Gretchen Kurz

I’d never suggest Julep Cast Iron Kitchen to my salad-obsessed hairstylist. But for fans of unabashedly rich fare, this is your North County source for Southern-style fritters and crunchy fried chicken served piping hot, paired with decadent sauces.

Finney’s at the White House both honors and updates the iconic PCH tavern where brothers Greg and Brad Finefrock once partied.

Yes, it’s only nine miles on Laguna Canyon Road from the original Osteria, but for us inlanders, skipping that irksome drive is reason to cheer the arrival of Oliver’s Trattoria in Irvine’s Quail Hill center.

I scrolled through months of Instagram posts of sun-burnished blondes and grinning bartenders sliding candy-colored cocktails across the bar before I could nab a table at Palmilla Cocina y Tequila last summer.

Rare Society sees a future in doubling down on grandeur, vying to be the luxury default for steak dining in downtown San Clemente.

South Coast Plaza presented O.C. diners with a dazzling holiday gift last November—Caló Kitchen + Tequila.

What a relief to see the vacant-for- years Irvine address that was momentarily Davio’s reanimate last fall as Benny and Mary’s. Yet another concept from Toast Restaurant Group, the red-hot creatives behind Julep, this is its most upscale effort to date.

Hard-won expertise is the not-so-secret ingredient behind Starfish’s instant popularity with Newport Beach diners. Owners Gretchen and Archie McConnell took their time opening this petite sibling to their pan-Asian Laguna Beach flagship, elevating standards and expanding the menu in the process.

Explore exquisite pan-Asian fare at Starfish, Newport Beach. Daily fresh dumplings, hand-cut noodles, and decadent lobster rolls await.

Inside Webb’s Grainworks, the Multi-Concept Eatery Redefining Dining in Suburban SoCal.

Inside Webb's Grainworks, the Multi-Concept Eatery Redefining Dining in Suburban SoCal.

New Mexican spot at South Coast Plaza dazzles.

Discover Rare Society, San Clemente’s opulent steakhouse serving lavish steaks, exquisite cocktails, and decadent desserts.

San Clemente steak house delivers splendor.

Right now is the best time to visit this spot in Newport Beach.

Discover Palmilla Cocina Y Tequila’s vibrant Mexican cuisine & cocktails in Newport Beach

Polished service pairs with vast menu to lure locals at Tustin spot.

Starfish Newport Beach features a Pan-Asian concept where a table is hard to come by.

Newport Beach addition of longtime favorite stuns.

Enticing food, fair prices, and craft beer reign at former White House spot.