Photos by Trevor Roberson
6:00am | Editor’s Note: This is an expansion on our print coverage of the Best of Long Beach. Given our limited print space, we wanted to further share our experience at these amazing businesses via the many photos we took. We feel it not only allows the reader to better understand why each place was chosen, but provides the chance to spotlight local businesses visually. We will do one business every day until all 30 winners have been covered. Enjoy.
Best Place to Caffeinate: Aroma di Roma
This Belmont Shore staple is the ultimo way to start one’s Sunday: it’s caffeinated, it’s sweet, it’s savory, and you can enjoy the morning light on the patio overlooking the 2nd Street sprawl.
Owner Tim Terrell greeted us with two plates of Sunday-style grub before we could even utter a word of our appreciation for the coffee. Plate uno: a stack of perfectly grilled French toast topped with mascarpone, strawberries, and a consummately light amount of syrup (we promise: the toast doesn’t need much with its buttery goodness). Plate due seemed like an Italian version of eggs benedict: two poached eggs on top of Pugliese-style white bread, topped with tomato sauce and fresh basil. It was – for lack of a desire to be superfluous – the perfect start to our Sunday.
And if your only goal is to become buzzed via caffeine (we humbly suggest otherwise – even the crème croissant is insanely exquisite if you’re looking for a bite on the run), have no fear: they serve Long Beach-roasted, all organic True Beans espresso, which scored an impressive 91 by Coffee Review and, if you happen to like lattes, is paired with delectably steamed milk that doesn’t look like meringue in a cup.
Aroma di Roma, 5327 East 2nd Street, (562) 434-6353
