Where to Eat in Orange County The Best Restaurants in the O.C.

Orange County is one of the most underrated food destinations in California. While many visitors come for the beaches, surfing, and sunshine, locals know the region is home to some of the best bakeries, coffee shops, taco spots, burger joints, and casual restaurants in the country. From world-famous doughnuts and destination-worthy pizza to creative tasting menus, specialty coffee, and incredible Mexican food, Orange County offers far more culinary depth than it gets credit for.

In this guide to the best restaurants in Orange County, we’ve gathered all our favorite places into one curated food map of the region. Whether you’re looking for the best restaurants in Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, or Dana Point, you’ll find our personal recommendations here. Use the interactive map to explore by area, click directly on each location, or scroll through the full list below – all organized geographically to make planning your Orange County food adventure easy.

Truly Pizza is putting Dana Point on the map. Make a reservation a month in advance here, otherwise you might have to wait hours for a seat. But if you snag a table you’ll be rewarded with some of the very best pizza in California. Truly is most famous for its “American Artisanal-style” round pies with a crispy, airy, hearth-baked crust and tiny “micro blisters” which have a textural crackle when you bite into them. Our favorite pie was the “Truly White,” with three types of cheese and guindilla peppers, but we also loved the thin and crispy cracker-style “Industrial” with tomato sauce, stracciatella, and a sesame seed crust. The square pizzas are equally impressive, with focaccia-like dough and a caramelized underbelly. We loved the “Sweet & Spicy” with soppressata, stracciatella, and hot honey. Truly Pizza also has a second location in Laguna Beach.

The Taco Stand is a chain from San Diego with over a dozen locations across the U.S., but don’t let that fact mislead you – you’re still getting one of the best tacos of your life here. The Taco Stand consistently delivers top-notch Mexican food, and their al pastor taco just might be our favorite in the world. We like our tacos gringa-style, served on a flour tortilla with melted cheese and juicy pork sliced from the trompo. Toppings include fresh pineapple, diced onions, chopped cilantro, and their signature cilantro crema, an herbaceous cream that complements the meat and spices perfectly. It’s so addictive that we drizzle it on everything.

Burgers and milkshakes with an ocean view? It doesn’t get more Californian than this. Crystal Cove Shake Shack is the quintessential roadside burger shack, open for over two decades on Pacific Coast Highway. Don’t expect anything fancy (the burgers taste like a slightly more gourmet In-N-Out Burger), but they hit the spot. The milkshakes, however, are truly world-class – thick, creamy, and topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. The Peanut Butter Cup (chocolate peanut butter) milkshake is Kaitlin’s favorite flavor, and Anders loves the Butterfinger shake. Heaven!

We did a side-by-side comparison of the two competing frozen banana stands on Balboa Island, and while the offerings were similar, there was a clear winner. Both Sugar ‘n Spice and their neighbor claim to serve the “original” frozen banana and Balboa Bar (a vanilla ice cream bar dipped in chocolate) – but we don’t care who was first, we just care who makes the best one! The prices are the same at both spots, and for us, both signature items were better at Sugar ‘n Spice. At both spots you pick your frozen treat, dip, and toppings. The frozen banana was softer and easier to eat at Sugar ‘n Spice, and we liked the vanilla ice cream in the Balboa Bar better here too. Our favorite topping was chopped up bits of Heath Bar candy, which was only available at Sugar ‘n Spice. We also felt that Sugar ‘n Spice was more generous with their toppings. The last thing that gave Sugar ‘n Spice the slight edge is that they also have drizzles (chocolate syrup, caramel, and peanut butter sauce).

Little Billy’s is a cute modern diner located just off PCH in Newport Beach. The menu is pretty big with lots of sweet and savory items. We loved the signature “Billy Cakes,” inspired by the iconic oatmeal griddle cakes from Salt’s Cure in L.A. The rolled oat pancakes are thin, soft, and fluffy with a crispy edge, a hearty oat flavor, and cinnamon butter on top. We also liked the classic All-American buttermilk pancakes which came with butter and maple syrup. The one savory item we tried was Billy’s breakfast burrito, on a flour tortilla with eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, potatoes, guacamole, and chipotle aioli. It was a good breakfast burrito, spicy and smoky, but we wish it came with some breakfast potatoes on the side. In general, we thought the portions here were a little light for the price.

If you follow us on Instagram, you’ve probably seen the iconic purple ice cream cone covered in rainbow sprinkles. It’s Kaitlin’s favorite ice cream in the world: Salt & Straw’s honey lavender! This delicious scoop shop hails from Portland, but now has locations all over the country. Salt & Straw is known for its wildly inventive flavors made with seasonal, local ingredients – think avocado toast, black olive brittle with goat cheese, or strawberry and coconut water sherbet. Around Thanksgiving, they even roll out a full holiday menu in ice cream form, with flavors like candied turkey and mashed potatoes.

Sidecar Doughnuts is our favorite doughnut shop in the world. It was founded in Orange County (Costa Mesa is the original location), but now has several locations around L.A. Every flavor is seriously delicious, but our personal favorites are the butter and salt, the huckleberry, and the country ham and egg – a savory doughnut stuffed with a poached egg, ham, and basil hollandaise. Limited quantities are available, so go early to make sure you snag one! Sidecar’s doughnuts are baked fresh all day long, so there’s always something hot from the oven.

Ospi is a modern Italian red sauce restaurant with a few locations in Southern California, including one in Costa Mesa. We loved the whipped ricotta toast, and the kale salad with almond dressing, avocado, and Grana Padano was a surprise hit. But, let’s be honest, you’re mainly here for a pasta party. The ricotta gnudi was our favorite – sinfully delicious little ricotta pillows that exploded in our mouths, topped with a brown butter sage crunch. To die for! We also loved the raschiatelli with spicy pork, crema di pecorino, and breadcrumbs, the spicy rigatoni vodka pasta, and the cavatelli with pork sausage, fresh black truffles, and housemade truffle butter. Finish with a tableside tiramisu!

Rye Goods is an Orange County bakery chain with locations in Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, and Tustin. Our favorite item here is the breakfast sandwich, served on a croissant with chicken sausage, scrambled eggs, and chipotle mayo. We also love the chili egg bagel with chive cream cheese, a crispy smashed potato, a fried egg, and chili crunch. In the pastry department, we love the morning bun, flaky sourdough layers rolled up with zesty cinnamon sugar, and the savory pastries like the caramelized onion and brie sourdough croissant and the twice-baked croissant stuffed with Gruyère, caramelized onions, and leeks. The lamination at Rye Goods is great – buttery with great layers and great flavor, and everything is made with 100% organic, local ingredients. Rye Goods has fun lattes as well – our favorite is the Morning Sugar Latte, flavored with cinnamon and cardamom.

Matty Matheson opened an outpost of his Toronto burger shop in Costa Mesa. As burger lovers, we had to check out the hype. We liked the smash burgers – very thin, with a nice caramelization and good quality meat on a super soft, fluffy sesame bun. We added onions, pickles, and the Matty sauce, which was quite mustard-forward in flavor. Get some onion rings and dill sauce on the side, or poutine – fries loaded with cheese curds and gravy. The seasonal ube shake was our favorite item here, creamy and thick with so much ube and coconut flavor.

Freelance Coffee Project has got to be the cutest coffee shop in Orange County. Tucked away in an industrial area is an oasis, a jungle of an indoor/outdoor space, roastery, and tasting room that would look more at home in Mexico City than it does in Newport Beach. A living plant wall greets you, large garage doors open up the space letting seating spill fluidly into the sunshine, and there are greens galore. Although it’s rarely cold in Newport, there’s a cozy fireplace inside to snuggle up next to with a coffee. Single-origin is the thing here – they have a menu of pour-overs. We asked for the lightest and most acidic one and they recommended one from Papua New Guinea, which was smooth and balanced with notes of mandarin, cocoa, peach, hazelnut, and a floral aroma. We also enjoyed the fresh and floral orange cardamom latte.

Daydream is a combined surf shop and coffee bar with Hawaii vibes in Costa Mesa. Their signature specialty latte is a rose cardamom latte, and we also loved the seasonal “lover’s latte” with rose and vanilla syrup, with a pronounced sweetness and a distinct floral vibe. It’s a sunny California surf shop, with clothes, candles, and ceramics for sale alongside the coffee.

Eller Bakery is a beautiful, tranquil pastry oasis in Costa Mesa. The design is minimalist, accented by natural elements like wood and stone, and the space has an open kitchen where you can see the bakers at work. It’s a European-inspired bakery with a focus on sourdough and heritage grains, and they even mill their own flour. The pastries are unique, but what you really want to come to Eller for are the hot items from the kitchen. We loved the eggs Benedict on a sourdough biscuit with chicken sausage and hollandaise, and the croissant breakfast sandwich with cheesy scrambled eggs. In addition to the food, they have an espresso bar and an on-site roastery. The banana bread latte was our favorite!

One of our favorite coffee shops in Orange County is Neat Coffee, which has been open since 2015 in Costa Mesa. We loved their specialty lattes, like the seasonal juniper rose and the maple sea salt latte. We also enjoyed a pour-over, a funky gesha from Ethiopia, with notes of blueberry, grape, and milk chocolate. Neat Coffee serves pastries from Rye Goods and some other food items like granola bowls, toasts, and breakfast burritos. It’s a cute space with really friendly people, WiFi for working, or board games, depending on your mood.

MoonGoat Coffee is a roaster with pour-overs as well as creative espresso drinks like churro lattes. They have a few locations in the OC, and Costa Mesa is their flagship. It’s a great workspace with WiFi, a ton of seating inside and outside, couches and communal tables. The baristas are friendly and the pour-over options are plentiful – we had a carbonic gesha from Ethiopia with notes of Squirt soda, kiwi, strawberry, and pink grapefruit, and a Nicaraguan gesha with notes of limoncello, tangerine, and honey.

Mercado González Northgate is a Mexican food paradise. Start with a warm flour tortilla slathered with butter and hit the stalls. The al pastor quesadilla from Tacos los Güichos was our favorite item here – a flour tortilla filled with cheese and juicy pork from the trompo. We also loved their suadero (beef brisket) taco, with melt-in-the-mouth meat on a corn tortilla. Another highlight was the carne asada burrito from Asados Los Mesquites, on a flour tortilla with rice, beans, guacamole, cheese, and salsa. Sample ceviches at Mariscos El Pariente – the shrimp guacaceviche was our favorite. And if you want something rich, get the quesabirria taco from Birrieria La Tapatia, with beef, melted cheese, and consommé for dipping. To drink, try the horchata and the passionfruit juice from the aguas frescas stand, or a walnut atole from the tamale stand. Finish with dessert at Churrería El Moro, the Mexico City shop that makes our favorite churros in the world. We love the consuelo (the churro ice cream sandwich) as well as the churros, cooked to order with a warm and gooey inside, a crispy edge, and a ton of cinnamon sugar.

Stella Jean’s is a small-batch ice cream chain from San Diego, with a location in Costa Mesa and one at The LAB in Orange County. Our favorite flavors here are the Salted Maple Banana Pudding, the Brown Butter Pecan, the Mango Sticky Rice, the Calamansi Creamsicle, and the Ube and Pandesal Toffee, with pieces of Filipino sweet bread. Stella Jean’s makes their waffle cones in-house – they’re one of our all-time favorites. The cone has a distinct cinnamon flavor, so the result is a cinnamon sugar vibe that goes so well with all their fun ice cream flavors.

It’s worth a trip to the OC just to eat this pizza. The menu is chef-driven and seasonal, featuring local ingredients – a spring pizza features peas and green garlic, summer boasts a corn-topped pie, and a Brussels sprouts pizza arrives in the fall. Our favorite was the potato pizza, with a béchamel base, slow-cooked onions, taleggio, fontina, and rosemary. We also loved the white pizza with roasted onions, mozzarella, fontina, and taleggio, and the red pie with tomato sauce, fennel sausage, mozzarella, and fennel. But the toppings here are secondary to the dough, which is astounding and so unique in style. Their motto is “trust in the crust” – it’s a super high hydration dough, made with local grains, fermented for 36 hours and naturally leavened. It’s quite bready – thick and crusty, big and bubbly, and puffy – and yet it has such a lightness when you bite into it. This is one of the most unique pizza doughs we’ve ever had. Finish with the chocolate budino, a rich pudding topped with salted caramel, mascarpone, and a double chocolate chip cookie on the side.

Cowboys & Poodles is one of the cutest speakeasies we’ve ever been to. So much thought has been put into the design and all the details here – the interior is so fun! Seating includes horse stools at the bar, a wooden stagecoach, and even a confessional booth. There are disco balls and cowboy hats galore, live music on certain nights, and overall a really fun vibe – it’s a real hidden gem. We tried “A Whole Mood,” a Painkiller-style drink for two, with three kinds of rum, amontillado sherry, pineapple, coconut, and lime. It was a boozy, tiki-style drink – we loved it!

Darkroom in Santa Ana is a fun dining restaurant serving some of the most creative, flavor-forward food in SoCal. The à la carte menu is big, with smoky, punchy flavors and decadent sauces. Highlights included the raw scallop tostada with a peanut chile salsa; crispy baby artichokes in a broccoli cheddar sauce; the fried prawn schnitzel with a celeriac-leek remoulade; the pork tomahawk with Calabrian chili butter; and the sweet-and-salty zucchini bread, drenched in koji butter and draped with jamón. Don’t miss the Darkroom burger, a blend of brisket and dry-aged ribeye with melted Comté, house-made pickles, and caramelized onions served on a potato roll, in an au poivre bath. Darkroom is bold and creative – it’s our top recommendation for dinner in Orange County.

Kei Coffee House is a modern specialty coffee shop with unique coffee and tea drinks, as well as sweet and savory food items inspired by Asia. The must-try here is the pandan coconut soft serve – creamy, nutty, and aromatic, with meaty chunks of coconut inside. Other items we loved were the Filipino-inspired breakfast burrito with sweet longanisa sausage, fluffy eggs, crispy tots, and cheese wrapped in a fresh flour tortilla, and the Korean-inspired corn cheese cookie, with cream cheese and a drizzle of honey. It was like cornbread in cookie form! Don’t leave without trying the pandan coconut matcha latte.

Tacos La Carreta is a taco truck that serves Sinaloan-style Mexican food featuring lots of grilled meat. They have four trucks around SoCal, including one in Santa Ana. It’s a tiny operation with a huge reputation, and everything is cooked on the griddle to order. Best of all? The prices are amazing, with tacos starting at just $3. This is some of the best carne asada and adobada in California, and we especially loved them wrapped in cheesy quesadillas. The tortillas are heated on the griddle and brushed with beef tallow while the cheese melts. Tacos La Carreta is also famous for the chorreada, a crunchy corn tostada topped with carne asada, chicharrón, and salsa. La Carreta’s torta is one of the best we’ve had, with light and fluffy bread, chopped carne asada, caramelized onions, and avocado cream. Another dish we loved was the “papa loca” – the crazy potato, loaded with grilled steak, cheese, and salsa.

Get your passport ready – it’s time to travel the world through ice cream! Wanderlust Creamery crafts creative scoops inspired by flavors from around the world. The offerings change constantly, but some we have loved are the Thai-inspired Mango Sticky Rice, the Filipino-inspired Ube Malted Crunch, the Southeast Asian-inspired Pandan Tres Leches, and the Icelandic Rugbrød (rye bread) flavor. This is one of the best ice cream spots in Southern California, with Orange County locations in Irvine and Costa Mesa.

These burritos are the size of tacos – slender, compact tubes with a tortilla folded around the good stuff. They might look simple on the outside, but there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. The magic of Burritos La Palma starts with their homemade flour tortillas, made from a secret family recipe. They’re buttery, pliant, and doughy – the perfect vehicle for the juicy, saucy fillings. Their small size means you can try a few flavors – our favorites are the birria (beef stew) and the bean and cheese. Thankfully, Burritos La Palma has expanded beyond their original El Monte location – with an outpost in Santa Ana.

6100 Bread is one of our all-time favorite bakeries in the world. The name refers to the ZIP code of baker and co-owner Karlo Evaristo’s hometown in the Philippines. Evaristo is a former fine dining chef who pivoted to bread during the pandemic – he first began his sourdough journey in 2019, and continued baking from his home during Covid. Now his signature blue corn sourdough bread is served on the menu at three-Michelin-starred Somni in L.A. This iconic purple bread made him famous – nutty and aromatic with all the flavor of a tortilla and the sponginess of a perfect sourdough. But don’t stop there. The pastries are buttery, flaky works of art. Our absolute favorites are the sun-dried tomato croissant with Oaxacan cheese, the soy scallion gochujang roll, and the croissant cinnamon roll with the most ridiculous vanilla-studded cream cheese frosting on top. Don’t leave without trying the croque monsieur, served on a crispy, spongy baguette and oozing mornay sauce, ham, cheese, and pickles.

Le Hut Dinette in Santa Ana is a modern diner serving Tex-Mex-style brunch. The restaurant is from the owners of Heritage Barbecue, so their diner plates are far from average. The Pitmaster Slam comes with three giant slabs of super moist brisket, soft scrambled eggs, tallow-fried potatoes, and blue masa sourdough bread from 6100, the bakery next door. Another favorite was the patty melt, with a ground brisket patty, caramelized onions, cheese, and a tangy chili sauce. The breakfast burrito is one of the best we’ve had: a foot-long, thick boy packed with scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cheese, wrapped in a buttery flour tortilla. We finished with the fluffiest French toast, made with 6100 milk bread and topped with chantilly cream and ember-roasted strawberries. In true diner style, Le Hut serves drip coffee for $1 – including free refills.

Los de Juarez in Anaheim is a shop that specializes in Chihuahua-style burritos: long, thin, open-ended tubes packed with different “guisados” (stews), wrapped in a house-made flour tortilla. Our favorite was the “pollo en chipotle,” shredded chicken in a chipotle sauce with rice. This was complex and bright, with interesting textural contrasts. We also liked the “deshebrada,” shredded beef with potatoes and a green chile sauce, and the “frijoles con queso,” refried beans with a good amount of cheese – simple and nostalgic. Another signature here is the “chile relleno,” with a cheese-stuffed poblano pepper, and the birria (shredded beef stew in adobo sauce with beans) is another crowd favorite. Los de Juarez is a good lunch stop if you’re in the area.