After nearly two years of rumors and salivating hope, it is official: Los Angeles’s influential Beer Belly is opening up its second location in DTLB at Long Beach Blvd. and 3rd Street.
While the only hint of the gastropub’s future home show in an alcohol license application pasted onto the window at 255 Long Beach Blvd., owners Jimmy and Yume Han are keeping their mouths sealed on the details.
Will the married business partners bring the staples of their flagship location? Beer Belly has built a name for itself on two fronts since it opened in K-Town in 2011: its dedication to craft brews and its equally strong dedication to great grub. Take their “Crap for Craft” event where—you guessed it—you can bring in what they call “crap beer” from giants like Bud and Miller and, for one cent, get a pour of locally crafted hop’n’malt goodness. (Which makes sense: the Hans hired the cicerone Christina Perozzi—the chick behind Santa Monica’s epic beer offerings at Father’s Office—to train Beer Belly staff.)
On top of the joint’s love of beer sits their love of food. We’re talking catfish and chips (a lover for anyone who appreciates fish because catfish, though rare, is a flaky, moist example of perfection for fried fish). We’re talking fries made with duck fat. And speaking of fat: Beer Belly scored a nod from Zagat for having one of the best burgers around last year by way of its Duck Burger [pictured right]. A burger for food lovers of all kinds, it is a duck patty made in-house from ground duck and applewood smoked bacon, then topped with provolone, red onion, arugula, and the frosting: a foie gras mustard and caramelized peach ketchup.
We are quite sure that, even if these specific items fail to appear at the DTLB location, the food coming will be as Beery Belly-esque as it can get.
However, what we are clear on is that Beer Belly will be occupying the largest part of the develop at the southwest corner of 3rd and Long Beach Blvd., already home to Rainbow Juices and Beachwood’s Blendery—in other words, the perfect hood for the Belly.