The Best Restaurants in Orange, CA: Old Towne Favorites Worth Knowing About
Last Updated on October 27, 2026 by Lauren Belzer Sanford
If you’ve never spent much time in Orange, California, it has a way of surprising you. It doesn’t have Laguna’s coastline or Newport’s name recognition, but it has something different: a real historic downtown, a walkable grid of antique shops and neighborhood restaurants, and a food scene that punches well above its size. I spent four years here as a Chapman University student and have worked here since, so I’ve had plenty of time to find the good stuff. Orange is about 15 minutes from the parks, so it’s an easy dinner after a Disneyland day.
Over the years the list has sorted itself into moods: Bluestone Lane for brunch, O SEA or Francolí for a slower sit-down meal, The Living Room at The Richland or Bosscat when it’s really about the cocktails, and 1886, Haven, Gabbi’s, or Smoqued for easy weeknights (and lunch). Nearly all of it is walkable in Old Towne, so you park once and wander.
My Old Towne Orange Favorites
On Repeat
Gabi’s Mexican Kitchen
Old Towne
Best Cocktails
The Living Room
Old Towne
Best Seafood
O SEA
Old Towne
Most Sentimental
Francolí Gourment
Near Chapman
The best restaurants in Orange, California, are Bluestone Lane for Australian-style brunch, O SEA for ocean-to-table seafood, Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen for margaritas and a great weeknight dinner, Bosscat for Southern comfort food and cocktails, and The Living Room at The Richland for the coziest bar in Old Towne. Francolí, an Italian café near Chapman, is where my husband and I had our first date. Nearly everything is a short walk from the Circle.
Building a full day in OC? My guide to things to do in Orange County pairs perfectly with this list.
1886 Brewing Co.
1886 Brewing Co. is my pick for a great beer and seriously satisfying pub food. It’s rooted in Old Towne and has the comfortable feel of a neighborhood spot that’s been around long enough to get it right.
Best For: Casual nights, craft beer, a relaxed Old Towne evening
What to Order: Brussels sprouts (a personal obsession) · Onion rings · Garlic feta fries · The jumbo Bavarian pretzel · Fish and chips · The B.C. burger
Bluestone Lane Old Towne Orange
Bluestone Lane is one of my favorites for brunch, lunch, or a quick coffee. The Australian-inspired café has locations across the country, but the Orange café is full-service and perfect for a sit-down meal. The coffee is excellent, and it’s on my list of the best coffee shops in Orange County for good reason.
Best For: Brunch, a working lunch, post-walk coffee
What to Order: Avocado smash · Athlete’s burrito · Chicken and bacon club roll · Potato wedges on the side (trust me)
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
I’ve loved Bosscat since trying the location near John Wayne Airport, and I was thrilled when it opened in Orange. The Southern influence works beautifully, and the cocktail menu is so fun. Great for lunch with coworkers or drinks after work.
Best For: Cocktails, Southern comfort food, a fun weeknight
What to Order: Pulled pork hush puppies · Gulf shrimp and grits, my favorite · Coastal white fish · Fried apple pie or beignets
Francolí Gourmet
Francolí Gourmet holds a special place in my heart. It’s where Max and I had our first official date in 2016, when we were both Chapman students. It’s an Italian café and market with a warm European feel that made it the perfect first-date spot (clearly, it worked). The food is fresh, the room is charming, and it still feels like a little hidden gem in Orange.
Best For: A slow lunch near Chapman, a European café feel
Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen
A favorite in college and still a favorite today, Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen is one of those places you keep coming back to: high-quality Mexican cooking, wonderful margaritas, and a lovely atmosphere.
Best For: Margaritas, a great weeknight dinner
What to Order: Seasonal guacamole and chips · Queso fundido with chorizo · Taquitos con salsa verde · Puebla tacos · Enchiladas suizas · The jalapeño pepino margarita
Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar
Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar has been a go-to since college, the kind of place you end up with friends on a weeknight and stay longer than planned. It’s a gastropub committed to local and organic produce, sustainable seafood, and humanely raised meat, with an approachable menu and a relaxed feel.
Best For: Weeknight dinners with friends, a relaxed gastropub
What to Order: Risotto arancini · Brussels sprouts (a theme with me, clearly)
O SEA
O SEA is all about ocean-to-table seafood and takes both its sourcing and its wine list seriously. Max and I are well on our way to being regulars. Many entrées let you choose your preparation and then your market fish, so you can mix and match with what’s fresh. The menu changes with the seasons.
Best For: Seafood lovers, a slightly more special dinner, wine and fish pairings
What to Order: The Super Tuscan plate with wild local halibut (also great with salmon) · The O SEA burrito · Albacore tuna poke · The Thai milk tea blondie sundae
Smoqued California BBQ
Smoqued is exactly what it sounds like: straightforward, well-made California barbecue that hits the spot every time.
Best For: BBQ nights, casual group dinners
What to Order: Smoked candied bacon · Fried pickles · The brisket plate · The “Amazing” mac and cheese, which lives up to its name
The Living Room at The Richland
The Richland is a boutique hotel in Old Towne and one of the most charming additions to the neighborhood in years. Its bar, The Living Room, is exactly that: warm, cozy, and inviting, with some of the best cocktails and bites in Orange County. It feels like someone’s beautifully decorated home bar, which makes it all the more fun to find.
Best For: Cocktails, a date-night drink, a boutique hotel bar in Old Towne
What to Order: No Vacancy · Wish You Were Here · Pardon My French · Putting on the Spritz, possibly the best Aperol spritz twist I’ve had · The house cheese and charcuterie board · Truffle fries
The Living Room is reason enough to book a night at The Richland. It’s a tiny boutique property, so weekends go fast.
Orange, CA Dining FAQs
Old Towne Orange has a walkable historic downtown with Australian-style brunch at Bluestone Lane, ocean-to-table seafood at O SEA, Southern comfort food at Bosscat, and craft beer at 1886 Brewing Co., most within a few blocks of the Circle.
As a Chapman alum, Francolí Gourmet and Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen are my longtime favorites. For quick, simple bites, there’s Wahoo’s Fish Taco, Urth Caffé, Pizza Press, Blaze Pizza, and Blue Bowl.
Gabbi’s Mexican Kitchen for great food and margaritas, O SEA for seafood, or cocktails at The Living Room at The Richland. All feel a little special without being stuffy.
There are so many good places to eat and drink in Orange; these are my tried-and-true favorites from years of living and working here. Whether you’re visiting Old Towne, grabbing lunch near Chapman, or exploring for the first time, I hope this list steers you somewhere delicious. Old Towne is made for wandering, too: antique shops, the Circle, and cafés like CedarHouse.
For more around the county, my guides to Italian restaurants in Orange County and the best coffee shops in Orange County are lovely next stops, and if you’re eating your way down the coast, don’t miss my favorites in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and San Juan Capistrano.