Working Class Kitchen Review

By Juliann Fritz

Located in Long Beach, California, Working Class Kitchen is a whole animal butcher, deli, and sandwich shop all-in-one. They pride themselves on using local products and sustainable raised animals. The kitchen’s motto is “Sine Labore Nihil” meaning “nothing without work”. This mantra comes through in everything they serve. Working Class Kitchen puts an artisan twist on your traditional deli food.

I started off with an appetizer consisting of artichokes, fresh mozzarella, and the Working Class Potato Salad. The artichokes paired well the creamy mozzarella. The potato salad was made with bacon, aoli, and celery. I am not a big fan of potato salad, but this potato salad mind blowing. The bacon added a delightful crunchiness and the aioli made it burst with flavor.

My next dish was a brisket sandwich on rye bread, Working Class Kitchen’s take on a traditional deli sandwich. The dish was served with pickles and spicy mustard. The rye bread is soft and textured. The pickles add zest and crunch. The thinly sliced brisket was absolutely mouth watering. The portion size is very generous, so be prepared to pace yourself with this one.

I just had to try the Chianina burger. Working Class Kitchen takes pride in their beef, which is from their very own sustainably raised Chianina cattle. The burger comes standard with a freshly prepared remoulade and caramelized onions. You can choose to add cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and even foie gras if they have it available that day on the menu. I can be picky about how my hamburgers are cooked but this one did not disappoint. Caramelized onions are a personal favorite and they added a unique sweetness. The remoulade was perfect and much more flavorful than typical ketchup thst you would expect to be on a burger. Combine that with the other fixings and you have yourself a stacked burger with substance, which can be hard to find these days. If you decide to add extra toppings be warned that this burger is so thick you may not be able to eat it with your hands. This was completely fine with me!

If you feel like adding a side to your deli sandwich or burger, the Jidori Chicken Salad is a great option. The chicken is moist and the strawberries add sweetness to every bite. It has that awesome salty sweet combination going on. The goat cheese is creamy and flavorful. The walnuts added a nutty crunch to the salad and when you put it all together, you have a great pairing for your sandwich or burger.

To wash it all down, I had to try one of the beers on tap for the day. Working Class Kitchen always serves “A true pint” which is great for beer lovers like myself.  I went with the Acoustic Ales Tripel Karma Belgian. I normally stick with IPA’s, but this Belgian surprised me. It was strong and full of body. The fruity and spicy undertones were refreshing.

If you feel like taking something to go, Working Class Kitchen sells meat by the pound. On my next trip to Long Beach I’ll make sure to stop by and taste more artfully crafted items from the menu, and most likely take something home to share!

Working Class Kitchen

1322 Coronado Ave.

Long Beach, CA 90804

(562) 494-0306

Click Here for a review of Pasadena’s newest and most authentic Indian Restaurant.