Our 2024 List Of The Best Food And Drink Around Orange County

Fruit Illusion

Oh, delicious mangos—their tropical flavor is a most sublime summertime treat. Perhaps even more enticing: PUESTO ’s mango cake. Presented atop a strip of chocolate bark, the cake masquerades as a mango—the color, size, and shape an almost-perfect match. Piercing it with a fork, however, reveals layers of mango mousse and coconut sponge cake. Multiple locations, eatpuesto.com

Smoked Salmon Pizza

Named one of Orange Coast’s Best New Restaurants last year, INI RISTORANTE continues to dazzle with surprising, Japanese-inspired takes on Italian cuisine. Our current obsession is its stunning brunch-worthy pizza with smoked salmon, shiso cream cheese, fried capers, and tobiko (flying fish roe). 16129 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, 714-277-4046

Guilt-Free Chocolates

Gluten intolerant? No problem. Counting calories? You’re good. DATEOLATE ’s dark-chocolate date candies are gluten-free, only 33 calories apiece, and free of preservatives and other additives. The chocolates’ sweetness comes from the natural sugar in dates, which are high in fiber and full of antioxidants. dateolate.com

Cause Célèbre Cupcakes

When you go to BUBBA SWEETS’ cupcake shop, expect to be overwhelmed by the many novel flavor combinations, all of which sound so tempting, you’ll be hard-pressed to walk out with only one. But the celebrity creations (The Elvis, The Jimmy Buffett, the Katy Perry) are the stars. And the winner among them is the Gwen Stefani: lemon cake with blueberry filling and blueberry buttercream frosting, rolled in sprinkles and topped with a tangy dollop of lemon gelée. A “sweet escape,” indeed. 16479 Bolsa Chica St., Huntington Beach, 714-840-8200

Anticipated Mall Restaurant Opening

Coming this fall, RH NEWPORT BEACH, THE GALLERY will feature a rooftop restaurant and park, wine bar, in-house interior design firm, and full floors of RH Interiors, Modern, and Outdoor in an 80,000-square-foot, fourlevel space. Guests will be able to enjoy views of the ocean from the rooftop, and it’ll be the only location of its kind in Southern California. Fashion Island, 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach

Pork Belly Chicharrones

You can get pork rinds and cracklins at any market—or you can get the real deal at CARNITAS DON MIGUEL inside the new Mercado González Northgate Market. You’ll find a plethora of choices, but the best of all are the long pork-belly chicharrones. 2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, 949-238-6470

Nutella Pizza by the Slice

It’s rare to find dessert pizzas—even rarer to find them by the slice. But at SUGO , along with a half-dozen other single-serving o erings such as calabrese and potato-and-ham varieties, you’ll find a sweet option with Nutella and assorted fruit (o en strawberries and bananas). No wonder Chef Sandro Nardone of decorated Angelina’s Pizzeria in Dana Point is the mastermind here. 675 Paularino Ave., Costa Mesa, 714-852-3580

Nutty Scoop

Gelato, in general, is pre y darn irresistible. But the pistachio gelato from BACIO DI LATTE in Fashion Island has got to be the nearest thing to a food of the gods here on Earth. The company uses only the finest pistachios from Sicily, with organic milk and cream from Sonoma County. It’s the brand’s bestselling flavor. 133 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949-520-7538

Quick Gourmet Asian Fare

Why wait for a table when you can sidle up to ANQI’S SHAKEN & STIRRED NOODLE BAR ? With its own special menu, the new spot o ers create-yourown Shaken Bowls, signature wagyu drunken noodles, Asian-inspired tacos, and dumplings–including a version with plant-based Impossible Meat. Don’t worry, you can still get an order of the famous garlic noodles, too. South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-557-5679

Gothic Cafe

If moody Victorian decor is your vibe, be sure to check out BURNT UMBER COFFEE and its soon-to-come adjoining tea room. The family-owned cafe has a beautiful and unique aesthetic while also earning high marks for its standout customer service and quality drink o erings. Don’t miss the popular Harvest Moon la e with nutmeg, brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange bitters. 12752 Valley View St., Garden Grove, burntumberoc.square.site

Pho XLB

Soup dumplings elsewhere might be more refined or even more generous, but none have greater lure than the beef pho version at South Coast Plaza’s PARADISE DYNASTY . They sell out within hours daily. Also popular are the seasonal and limited-edition XLBs. The eight flavor basket (e.g., crab roe, pulled Kurobuta pork) is a signature. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-617-4630

Oxtail Soup

Delighting folks with its crazy rich broth, food hall fave PHOHOLIC sells 2,000 bowls of Michelin-approved pho daily. Its best offering stars oxtail. Order extra scallion oil and chili oil, and swoon. Rodeo 39 Public Market, 12828 Beach Blvd., Stanton, 657-348-9999; Collage Culinary Experience in South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-279-9999

Cantonese on the Corner

Serving up addictingly authentic Hong Kong-style comfort food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, DELICIOUS FOOD CORNER (the perfect name for it) operates out of a modest space in a neighborhood shopping center in Irvine. And it packs the house. A few must-try dishes from the abundant offerings: the roasted duck, the clay pot chicken, the house special fried vermicelli, and the beef with rice noodles. 13110 Yale Ave., 714-988-2868

Morning Bun

Get to JULIETTE’S CAFE & COFFEE CULTURE early so you don’t miss out on snagging a morning bun before it sells out. The outside of the morning bun is crunchy, flaky, and covered in cinnamon sugar. Inside, there are knotted ribbons of pastry and more cinnamon sugar. Pair it with a latte and relax on the patio. 1501 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, 714-735-0523

Winning Pours

There’s a reason STRONG WATER made the cut of finalists for a James Beard Award in the category of Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. The brainchild of Ying Chang and Robert Adamson, it’s the only establishment in O.C. to get a nomination this year in any category. Its tiki vibe is kitschy in the best possible way. Its drink menu is vast. But it’s the so-called Rum Manifest that wows with 34 varieties, including Strong Water’s own award-winning Lost Voyage Rum. 270 S. Clementine Blvd., Anaheim, 714-844-1875

Cookie-Packed Croissant

Head to THE B8KERY BY SELANNE for the crookie—a cross between a croissant and cookie. The delicious treat is made by slicing a croissant in half and placing cookie dough inside as well as on top. Once it’s baked, you have a flaky, delicious, and unique treat that you’ll want to snap to your Instagram before eating. 1456 Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, 949-715-4497

Architect of Cakes

DINARA KASKO is not your average pastry chef. The native of Ukraine now living in Irvine creates mind-bendingly intricate cake designs—confections so elaborate that it’s hard to believe they’re edible. This is her second career—she first worked as an architect. (Makes sense, right?) She also designs a line of molds that are available for purchase online, so home cooks can bake their own works of art. dinarakasko.com

World-Famous Cheese Pizza

This is no exaggeration. TRULY PIZZA ’s Our Cheese pie topped aficionados’ lists when Chef Sergio Balderas won an international pizza competition in March, beating out some 100 other varieties. This one comes virtually unadorned but for its exemplary mozzarella, semidried tomatoes, and crispy, billowing aged-focaccia crust. It and other Truly creations come round or square. 24404 Del Prado, Dana Point, 949-218-8220

Plant-Based Tasting Dinner Series

Open since January, San Diego County transplant THE PLOT brings flavorful vegan fare as well as a commitment to sustainability to The Camp. The restaurant hosted its first Plantscape tasting dinner in March, featuring six courses showcasing locally sourced and regeneratively grown ingredients. Follow The Plot’s socials to find out when you can get tickets for the next event. 2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714-852-3181

Desserts in a Jar

Leave it to Chef Fabio Viviani to rethink desserts like banana cream pie, s’mores, and more. He gives each of some two dozen classic recipes his own special twist, then smooshes the layers into a jar. Fabio’s tiramisu is tops: coffee-laced ladyfingers, Nilla Wafers, espresso and cream custard, chocolate sprinkles, and cocoa powder. His JARS SWEETS AND THINGS shops are popping up across the country, with several more local openings in the works. 27981 Greenfield Drive, Laguna Niguel,  949-716-1221