About the Business
In Belmont Shore, it is nestled between the upper-scale, wonderful Viaje and the lower, it’s-seen-better-times Super Mex. In other words: that perfect middle. And in a neighborhood built on foot traffic and loyal locals, Zarape’s timing may be as strategic as it is personal.
“I’m from Long Beach,” Stefano says. “That’s why. There’s always been a connection to here.”
Zarape may be new to Long Beach, but Stefano and business partner Onesimo “Oni” Mendez are anything but newcomers to hospitality.
Both have spent decades in the industry—Stefano estimates three decades across both—and his resume reads less like a typical restaurant origin story and more like a behind-the-scenes tour through some of the largest hospitality and entertainment institutions in the country. Before Zarape, Stefano was deeply tied to one of LA’s most recognizable Mexican restaurant names, Lotería. (Before its quick expansion and its soon-after fall from grace.)
They opened the flagship in West Hollywood in 2021, in the thick of COVID’s bizarre business climate. But the question they kept returning to was the same: In a city overflowing with Mexican food, what makes Zarape worth seeking out?
“Anyone can serve me a taco. Any hole in the wall in LA—you already know that,” Stefano said. “So the message can be very clear. One hundred percent scratch kitchen. We have an average 20- to 25-minute ticket time, and I am unapologetic about that because we make it when you order it.”
Written and photos by Brian Addison.
Location
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4702 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803, USA
