Did you know that there’s more to Orange County than sprawling suburbs and waves splashing against the beach? During my recent visit to the OC, I found the real highlight to be the food. One person, a friend of a friend, calls the OC a “culinary void” but I think perhaps their taste buds have been damaged in a freak accident, because I left Orange County full and satisfied. So next time you’re looking the best places to eat in Orange County, here’s my list for the best of the best. Bon appetit.
Best Breakfast in Orange County: Polly’s Pies, Huntington Beach
The only way to start your day in Orange County is to stuff yourself silly at Polly’s Pies. It’s a fascinating place – the staff spent a minute or two explaining to me how the pie oven worked, after I asked what that ENORMOUS thing was behind her while I was paying. It’s pretty cool, and they have every pie known to man, plus a few that you didn’t even know were possible.
The nice thing about Polly’s is that everything else is really good. They have a cinnamon roll the size of a car tire, a tasty oatmeal, and of course all the pies, pancakes, and scrambled eggs you can manage in a morning. The perfect hangover cure or a great top before spending the day exploring the OC. Visit Polly’s – you won’t regret it.
Best Brunch in Orange County: Plum’s Cafe, Costa Mesa
Americans do one meal better than anywhere else in the world, and that’s brunch. And if you want to enjoy brunch at one of the best places to each in Orange County, look no further than Plums Cafe. The space is fresh and modern, the coffee is hot, and the portions are UNGODLY ENORMOUS. Above is the photo of their Dutch baby (the irony is not lost), a pancake-cum-crepe dish that is served with lemon and powdered sugar. It’s pretty tasty and easily out-sized my glob of French toast. Plums also has the best bacon in Orange County – crunch, spicy, and delicious. Plums also has a great outdoor seating area, so if its warm, go alfresco.
Best Mexican in Orange County: Las Barcas, Huntington Beach
How many Mexican restaurants do you know sell bumper stickers for their customers? If I had a car, I would buy a “I <heart>Las Barcas” because I do indeed heart Las Barcas. I actually went about three times during my visit, so if you want the best Mexican in Orange County, the PLEASE go here. They have fresh tacos made to order, tasty burritos stuffed to the max with tasty ingredients, a self-serve salsa bar (and do believe that’s made fresh too), and the best chips in town too (yup – they make those too). If that wasn’t enough, the staff are also super-friendly. This is the gold standard to which all Mexican restaurants should be held. I heart Las Barcas. You should too.
Best Pizza in Orange County: Pizzeria Ortica, Costa Mesa
Ok, so this is California, but if you think Cali-style pizza is California Pizza Kitchen, you are mistaken my foodie friend. Instead head to Costa Mesa for the cosmopolitan fabulous Pizzeria Ortica. How about the salsiccia: homemade sausage, caramelized fennel, marscapone, red onion, and buffalo grana? Or the margherita pizza with spicy salami and mushrooms? There’s asparagus pizza, summer squash, or you can even get the tomato/garlic/oregano option with no cheese. Italy never tasted so good – that’s because their pizzas are prepped in a 300 year old ‘biga’ that was brought from Naples. Skip the chains and head here. Did I mention the wine and cocktails are good too?
Best Coffee in Orange County: Cafe Enchante, Huntington Beach
If you’re location independent, then you’ll be looking for a good place to work. I found it: Cafe Enchante, just a few blocks from the main street in Huntington Beach. It’s an unassuming venue, but their coffee is excellent and the space is perfect to hang out for a chat or to sit and get some work done. They have great bagels, as well as muffins and other pastries. The wifi is free, and so is the unique decor – ranging from some wall paintings to the beach-scene-inside-the-glass-table. Places like these are one of a kind, so pop in and support them – cafes with personality are a dying breed.
Best Restaurant Ambience (And OffBeat Eat) in Orange County: Habana, Costa Mesa
Habana Restaurant is a part of “The Lab” – what they dub as the ‘anti-mall’ – and indeed it’s a little more interesting than your typical American mall. Habana is the main restaurant, and you must try it. It wins two awards for me: one, for the ambience. Their outdoor patio at night is dark and light by hundreds of candles, clustered along the walls in candelabra-style, which creates this wonderful ambience. Second, the food and drink are great; you don’t often get good ethnic food but Habana does their interpretation of Cuban with flair and panache while sticking to some originality. OOh, and the sangria – get a designated driver, trust me on this one, it goes down way too well.
Best Cupcakes in Orange County: Sprinkles, Newport Beach
An offspring from Beverly Hills in the North, Sprinkles is leading the cupcake craze (which I believe was born across the continent, in New York City). And once you have one, you’ll see why they’re the best cupcakes in Orange County – and they should be, they’re not cheap! We didn’t get to try red velvet, which I hear is brilliant. I tried strawberry, which I loved but was sweet enough to induce early diabetes. My personal recommendation is the cinnamon and sugar; it’s a nice balance of sweet and spice without an overkill on the icing. If you don’t like cupcakes, at least go look – aren’t they cute?
Best Ice Cream in Orange County: Shake Shack, Crystal Cove
We close with my personal highlight of all of Orange County and what has to be the best ice cream experience EVER: the Shake Shack. (That photo was before I tried it – the excitement matched the hype!) Shake Shack is off the Pacific Coast Highway, and it’s literally a shack that is easily missed. Once you arrive, you are offered some fantastic sea views – one good shove and the shake shack would be in the ocean! The menu is straightforward and unassuming, and the results are INCREDIBLE: the best milkshake ever. The perfect balance of ice cream, milk, and toppings, whipped to perfection and topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Great views and great treats, what’s not to like?
Special thanks to Amy, Abbie and Juliane for all their OC tips and advice! All photos courtesy of the establishment or the author except Plums (kxande2), Habana (Ned Raggett), Sprinkles (David Berkowitz)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
So you’re in town for a week or two and manage to go to more restaurants than I have in my entire life in Orange County! Where’s the fairness in that?
I’ve never even seen Las Barcas and I lived only a couple of blocks away. Thanks for pointing it out, I’ll be checking it out soon!
And Cafe Enchanté is a great coffee shop. I always take couch surfers there when they need their caffeine fix
Jeff, that sounds like your fault, not mine.
Now you have a list!
Too bad you didn’t venture a bit inland, there are many more places for breakfast than Polly’s and the “Ruby’s” Shake Shack has nothing on the handmade in house ice cream from Han’s Homemade Ice Cream in Santa Ana. The Shake Shack lost it’s charm with the County/State kicked out the previous owners for the big money contract of Ruby’s Diner…
If you ever come back hit me up and I along with my my foodie friends I have listed on my blog will take you around to the real Best Places to Eat in Orange County!