Long Beach is home to the largest Cambodian population outside Cambodia, and the stretch of Anaheim Street known as Cambodia Town is the reason to eat here. Cambodian food is less familiar than its Thai and Vietnamese neighbours and worth seeking out — amok, num banh chok, and the sour, herb-forward salads.
The city’s Mexican and Filipino food is equally well established, and the port’s history means the cooking has always been shaped by who came through it.
Belmont Shore and the East Village hold most of the newer restaurants. It is an easy city to eat in without a plan, and considerably less expensive than Los Angeles a few miles up the coast.