On September 24, Mayor Rex Richardson stood upstairs at The Bungalow Kitchen at 2nd & PCH to mark its reopening. Owner Brent Bolthouse stood beside him, along with chef Eric Samaniego. The Press-Telegram reported that Bolthouse told the crowd the third time was the charm. The room has a second-story view of Alamitos Bay Marina and, in the paper's words, has "undergone several iterations."
That reopening is part of a pattern. Four dining spaces at the center changed hands or changed shape in 2026, and none of them is a new building or new square footage. Each change happened in a space that already had a history at the center. One tenant chose to shrink, another took over the room it left, a restaurant came back with a familiar local chef, and a space that sat dark for years is finally getting filled.
It Started With a Restaurant Choosing a Smaller Room
The first move came in February. Longbeachize reported that Noble Rotisserie, after six years at 2nd & PCH, reopened in a smaller space in the center's pavilion, steps from its original spot near the water fountain. The same report said owner Sidney Price worked out the move with landlord CenterCal Properties so the business could stay on the property.
Price explained it plainly in that article: "Our business has grown strongest in take-out and catering, and our new space reflects that reality." Noble started as a takeout operation during the pandemic, and Longbeachize noted that its catering business grew sharply over the past two years. The new storefront is at 6430 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.
Moving to the smaller room freed up a prominent storefront facing Marina Drive, and the next change filled it.
Who Took the Old Space
By August 20, Pura Vida Miami was officially open in Noble's former space along the Marina Drive side. Longbeachize described it as a wellness cafe started in Miami by Omer and Jennifer Horev. The Long Beach cafe is the brand's fourth in California, after Malibu, Beverly Hills and, earlier this year, Costa Mesa.
Here's how this year's changes line up by space:
| Space at 2nd & PCH | Before | Fall 2026 | Status as of mid-October |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marina Drive-facing storefront, Suite 125 | Noble Rotisserie | Pura Vida Miami | Open since August |
| Pavilion storefront, 6430 E. PCH | Not covered in reporting | Noble Rotisserie | Open since February |
| Second-story marina-view room, 6400 E. PCH, Suite 200 | The Bungalow, closed earlier in 2026 | The Bungalow Kitchen, chef Eric Samaniego | Reopened, celebrated Sept. 24 |
| 6480 E. PCH, #100 | Tocaya, closure reported December 2023 | Brodard by the Shore | Announced for Oct. 1 |
Every row in that table is a space that had a story before this year. Nothing on the list is a brand-new building.
Upstairs, a Chef Many Locals Already Know
The Bungalow closed earlier in 2026. When Bolthouse announced the comeback in August, he built it around Eric Samaniego. Longbeachize described him as a well-known Long Beach chef, best known for more than a decade at Michael's on Naples. The rebuilt menu centers on seasonal California produce and organic, regeneratively sourced ingredients, cooked with French technique and some Italian influence. Samaniego gave diners an early taste at the Long Beach Grand Prix Fixe.
Before the reopening, the restaurant announced dinner from 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday through Saturday and 5 to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Weekend brunch, happy hour, wine dinners and seasonal events were listed as coming later. Those were the planned hours, so checking the restaurant's current schedule before a weeknight visit makes sense.
The September 24 celebration was a benefit for the Mayor's Fund for Long Beach. The Press-Telegram reported it raised more than $9,000. The paper also reported that Samaniego's fried chicken, first listed as an appetizer, moved to the entrée menu that week. Reservations are on OpenTable. Within days of reopening, the menu was already changing.
The Longest-Empty Space Is the Last to Fill
The table's last row covers the longest gap. Longbeachize reported in December 2023 that Tocaya had closed its 2nd & PCH location for good. Nearly three years later, Brodard is taking that space.
Longbeachize announced that the Fountain Valley restaurant, which appears on the Los Angeles Times list of the best restaurants in California, would open its first Long Beach location on October 1. The owners are calling it "Brodard by the Shore," and the planned hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The article previewed the Nem Nướng Cuốn, a pork patty spring roll, and Bánh Khọt Tôm, small rice cakes with shrimp. Longbeachize put Brodard alongside Sesame Dinette and Pickle Banh Mi as part of a small but growing group of traditional Vietnamese restaurants in the city.
As of this writing, the center's own dining directory still lists Brodard as "coming soon." Until the restaurant confirms it's open, treat October 1 as the announced date, not a confirmed one.
What the Center Has on the October Calendar
With four dining spaces settled or nearly settled, the center's October events bring people back to restaurants they may not have tried since the changes. Two dates are still ahead:
- Line Dance Night, Halloween edition, October 15, 6 to 7:30 p.m. It takes place on Seaport Way, and the center's event listing says costumes are eligible for prizes, all ages are welcome and no partner is needed. The center describes the series as monthly. Bluemercury is providing prizes for best dressed and best dancer. The event depends on the weather, and the center posts changes on Instagram.
- Ghouls Night Out, Friday, October 30, 5 to 8 p.m. The listing promises entertainment, music and costume contests, with more details to come. RSVPs go through Eventbrite.
Ghouls Night Out ends at 8 p.m. That leaves time for an early dinner upstairs at The Bungalow Kitchen afterward, based on its announced 5 p.m. opening.
The center's holiday page is password-protected for now, so the season's schedule there isn't public yet.
A Few Blocks West, the Same Pattern on Second Street
A version of the same story is underway down Second Street in Belmont Shore. Sugar 'N Spice, the Balboa Island sweet shop known for its frozen bananas, announced a location at 5269 E. 2nd St. Longbeachize reported that it plans a local version called the "Belmont Bar." The shop has no opening date and has only said it hopes to open before the Christmas parade.
The 42nd Belmont Shore Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 5, from 6 to 9 p.m. along East Second Street, and it's free. That gives the shop roughly seven weeks from today to make its target.
If you're weighing a home within walking distance of 2nd & PCH and Belmont Shore, or thinking of selling one discreetly, Charlotte Kornik offers private consultations shaped around the blocks you care about.
