The Best Places to Eat in Laguna Beach, by the Record
The best places to eat in Laguna Beach, by the professional record: Sprudgie Awards, Michelin Guide, and AAA have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Equator Coffees comes out on top.
R|O-Rebel Omakase and Marché Moderne hold the next two places. Michelin Guide shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Eater next.
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A Michelin-starred omakase counter tucked into a Laguna Beach strip mall, which is either a joke or a lesson in not judging by the parking lot. Chef Jordan Nakasone runs two seatings a night, and the menu moves between precise, traditional nigiri and kitchen courses with a looser, more playful hand. Service is the kind that's present without being felt. The room is quiet, the pacing deliberate, and the whole thing lands closer to ceremony than dinner.
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Rank 3. Marché Moderne
Modern French
A fire engine-red Berkel slicer sits in open view of the dining room, which tells you something about how seriously this fine dining French restaurant takes its charcuterie. Husband-and-wife team Florent and Amelia Marneau run a kitchen that moves between classical and modern French without making a fuss about it. The glassed-in kitchen and soft globe lighting keep things elegant without going stiff. The cocktail list tracks the seasons, and the wine pairings are unusually fairly priced.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Eater The 38 Essential Orange County Restaurants
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Rank 4. Selanne Steak Tavern
Steakhouse
A converted house on Pacific Coast Highway that now does serious work as a steakhouse, with enough rooms and terraces that you could visit four times and sit somewhere different each time. The kitchen leans into butter the way a steakhouse should, and the bar draws regulars who look comfortable enough to have their own tabs. The Michelin Guide lists it among its selected restaurants for the region.
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Rank 6. Oliver's Osteria
Italian
Sleek banquettes and artwork-lined walls give this upscale osteria more warmth than you'd expect from a canyon-road address near the PCH. The menu reads like a tour of Italian classics, from stuffed zucchini blossoms to a proper bucatini all'amatriciana, with house-made desserts closing things out. The bar works nicely for solo diners who'd rather eat well than wait for a table.
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