Breakfast Bar Verified listing

Breakfast Bar owners Joshua and Pamela Beadel said aloud a realization many restaurateurs refuse to: Their menu was, in their words, going stale. This fact is particularly compounded further when dealing with legacy businesses such as theirs that have served the Long Beach community for over a decade.

So what do they do? They bring in a culinary rock star. Chef Johnathan Benvenuti of Bar Becky usually needs little introduction in Long Beach. His latest spring menu at his East Long Beach restaurant? It’s one of the city’s finest.

“After 13 years, we noticed things became somewhat stale,” Joshua said. “In all frankness, it just needed a refresh and new flavors that are more aligned with the current culinary atmosphere. Even more so, since The Breakfast Bar’s menu has such a personal, familial connection, we bonded with and resonated with Chef Johnathan. I mean, our egg casserole is a recipe that’s been handed down through three generations in my family. So when we heard the role his mother and family play in his own space, he felt like the right person. The right kind of human to carry something like a menu renovation through with his expertise.”

Shrimp and grits. A breakfast burger. French toast. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. The locally famous Hungover—fries slathered in a gravy with accoutrements. These are all Breakfast Bar staples, and they remain on the menu.

Just with Chef Johnathan’s touch. Soufflé eggs here for lightness. A lemon-and-chive cream cheese there for brightness. A creamy tomato bisque for their grilled cheese, now layered with pesto rather than truffle oil. House-made fruit compotes and granolas…

For Brian Addison's latest feature on The Breakfast Bar, click here.

Written by Brian Addison. Photos by Brian Addison / Courtesy of business