Long Beach's Latino Restaurant Week returns for its third year from Oct. 5 through Oct. 11, bringing money-saving specials to more than a dozen restaurants across the city rather than the fixed prix-fixe menus typical of similar culinary weeks. Instead, participating spots are offering specific dishes at various price points, giving diners a chance to try participating restaurants at lower prices during the weeklong celebration.
The event, which highlights Latino-owned restaurants throughout Long Beach, kicks off Thursday, Oct. 1, with a party from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Onni East Village Courtyard in Downtown Long Beach, according to latinorestaurantweeklbc.com. The kickoff will feature signature dishes from participating restaurants, creative cocktails and live music, setting the tone for a week built around chef demonstrations and cultural performances, as reported by the Press Telegram.
There are currently 18 restaurants participating in this year's event, according to the Signal Tribune. Among them is Birriería Tepechi, located at 1440 Santa Fe Ave. on the city's west side, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year while serving traditional Jalisco-style goat birria using a family recipe passed down through four generations, per the Press Telegram.
A Week Built on Variety, Not Just Mexican Fare
The lineup stretches well beyond tacos and birria. Fuego, at 700 Queensway Drive inside Hotel Maya, serves modern Latin bites and high-end drinks, while Honduras Kitchen, at 1909 E. Fourth St., makes Central American dishes reflecting a different corner of the region's cuisine. El Viejón Mariscos & Sushi, at 201 E. Broadway, blends traditional Mexican seafood with creative sushi rolls, including ceviches, shrimp and fish tacos and aguachiles inspired by Nayarit's coastal cuisine, with dishes priced under $30, according to the restaurant's event listing.
Organizer Roberto Carlos Lemus said the event highlights the contributions of Latinos in Long Beach and is intentionally not limited to any one style of food. “Latinos, we’re in every kitchen,” Lemus said, according to the Press Telegram, noting the event is designed to include Latino-owned restaurants that don't necessarily serve traditional Mexican or Latin American fare. Lemus added that the specials give people a reason to explore new restaurants and try dishes at lower prices.
From a 2024 Debut to a Growing Annual Tradition
Latino Restaurant Week was created in 2024 by Lemus and José Díaz Romero through Affluent Hispanic Philanthropies, per the Signal Tribune's reporting. That first year featured 18 local Latino-owned eateries offering food and drink specials, according to the Long Beach Post, which noted that Ají Peruvian Cuisine offered a three-course menu for $49 per person and Honduras' Kitchen offered food items ranging from $8.50 to $18.50 alongside drinks at $5.50 or $13.50 that inaugural year.
The 2025 edition ran Sept. 22-28 and expanded the format with live cooking demonstrations and cultural activations, the Signal Tribune reported at the time. This year's event also welcomes newcomers: Zarapé Cocina & Cantina is making its debut with a Mexican and Mediterranean fusion menu, according to the Signal Tribune, adding yet another flavor profile to a roster the organizers say is meant to keep growing.
Part of a Bigger Regional Movement
Long Beach's event is one piece of a broader wave of Latino culinary celebrations across Southern California this season. The Los Angeles Times reported that the region's Dine Latino Restaurant Week, held earlier this year from May 12 through May 24, grew from 60 participating restaurants in its first year to more than 200 across L.A. County, representing culinary traditions from 20 Latin American countries — including a $22 prix-fixe menu at Casa Chaskis in Long Beach. NBC Los Angeles has also noted that Long Beach's own event has drawn more than a dozen restaurants as part of the region's broader Hispanic Heritage Month programming.
Organizers say Latino Restaurant Week is also meant to bring visibility to the businesses themselves, helping owners create content and giving them a platform to share their stories, per the Signal Tribune. Updated menus and participant information for the Oct. 5-11 event are available at latinorestaurantweeklbc.com, according to the Press Telegram.
