I'd add is Ramen Hub & Sushi, which serves up affordable, mouthwateringly good ramen and simple sushi rolls. It's a casual choice I'd return to regularly while living in the LBC. Finally, if you don't mind venturing 10 minutes down the road, the LBX Long Beach Exchange is an awesome industrial food hall conveniently located around the corner from America's coolest airport. 

Once again, Atlantic Ave is where you'll want to look for most of the neighborhood's best locally owned storefronts and boutiques. Check out AndyLiz, a well-loved boutique with a 4.6-star rating on Google Reviews. For thrifting, pop into Edgar & James, a longstanding Bixby staple with unique finds. Finally, stop by Giltcomplex Antiques for a collection of 17th- to 20th-century treasures.

Speaking of stepping back in time, you can actually visit Rancho Los Cerritos, the estate the Bixbys called home back in the 1800s. This historic site, located on indigenous Gabrielino/Tongva land, represents multiple cultural intersections in California's timeline. You can visit, free of charge, five days a week (though it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays). Be sure to also check out the Long Beach Historical Society Museum, which chronicles Long Beach's historical and cultural past, present, and future. For more interesting history, walkable streets, and local eats, head next door to Signal Hill next.