Valentine’s Day lands on a Saturday this year, meaning you either snagged a Feb. 14 reservation early or you’re celebrating another night. Either way, Long Beach offers plenty of Italian flavor. On the next page are three date-night picks, Northern Italian, Roman, and California fusion, recommended by yours truly.
Cafe Gazelle
If you know, you know. Tucked away on a side street in Belmont Shore, Cafe Gazelle has been an enduring date-night gem for the past four decades. The rustic Northern Italian eatery is beloved for its authentic menu, rotating chalkboard specials and warm ambiance. Try dishes like the Chicken Milanese or a rich pastas like the Checca with a lingering bottle of wine.
This hole-in-the-wall is very intimate, so reservations are necessary.
191 La Verne Ave | 562-438-5033
La Parolaccia Osteria Italiana
Have an evening in Roma right here in Belmont Heights at this dearly loved Italian institution. Opened by Rome native Stefano Procaccini in 2004, La Parolaccia has quietly introduced Long Beach to true Roman cuisine, from amatriciana and carbonara to the peppery cacio e pepe.
The cozy osteria’s wood-fired pizzas, handcrafted pastas, and warm, welcoming atmosphere evoke trattorie lining the streets of Italy, all served with great wine, cocktails and unmistakable family hospitality. Salute!
2945 East Broadway | 562-438-1235
Due Fiori
I will confess that I have not yet dined at this colorful, low-lit cozy-California-Italian spot yet, but our dear friends Renee Trepanger and Robert Dugan, who run Here I Am: Self-Care (read their story on page xx) just couldn’t recommend it enough.
“They’re killing it. The chef is amazing, and the food’s always good,” Robert told me. “The attention to their customers is incredible.”
Brought to you by the crew from Baby Gee (a 4th Street must), along with Chef Waldo Stout, Due Fiori beckons guests to come for the focaccia-like pizzas with California tomatoes and stay for the organic Italian wine.
2708 E. 4th Street | 562-277-1377