Orange County is perhaps one of the jewels in Southern California’s crown, and its dining scene is truly one to behold. With a wide variety of eateries out in the OC, it’s only natural that there is a long list of Michelin Star restaurants in Orange County. We’ve listed most of them here and have made it easy for you to find restaurants headed up by Michelin Star chefs throughout Orange County.
When Michelin Stars are awarded, the judges discreetly visit each restaurant and evaluate their meals based on a number of criteria. These include creativity, flavour, service and presentation, to name a few. Visiting a Michelin Star restaurant will always be a memorable experience, regardless of the cuisine on offer. So without further ado, let’s take a look at Orange County’s best restaurants!
Mélisse
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This restaurant has become something of an icon on Orange County’s dining scene. With esteemed chef Josiah Citrin at the helm, Mélisse adds a special something to this list of Michelin Star restaurants in Orange County. The chef’s expertise lies in crafting fine dining experiences that will never go out of style.
With a classic twist on modern dining, this gorgeous restaurant has something for everyone on the menu. It also makes for a lovely change of pace for anyone looking to take a beat and enjoy a wonderfully-prepared, carefully-crafted meal in a slow-paced environment. Working alongside Chef Citrin, who himself has over 25 years of experience in the kitchen, is Ian Scaramuzza, who has worked in Michelin Star establishments all over the world. Together, the two make quite the dynamic duo.
Some of the menu’s highlights include Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio and Choux Farci and Rice, but it does change depending on the availability of the ingredients. Should you have any dietary requirements, the restaurant advises that you call beforehand to let the chef know.
- Price: $$$
- Michelin stars: 2
- Address: 1104 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica
- Type of food: International
- Must-try: Chef’s tasting menu.
Fable & Spirit
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Fable & Spirit is the perfect spot to dine at any time of the day or night. With its elegant design and excellent menu, it’s no wonder that it has become one of the top Michelin Star restaurants in Orange County. At any given time, Fable & Spirit is packed with happy diners ready to dig into their authentic pub grub. This menu is a comprehensive one, and almost anything you can think of is on offer. Usually, this would set alarm bells ringing – surely one restaurant can’t be good at everything, right? Well, somehow Fable & Spirit is!
This restaurant is another one from the famed Coyle family, who own a number of other establishments in the Orange County community. Those restaurants are all also phenomenal, but Fable & Spirit certainly takes the cake. Headed up by chef David Shofner, the menu consists of small plates, 10 large entrees and even a few heavenly desserts too!
Some of the menu’s highlights include the Guinness brown bread, which is baked to order, so each serving arrives at your table piping hot. The mussels, imported from Prince Edward Island, are served bathed in thyme butter that will make you weak at the knees, as will the dessert options, like brioche bread pudding served with creme Anglaise and blueberry compote. You’ll be back for more. We guarantee it.
- Price: $
- Address: 3114 Via Lido, Newport Beach, 92663
- Type of food: British pub grub
- Must-try: Cracked pepper homemade bucatini, smoked short rib.
Hayato
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Japanese food is having a moment in the sun when it comes to popular kinds of cuisine. At Hayato, the moment you step inside is the moment you understand why it has become one of the top Michelin Star restaurants in Orange County. The restaurant’s website proudly states “We invite you to experience Japanese cuisine on an intimate, personal level”, and on that, they certainly deliver.
Any dining experience at Hayato is an intimate and engaging one, as chef Brandon Hayato Go guides his guests on this culinary journey. In fact, most of the courses of this kaiseki meal actually begin with ingredients that are masterfully arranged in the back kitchen and then handed to the chef on trays. He then finishes the dish right in front of you and provides detailed explanations of each step of the cooking process along the way. It’s incredibly immersive and will not soon be forgotten.
Hayato has just 10 seats in total, so calling ahead and making sure you have a reservation is absolutely advised!
- Price: $$$
- Michelin Stars: 2
- Address: 1312 E 7th Street Suite 126, Los Angeles, CA 90021
- Type of food: Japanese
- Must-try: Chef’s tasting menu.
Knife Pleat
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Rounding off our list of Orange County Michelin Star restaurants is Knife Pleat. This restaurant serves up contemporary French cuisine that highlights chef Tony Esnault’s imagination and technique. Chef Esnault and his partner Yassmin Sarmadi have become something of a culinary power couple. They previously opened two other restaurants in Los Angeles, namely Spring and Church & State. Apart from coming up with imaginative names for their dining establishments, the two are also no strangers to critical praise, with all of their eateries named as one of “Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants in the Los Angeles Times.
Under the leadership of Esnault and Sarmadi, Spring and Church & State did exceptionally well. Both restaurants thrived and were considered to be amongst the best in the state. This led to South Coast Plaza inviting the two to collaborate on what is perhaps their greatest project to date – Knife Pleat.
The menu is an extensive one and offers up a variety of options, from a brunch menu to afternoon tea and even a chef’s tasting. All the ingredients used at Knife Pleat are simple and uncomplicated. They highlight additions like truffles and asparagus and somehow, create tastes that are both deep and flavourful. Every trip to Knife Pleat will not only be a good one but a memorable one too!
- Price: $$$
- Michelin stars: 2
- Address: South Coast Plaza, 333 S. Bristol Street, Costa Mesa
- Type of food: International
- Must-try: Chef’s tasting menu, black truffle brie, caviar.
Sebastian is a former hedge fund trader who worked only to indulge his true passion – food.
He has dined at over 240 Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, savoring culinary masterpieces and understanding the stories behind them. He now advises restaurants on menu design, decor and holistic diner experience.
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