Cafe Lorel — Restaurant in Long Beach

What an amazing little hidden gem. Somehow my wife found this coffee shop and wow I wish it was open all weekend. We both got Vietnamese coffees, brownies and a water. Overall excellent service and even better coffees. We love the decor for this location especially the Mickey Mouse one!! This is a must stop for coffee lovers.

Café Lorel is located at 5203 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90804, nestled in the scenic Park Estates neighborhood—just steps from the beach, golf course, and local shops . This charming café offers a cozy, inviting atmosphere filled with tasteful décor, friendly staff smiles, and an intimate indoor seating area of about 35 guests, making it ideal for light breakfast or lunch meetings ().

🕰️ Hours & Practical Info Open weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (closed weekends) . Amenities include free Wi‑Fi, wheelchair access, street parking and a private lot, plus a warm, clutter-free environment suited to study sessions, casual meet‑ups, or solo coffee breaks ().

☕ Drinks & Menu Known for top-tier coffee and espresso-based drinks (e.g., cappuccinos, lattes, americanos), Café Lorel also offers iced beverages, smoothies, and Vietnamese‑style coffee . The menu features local-bakery bagels, croissants, wraps, deli sandwiches, melts, salads, and daily soups. Popular items include the Randi’s Bagel, Florentine Bagel, Chicken Avocado Sandwich, and creamy tomato basil bisque or poblano chowder .

🌟 Community Praise With a solid ~4–4.5★ rating on Yelp & MapQuest, patrons rave about healthy, flavorful offerings and welcoming service . Reviews highlight fresh ingredients, dairy‑free alternatives, hearty lunch specials, and standout Vietnamese coffee:

“My favorite lunch spot… everything on the menu tastes great! Love the Vietnamese coffee.”  “The owner, Lorella, personally makes most deli sandwiches, soups, and melts.” 

🧑‍🍳 Staff & Culture Employees describe a close-knit, family-like atmosphere, making it a great first job with strong management support . The café is praised for its cleanliness, consistent quality, and heartfelt...

Excellent food and service! When I first came here  a while ago, the owner, Lorella, and the other baristas warmly welcomed me. Since then, I've built a friendly relationship with all of them.

The food is definitely fresh and delicious, and Lorella gets actual top quality deli stuff. I usually get the breakfast and lunch specials because I'm indecisive XP But for the lunch special, any type of sandwich can be chosen. The Sandwiches are never dry, but not too saucy either. The half sandwich in the lunch special (as opposed to the full sandwich when buying the normal entree) also comes with the soup of the day or any salad of your choice. On top of that, they come with a cup of drip coffee, tea, iced tea, or fountain drinks! Not bad for $7.

The cafe itself has a comfortable amount of space with different types of chars: tall, couch, rolling executive-like, outside, and normal. Music fit for a jazzy or French cafe fills the air, making it a warm, friendly atmosphere. I stick around doing various homework or creative stuffs like drawing. Or just chat when people aren't too busy.

After going there for a long time, I decided to have coffee at Starbucks because Cafe Lorel was closed. I was DISAPPOINTED. Cafe Lorel will always be THE cafe for me.

Try it...

First impressions were that it's a bit small and food smells delicious.

It's a neighborhood cafe. Where they are friendly and will take the time to help you if it's your first time there.

The coffee. Not the best I've ever had, but good. The cappuccino was exactly what you'd expect, although I wish it had more foam. I like a lot of foam. That's on me, I didn't ask for extra foam. The cookies and cream latte was surprisingly tasty. I didn't expect it to be that good.

The food. The panini was not bad. The bread was fresh and crunchy, and the spread was tasty. If I had to complain, I'd say that there was too much meat for my taste. Next time, I will ask for less meat and to add tomato instead. The bagel sandwich was delicious. Hands down my favorite thing about breakfast there. The jalapeño cheese bagel with avocado, bacon, and ... (i can't remember what else)? chef's kiss

I will go again....