{"id":475,"date":"2018-09-29T12:33:14","date_gmt":"2018-09-29T19:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/?p=999920316"},"modified":"2020-09-17T19:45:30","modified_gmt":"2020-09-18T02:45:30","slug":"long-beach-breakfast-burrito-crawl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/food\/long-beach-breakfast-burrito-crawl","title":{"rendered":"The great Long Beach breakfast burrito crawl on 4th Street"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fan of listicles? Click here for our archive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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4th Street is, unbeknownst to some, a breakfast burrito mecca that spans from a taqueria-wrapped-up-in-a-tortilla to American to vegan, from Ximeno all the way to Elm\u2014and for any Long Beacher, this treasure of a morning meal is essential to daily living and therefore makes this list essential to know.<\/p>\n

While I am certainly not suggesting that crawl is possible\u2014maybe if there are 10 of you and you all take a bite or two as you go along\u2014there has to be more recognition that one of Long Beach’s greatest stretches of road is also home to a plethora of any self-respecting Southern Californian’s favorite breakfast food (including the city’s best breakfast burrito).<\/p>\n

Let’s begin from the west and head east to discover over 10 of Long Beach’s breakfast burritos…<\/p>\n

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\"Berlin
Berlin Bistro’s breakfast burrito. Courtesy of Berlin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Berlin Bistro (420 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Berlin Bistro, when it simultaneously opened with Fingerprints back in 2010, altered the neighborhood in the best way possible: By bringing folks to the sidewalks of a struggling East Village.<\/p>\n

Now with sidewalk dining, the joint still has its classic breakfast burrito with egg, avocado, cheese, and potato. (Feel free to add bacon.)<\/p>\n

If you stop in for weekend brunch, you can score breakfast burritos stuffed with house-cured ham, avocado, eggs, havarti cheese, sour cream, and hash browns.<\/p>\n

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\"Tito's
Tito’s Bakery on 4th Street in Long Beach offers some of the city’s best burritos. Here, their chile verde [left] and chicharrones [right] burritos. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Tito’s Bakery on 4th (1107 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here, Long Beach, is the home of the best breakfast burrito in town (and made my inaugural list of the most underrated joints in the city<\/a>\u2014though I think Long Beach has officially discovered this diamond in the rough). Nope, this isn’t your heavy-cheese-and-egg concoction that borders the American palate preference but this is a hot-damned\u00a0taqueria rolled into a tortilla for $6.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the few places that isn\u2019t afraid of refried beans, one gets a slather of those delicious kernels of protein (and surely lard, considering how smooth and delectable they are) paired with potatoes, eggs, onions, cilantro, and your choice of chorizo, chicharrones, bacon (chopped fresh and cooked right there\u2014not precooked for days beforehand so specifically request crispy if that\u2019s your preference), shredded beef, or chicken (though the pollo is not listed).<\/p>\n

Wrapped, tossed into a small paper bag with a grilled jalape\u00f1o and your choice of red or green salsa\u2014get both, FYI\u2014this is the kind of breakfast burrito that by its end will be soaked, hard to hold, and bring a sense of sadness when the last bite is consumed. But that\u2019s okay, because you can always order another if you dare\u2014or you can just go full beached-whale status and have some pan dulce.<\/p>\n

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\"Hole
Hole Mole’s breakfast burrito. Courtesy of Yelp!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hol\u00e9 Mol\u00e9 (1327 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Pauline Loto<\/em><\/p>\n

I’ve said it over and I’ll say it again: Whatever you want to say about the chain, one thing remains true: Hol\u00e9 Mol\u00e9 is a staple for Long Beachers\u2014mostly for their amazingly cheap prices and late hours, particularly for patrons of the surrounding dive bars which happily satisfy our thirst. Their Obispo (right off 4th) location has even begun serving brunch, y’all, complete with mimosas.<\/p>\n

And for $3.99\u2014FYI: you can also turn it into a bowl, torta or quesadilla\u2014and at ten different options, Hol\u00e9 Mol\u00e9 is an absolute score. Take their KISS burrito, pictured above: standing for “Keep It Simple, Se\u00f1or,” this breakfast burrito comes with a choice of meat, eggs, and cheese. Voila. You can do classics like ABC or steak\u2019n\u2019egg or machaca. Or you can go a little bit more explorative by getting the Toluca (eggs, chorizo, spinach, pico de gallo, avocado and cheese) or the Vegi (spinach, mushrooms, anaheim chile, pico de gallo, ranchero sauce, avocado, and cheese).<\/p>\n

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\"Jerry's
Jerry’s chorizo breakfast burrito. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jerry\u2019s Place (1537 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Tony passed in 2012, Tony’s Breakfast Place had a hole left in it\u2014but its new owners decided, rather than carrying the weight of a legacy they felt they couldn’t uphold, re-branded the tiny breakfast joint into what is now known as Jerry\u2019s Place.<\/p>\n

Enjoy the patio, complete with a Ron Swanson painted into the mural and judging you, and enjoy what I’ve said is you straight-up, no-accoutrements breakfast burrito. You have your standard choice of meats, including chorizo, stuffed with a hefty pile of hash browns, paired with a couple of eggs and cheese. Boom. And the housemade salsas\u2014roja and verde, of course\u2014are almost equally delicious but I lean towards the verde, which has a hint of haba\u00f1ero and makes the world a better place.<\/p>\n

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\"The
The Pike’s breakfast burrito. Photo by Mimi Masher.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Pike (1836 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Mimi Masher<\/em><\/p>\n

Let’s just be frank: the Pike Bar & Grill is both a Long Beach icon and legend, serving up what many consider some of the best bar food in the city along with a vibrant atmosphere that is throughly unique to its space.<\/p>\n

But on that menu, hidden in a corner, is a weekend breakfast special: Mimi’s Favorite Breakfast Burrito. Named after self-proclaimed burrito connoisseur and all around Long Beach lover Mimi Masher, this masterful burrito keeps it classic: bacon, eggs, potatoes, cheese and pico de gallo.<\/p>\n

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\"Portfolio
Portfolio Coffeehouse. Courtesy of Portfolio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Portfolio Coffeehouse (2300 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This Long Beach house of caffeination, about to hit three decades serving Retro Row hipsters and punks and everyone in between, has long had a classic breakfast burrito\u2014filled with eggs, Jack cheese, cilantro, tomatoes, and roasted bell peppers\u2014that its patrons are openly addicted to.<\/p>\n

And while we are sad that\u00a0the coffeehouse’s introduction of Wild Chive on the weekends<\/a> once brought what is arguably the city’s best vegan burrito, dubbed the Grilled Burrizo, to Retro Row, we are equally as happy that the success of the vegan brunch affair has made the move to its larger location<\/a> at MADE by Millworks in DTLB. (And they now have a weekly dinner<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

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\"Golden
Golden Burgers in Long Beach.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Golden Burger (2301 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo by Brian Addison<\/em><\/p>\n

I, admittedly, typically go to Golden Burger for two things: chili cheese pastrami fries with a side of hot yellow peppers or the bacon cheeseburger because I want to sulk in food with no care for arteries.<\/p>\n

Like other staple Long Beach diners\u2014Louis Burgers (home to the city’s best chili cheese fries), Douglas Burgers, and the sort, the kinda joints that somehow all have the sorta-same menu\u2014Golden Burger is nostalgic, seeped with history and proof that any of these locally owned greasy spoons are ten times better than IHOP.<\/p>\n

Their breakfast burrito is classic and solid: filled with a ton of hash browns, chorizo, eggs and cheese, its closest comparison would be Jerry\u2019s.<\/p>\n

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MVP’s Grill & Patio (2742 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Shillelagh announced they were leaving their longtime home next door to dive staple O’Connell’s, we were sad\u2014but when we also heard that MVP’s would be moving from their home westerly on 4th (now home to underrated grub hub Prime), we were once again happy.<\/p>\n

And they brought something new with them: The almighty three-egg breakfast burrito. Eight of them to be precise. \u00a0Sticking to their sports-centric nature, you can order everything from the Babe Ruth (a meaty monster with bacon, ham, sausage, potatoes, egg and cheese) to my fave, the Magician Marlin Brisco (their house asada, which also comes in their regular Jorge Campos burrito, egg, and cheese\u2014that’s it).<\/p>\n

The only major bummer: They’re served until 11AM only so get there early.<\/p>\n

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\"Prime's
Prime’s in Long Beach. Courtesy of Prime.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Prime by Shenandoah (3701 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Prime.<\/em><\/p>\n

Prime has been list twice on my list of Long Beach’s most underrated places to eat<\/a>\u2014and for good reason.<\/p>\n

The space occupied by Prime holds a bit of history: It is the OG locale of MVPs Burgers (which moved into the space formerly occupied by\u00a0Shillelagh at 4th & Temple, as mentioned above) and formerly the Whistle Stop, which came and went with the blow of its namesake.<\/p>\n

Now, typically, you’ll find Prime’s crumbly, meaty, green chorizo with\u00a0orecchiette mac’n’cheese and potatoes or in a quesadilla. But you can, indeed, get it in their spectacular breakfast burritos.<\/p>\n

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\"Coffee
Coffee Cup’s breakfast burrito. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coffee Cup Cafe (3734 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coffee Cup Cafe is one of the true staples of Long Beach breakfast\u2014y’know, up there with The Breakfast Bar and The Potholder in terms of status as a local icon\u2014and their Baja Breakfast Burrito is one of the grub hub\u2019s best offerings. (And in all honesty, I hope one day they take their undeniably fantastic Chicken Chile Verde and convert it into a breakfast burrito because I would be on cloud nine.)<\/p>\n

It has a California influence\u2014the avocado and sour cream on top with black beans inside are a dead giveaway\u2014but is thoroughly delectable. Though the steak and soyrizo protein options are delicious, the chicken wins as the protein of choice\u2014impressive considering the former two are typically the most flavorful.<\/p>\n

Oh, a few more tips: Order the potatoes well-done, get the toppings on the side (because you might not finish and you won’t be taking home a soggy burrito), and ask for their spicy chile verde salsa instead of the house salsa.<\/p>\n

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\"Egg
Egg Heaven cafe in Long Beach. Courtesy of Yelp!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Egg Heaven Cafe (4358 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Long Beach’s Egg Heaven Cafe in Belmont Heights is one of the oldest breakfast joints in the city.\u00a0Tiny but mighty, you’ll find similarities between it and the more popular Potholder locations\u2014and that’s because they have the same menus, even down to the way they cook their potatoes. The Maui at Potholder? That’s the Queen Maria at\u00a0Egg Heaven Cafe. (The only caveat is that Potholder’s menu is larger.)<\/p>\n

They do, however, also have a breakfast burrito (opposite the intersection from our last option below, which is also the opposite by being vegan). It’s your Amexicana version: eggs, cheese, beans, sour cream, avocado, and good ol’ house made salsa (that leans toward the Pace Picante).<\/p>\n

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\"Grain
Grain Cafe’s breakfast burrito. Courtesy of Grain Cafe.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Grain Cafe (4403 E 4th St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Mish S.<\/em><\/p>\n

Long Beach is becoming a vegan mecca: from Under the Sun<\/a>\u00a0and Plant Junkie in DTLB to Seabirds<\/a>\u00a0and this joint on 4th, vegan lovers around the region are flocking to Long Beach to experience fantastic vegan grub.<\/p>\n

LA’s famed Grain Cafe\u2014known for everything from their crepes to their tempeh bacon and tofu egg options\u2014opened up shop at the northeast corner of 4th and Ximeno, taking over the old pizza’n’pasta joint, Mama Mia’s Pizza, that ran there for years.<\/p>\n

The addition of Grain Cafe offers an alternative to most of the burritos I feature on the crawl\u2014and that’s because it’s entirely vegan: tofu egg, onions, tomatoes, tempeh sausage, potatoes, vegan cheese, and tempeh bacon, wrapped in a spinach tortilla, and served with baked potato cubes.<\/p>\n

Go get your vegan on.<\/p>\n

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Brian Addison is a columnist and editor for the Long Beach Post.\u00a0<\/em>Reach him at\u00a0brian@lbpost.com\u00a0or on social media at\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, and\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

4th Street is, unbeknownst to some, a breakfast burrito mecca of that spans from a taqueria-wrapped-up-in-a-tortilla to American to vegan, from Ximeno all the way to Elm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":211,"featured_media":65999,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_html":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[10],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[2691],"class_list":["post-475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","tag-listicles","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/211"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=475"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=475"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=475"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}