Cozy Up in Long Beach

Cozy comes in lots of packages: warm beverages, cool cats, elegant wine, hidden niches. Yes, you take your cozy where and how you find it. Luckily, in Long Beach, you can find it all over the city in just about any way that brings you comfort.

THE LIBRARY COFFEE HOUSE

The Library’s (3418 E. Broadway) vibe is charming and comfortable, a thrown together sanctuary of sofas, easy chairs, tables and shelves bursting with books. Long popular with writers, readers, students and just about anybody looking for a calm corner to call their own, The Library also serves terrific coffee and tea as well as wonderful sandwiches–including breakfast–and delicious pastries.

DISTRICT WINE

Everything at District Wine, like its comfortable furniture located in a series of nooks and dens, accommodates comfort and conversation. Of course, so does some of the best curated wine in the city, served by the helpful, never snooty staff, eager to help you make the right choice. There are terrific small plates–especially the prosciutto-wrapped dates with goat cheese–and great flat bread options.

FELINE GOOD SOCIAL CLUB

Long Beach has two cozy cat-stablishments. Feline Good Social Club (301 Atlantic Ave) allows you to bond and cuddle with its 25-plus cats. It also facilitates rescue cat adoptions through its partner, Long Beach Felines. Everything at Cool Cat Collective (2741 E 4th St) is cat-themed: art prints, home decor, books, candles, etc. They believe by bringing art and cats together they can move people to welcome cats into their homes. Which you can also do since there are always cats on the premises that you can adopt!

THE BUNGALOW

For people of a certain generation, The Bungalow, located on the second floor of 2nd & PCH (6400 Pacific Coast Hwy), is reminiscent of every house party they attended in high school. A seemingly never-ending network of comfortable dens and niches, each as snug and as welcoming as the last. It’s the kind of place where you and your companions can retreat, with a traditional California bungalow aesthetic with a rock and roll edge.

RISÜ

Situated amid the floral charm of beautiful Rainbow Bridge, which connects the Long Beach Convention Center with the Performing Arts Center, Risü (207 E Seaside Way) features small plates such as short rib and vegan roasted cauliflower tacos, charcuterie boards and truffle fries, along with a wide range of shareable flatbread creations. With a full bar, and a beautiful outdoor patio, Risü offers a great atmosphere for friends to chat, people watch or simply relax before or after a performance or meeting.

About the Author

Steve Lowery

Steve Lowery is a longtime local. Over the years he has written for the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, and others. If you're looking for the hidden gems of Long Beach, Steve is your go-to.