Arthur L.
Yelp
I stopped by Masa y Taza this morning and I'm pretty sure they're still in a soft-opening phase, but first impressions were solid.
From the outside, the branding immediately lets you know what you're walking into -- clean white and blue, very Mexican pottery-inspired, tasteful and intentional. You don't have to guess the vibe. Inside, the space feels modern and airy: nice tile work toward the back, open layout, lots of tables up front, with the kitchen clearly active behind the scenes. There's good energy right away -- the front line was busy with cashiers, coffee prep, and food being run out, which is always a good sign.
Breakfast burrito options were plentiful and honestly all sounded good. I went with the El Chorizo Rojo burrito, but I already know I'll be back to work my way through the rest. They also have a solid coffee program going -- I tried the café de olla, and you can tell they're taking coffee seriously, not just treating it as an afterthought. There's also a small selection of baked goods; I grabbed a vanilla concha straight from the display case -- what you see is what you get, which I actually appreciate.
The coffee and concha came out right away, though I did notice two things worth mentioning: there wasn't any cream or half-and-half out at the self-serve station, so I had to ask (they were happy to help), and the coffee itself wasn't quite as hot as I'd expect. Not a dealbreaker, just something they'll probably dial in as they settle into full service. Please please fix the temperature of the coffee.
The burrito came out surprisingly fast. I grabbed chipotle crema and the mild rojo salsa, packed everything up, and headed a few blocks down to Junipero and Ocean to eat it by the beach -- honestly, a perfect setup.
The burrito itself was legit. Big, filling, and piping hot, with a really satisfying mix of potatoes, eggs, refried beans, and chorizo. There's a light spicy kick -- enough to keep things interesting but not so much that it'll scare off people who don't like heat. I tried both sauces, and the salsa rojo was the standout for me: balanced, flavorful, and not just heat for the sake of heat.
The tortilla deserves a shout-out too -- it holds everything together, tastes fresh, and elevates the whole burrito. Presentation was thoughtful: foil-wrapped, tucked into a paper box, sealed with a round branded sticker that reads Masa y Taza - Long Beach, California. Small detail, but it shows pride in what they're putting out.
Overall, a really strong start. A few small kinks to iron out (coffee temp, cream station), but the food, the space, and the concept are all there. Definitely a welcome addition to the neighborhood, and absolutely worth checking out -- especially if you're into breakfast burritos and a good coffee stop near the beach.