The popular French pastry chain Le Macaron will soon open its first Long Beach location in Belmont Shore on Second Street.
Franchisee Michael Bermingham hopes the store will open later this summer, with a soft opening anticipated for August.
Bermingham had eaten macarons (pronounced mack-uh-rone) before trying Le Macaron a year ago, but he was immediately drawn to the brand.
“The offerings Le Macaron has is unique,” Bermingham said. “They’re really authentic French macarons and pastries.”
A traditional French macaron—not to be confused with a macaroon (mack-uh-roon), a chewy cookie generally made with shredded coconut—uses almond flour mixed with meringue. Le Macaron’s shells, which draw heavily on the famed Chef Pierre Hermé school of thought, are an 80% flour to 20% meringue (sweet, whipped egg whites) ratio.
In between the two shells, macarons usually have a ganache (ga-nosh), or chocolate and cream mixture, fruity jam or cream. While the store won’t have an official gluten-free certification, the ingredients used are gluten-free.
The macaron menu ranges from classic flavors like Belgian chocolate and salted caramel to more unique flavors like basil white chocolate and rose. Some macarons are also dairy-free.
This will be Bermingham’s first restaurant and a big change from his background in advanced technology.
“I’ve always wanted to get into the food business,” Bermingham said. “What I liked about the Le Macaron story was the high quality and consistent products.”
Bermingham, originally born in Ireland, moved to the East Coast before settling in Orange County. He was attracted to the Belmont Shore space, which totals 1700 square feet, due to high foot traffic, a mix of residential and tourist customers year-round and the vibe of the street.
“I felt like I could bring the customer service side to things and make it a good experience for people,” Bermingham said. “I’ve always had a bit of a sweet tooth. Pastry desserts have always been my thing.”
The store will have its signature macarons, but it will also sell other French pastries, gourmet chocolate, gelato and European-style coffee.
Le Macaron will be located at 5332 Second St.