James Beard-recognized Gusto Bread has its eyes on Downtown Long Beach. And not just any space in DTLB, but the famed Acres of Books site within the ONNI East Village residential complex should negotiations move through properly.
Pulling permits through their landlord and operating under the name Café Cuate—the name of their coffee roasting brand and coffee-serving space that was part of their expansion back in 2023—the business will be divided into two spaces. And those are Suites 100 and 600.
One will focus on the coffee. Owner Arturo Enciso is finally able to roast in his own space, using his own roaster in the back while a full cafe and pastry counter operate up front. (He currently roasts using Rose Park Roasters’ 15-kilo Giesen machine. That happens to be also used by Recreational Coffee to roast their beans.)
The other will be a “production baking facility,” according to permits filed with the city, presumably to provide the pastries to be sold at the cafe.
What is Café Cuate—and how is it related to Gusto Bread?
Inside Gusto Bread, Arturo Enciso’s Café Cuate is not a side project. It’s more like the natural next chapter of the bakery’s evolution, with a coffee program built with the same philosophical care that made Gusto one of Long Beach’s most admired panaderías…