This weekend, treat yourself to a meal from Pietris Bakery, a Greek establishment that serves up mouthwatering brunch, pastries and desserts in the heart of Long Beach.
Pietris began as a family-owned bakery shop in Greece, where they gained popularity and won the hearts of locals with their homemade treats. The company expanded throughout the country, with the St. Theodoros location becoming a landmark bakery for the entire Mediterranean area.
In 2017, Pietris opened their first location outside of Greece in Long Beach, providing a selection of pastries, desserts, breakfast and lunch entrees, and cocktails.
The bakery has a casual, comforting ambience that allows customers to seat themselves and order from their tables. By scanning a QR code, customers can browse the large menu and pay through their phone.
Employee Kosta Michas said that during the pandemic, the bakery was redecorated; furniture was shifted, couches were added and the walls were painted a vibrant shade of blue. The menu has also expanded during the pandemic.
“We’ve changed our bakery and added more recipes and Greek desserts. We’ve had free time to work on new dishes and see how people like it,” said Michas.
The menu takes influence from not only Greek cuisine, but American and other European dishes. The entrees ranged from $15-$20, with vegetarian and vegan options also available.
Pietris uses locally sourced produce, dairy, seafood, and meats. According to Michas, some ingredients are specially imported from Greece.
“Our suppliers are mostly Greek and provide us with olive oil, oregano, and feta cheese.
The flavor is more authentic this way… there is a higher quality,” said Michas.
Our meal began with a warm Greek coffee, made with a finely ground coffee blend that is boiled in a briki (tall narrow pot).
The Greek coffee is one of the many beverages offered on Pietris Bakery’s menu. A fine blend of coffee is boiled inside of a briki, a traditional long-handled pot. Customers can enjoy their drink with a delicious orange cookie that is served on the side. (Photo by Veronica Towers)
The drink had a strong, bitter flavor that paired perfectly with a sweet orange cookie served on the side. Some customers may opt to add sugar or milk to cut the intense flavor. Although the serving is small, it is enough to satisfy your caffeine cravings and give you a nice boost of energy.
Customers turned their heads and stared in amazement as the titan style baklava pancakes were brought to our table. This jaw-dropping dish has six pancakes dripping in Nutella and maple syrup, placed under a piece of flaky, homemade baklava. The baklava had layers of thin pastry and sweetened, chopped nuts.
Despite the praise about the dish from popular outlets like Food Network and Off the Menu, we couldn’t take more than a few bites. The pancakes were a bit too sweet and the baklava’s mixture of chopped nuts had an overwhelmingly strong cinnamon flavor.
Beyond being aesthetically pleasing, these pancakes failed to live up to the hype and were not worth the $20 price in our opinion. Only order the dish if you have a major sweet tooth, or are sharing with a large group.
The Greek brunch burger is the true star on the menu, and every last bite was a taste of heaven. Served on a soft house-made bun, the burger has layers of beef and lamb patty, monterey jack and feta cheese, onions, arugula, cherry tomatoes, pesto mayo and egg.
One bite, and you’ll be hooked. There is no doubt that this brunch burger is the dish that will keep us coming back to Pietris for more.
For a final threat, we tried blueberry and chocolate macarons from the dessert case. Although both were delicious, the blueberry macaron was simply the perfect way to end our meal. It had a creamy filling with a great balance of sweet and tart flavors. Even if you’re not a fan of blueberries, you will not regret trying this.
The overall service was great; the staff was more than willing to offer their recommendations from the menu and assist us at any time during our meal. Our food and drinks were brought to us quickly.
Akira Starks, a frequent customer at Pietris, said that her favorite aspect of the Bakery is the amount of different baked goods they offer.
“Before coming here I’d never heard of half the things on the menu. But the more (food) I try, the more I’m surprised at how good everything is,” Starks said.
She noted that her favorite dessert was the rolled baklava, but that the tiramisu was a close second.
Pietris is a great place to catch up with friends over a delicious meal or lounge on the couch with a warm cup of coffee. The menu has a wide selection of entrees, pastries, and desserts that are bound to satisfy every customer.
Pietris offers local delivery service and event catering for weddings, birthdays and any other special occasions. Customers can work hand-in-hand with chefs to create a custom dessert appetizer, and entree lineup for their event.
Pietris Bakery is located at 5000 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803.
Visit our Instagram for more videos and photos of our experience dining at Pietris Bakery.