Our thanks to 2nd & PCH and Teleferic Barcelona for hosting our meal so we could write this detailed review about our experience.
We live in Los Angeles and frequently travel domestically and internationally. But when we are home, we rarely venture outside of our South Bay bubble since it has so much to offer. But when the kids are out of school for summer break, we try to explore as many nearby places as we can. We just took them to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach for the first time (read about our experience here). It’s a world class facility and a definite must-do if you’re in the vicinity. Following our morning at the aquarium, we’d all worked up an appetite and headed to 2nd & PCH for lunch, about five miles from the aquarium.
2nd & PCH is a modern open-air lifestyle center in Long Beach, similar to The Point in El Segundo and Manhattan Village in Manhattan Beach, our local shopping centers. 2nd & PCH merges coastal charm with upscale shopping, dining and wellness experiences. Overlooking Alamitos Bay, it offers chic boutiques, chef-driven restaurants and lush landscaping, making it a picturesque place to stroll. Our kids loved playing on the grassy areas and the overall vibe is chic but laidback.
We parked in the parking lot next to Whole Foods. The first 90 minutes of parking are free and then it’s $2 for every 20 minutes. No validation is required.
About 100 yards away, overlooking the marina (where they filmed the opening ofGilligan’s Island, incidentally), is a new(ish) Spanish restaurant called Teleferic Barcelona, which opened in 2024. Teleferic means ‘cable car’ in Spanish.
The restaurant has both indoor and covered patio seating, with a bar and open kitchen in the back. The design inside is a beautiful blend of Spanish Mediterranean and coastal California.
The hostess who seated us had a Spanish accent and I asked her if she was from Spain. She was and so was everyone else who worked there, adding an atmosphere of authenticity that can’t be manufactured. From the manager and chefs to the waiter, busboy and bartender, they were all from Spain. Rarely do you go to an international restaurant and find everyone working there be from that country.
Because the restaurant’s press team had arranged our visit, the restaurant had prepared a set menu for us, which always makes me nervous since I’m kind of a finicky eater (mainly I don’t eat fish, liver, lamb or goat cheese). They were happy to make substitutes and quickly brought out mac and cheese for the kids (they don’t have a kids menu).
First came the drinks and since we don’t drink alcohol we sampled three of their four mocktails. All three were fantastic:
VIRGIN THE TOURIST ($11)
Lychee juice, raspberries, honey, mint, lime
VIRGIN BARCELONETA SANGRIA ($10)
Soda, lemonade, prickly pear, honey, rosemary, orange, mixed berries
VIRGIN GOTHIC MOJITO ($10)
Soda, lime, mint, fruit puree (choose from classic, strawberry, mango, or passion fruit)
Then came the tapas. They served smaller portions, just so we could get a taste. Here’s a look at what we sampled:
IBERIAN OYSTER ($5 each)
Fresh oyster with gazpacho and pearls served in a dish with shiny white stones that looked like large pearls once the dry ice disappeared.
PULPO TELEFÈRIC ($19)
Galician octopus with truffle oil and Pimentón potato purée
TUNA TACOS ($15)
Marinated ahi tuna, mashed avocado, and wonton shells
HAM CROQUETAS ($9)
Croquetas with Iberian ham and aioli
JAMÓN IBÉRICO DE BELLOTA ($29)
Exquisite 38 months cured Iberian acorn-fed ham.
PAN CON TOMATE ($8)
Traditional Spanish toasted bread with tomato dressing and chorizo butter
WAGYU EMPANADAS ($16)
Braised oxtail empanadas, beef tartar, and Manchego
POLLO EMPANADAS ($15)
Roasted chicken empanadas served with spicy aioli
After three or four of the dishes had come out, I looked at Natalie and said, “I don’t think I can eat anymore.” She agreed. Santiago, the restaurant manager who was serving us, overheard us and told us not to worry, there were just two more dishes, including the crispy cauliflower pops with romesco sauce glaze I had originally asked for.
Santiago suggested we just take a bite and take the rest, including the paella, home. I didn’t think I was a fan of paella because it’s usually made with seafood but they offered a variety, including the Iberico Paella ($56), made with smoked pork chop, pork belly and sliced Iberian ham.
They made it Barcelona’s way (ask for socarrat), which is the crispy, caramelized rice at the bottom for the most authentic flavor-packed paella experience. OMG. I could barely pick up my fork but it was so good, I could barely put it down. Santiago came by and was shocked at how much we ate after saying how full we were and to be honest, I was shocked too … but that’s how good it was. We ended up taking the rest home and I finished eating it for lunch the following day.
Since they’re known for their paella dishes, here are the others on the menu: Note: Paellas serve two people and guests are asked to allow 25-35 minutes to cook.
LOBSTER PAELLA ($62)
Canadian lobster, gulf shrimp, and octopus
PAELLA NEGRA ($48)
Squid ink, gulf shrimp, scallops, clams, and octopus
Add lobster tail +20
PAELLA MIXTA ($46)
Pork belly, chicken, gulf shrimp, and octopus
Add Iberian ham +15
VEGGIE PAELLA ($39)
Shiitake mushroom, broccolini, truffle aioli
Add sliced black truffle +10
Believe it or not, we managed to find a little more room for a small dessert sampler with mini churros, ice cream, Catalan toast and orange mochi.
Before we left, Natalie said to me and the manager that the restaurant really feels like we’re dining in Spain. The manager said the owner of the company, who owns five of these restaurants in the USA (three in the Bay Area and two in L.A.) and two in Spain, said that the experience invites Americans to travel to Spain … without the passport. That’s just what it felt like.
The restaurant is expanding to Sacramento, La Jolla and Scottsdale. So if you’re a local or are traveling to any locations where Teleferic Barcelona is located, you’ll want to add it to your list of places to dine – you won’t be disappointed.
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