Anaheim’s dining scene goes far beyond theme park snacks and chain restaurants catering to visitors thanks to recent culinary movement seeing talented chefs and restaurateurs transform the city into an underrated foodie haven scattered with chef-driven eateries making creative use of fresh local ingredients.
| Restaurant | Description |
|---|---|
| Heritage Barbecue | Known for competition-level tender smoked meats and Texas-style barbecue. |
| Great Maple | Offers New American cuisine with thin-crust pizzas, truffle gnocchi, and more. |
| Pho54 | Family-owned restaurant serving some of the best Vietnamese pho in Little Arabia. |
| Bluewater Grill | Focuses on fresh, sustainable seafood with options like ginger-crusted sea bass and oysters. |
| TLT Food | Serves unique fusion tacos, tostadas, and loaded fries blending Mexican and Korean flavors. |
| Mix Mix Kitchen Bar | Offers original shareable plates fusing cuisines from Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea. |
| HiroNori Craft Ramen | Known for premium noodles and complex broths, offering a unique ramen experience. |
| Great Maple Wagyu Steakhouse | Features spectacular wagyu beef dishes with truffle foie gras butter and more. |
| Chez Nous French Bistro | A cozy bistro with classic French dishes like Coq Au Vin and vichyssoise soup. |
| Cortina’s Italian Restaurant | Family-owned Italian restaurant with a menu spanning pastas, pizzas, and more. |
From exquisite fine dining experiences to celebrating global flavors at family-owned establishments, Anaheim serves outstanding meals across a range of diverse neighborhoods.
Heritage Barbecue
Name and Location: Heritage Barbecue, San Juan Capistrano, California.
History and Significance: Known for its central Texas-style barbecue, this spot has quickly gained a reputation for its artisanal approach to smoked meats, emphasizing local sourcing and traditional methods.
What to Expect: Expect a mouthwatering selection of smoked meats like brisket and ribs, along with classic sides. The focus is on quality and flavor, with meats smoked for several hours.
Visitor Information: Often busy, so arriving early is advised. Casual atmosphere, ideal for family and group outings.
Competition-level tender smoked meats draw crowds to this industrial-chic eatery crafting transcendent Texas-style barbecue recipes perfected by champion pitmaster Daniel Castillo. Patients diners line up early to later savor mole-spiked beef ribs, juicy smoked turkey, jalapeño-cheddar sausage and some of California’s most crave-able brisket paired with spicy house made pickles, sweet cornbread and savory sides made in-house daily until sold out. Their complex seasonings and slow smoking methods yield unparalleled smoky flavors.
Great Maple
Name and Location: Great Maple, locations in Southern California.
History and Significance: A modern American eatery known for its seasonal dishes and locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant emphasizes a farm-to-table approach with a twist on classic dishes.
What to Expect: Innovative dishes with a focus on flavors and presentation. Known for their brunch offerings, including their famous maple bacon doughnuts.
Visitor Information: Reservations are recommended. Great for brunch enthusiasts and those looking for a unique culinary experience.
Great Maple brings inspired New American cuisine traditions to downtown Anaheim’s historic Center Street Promenade through seasonal California cuisine with Italian and French techniques incorporated by Chef Joe Magnanelli. House favorites like perfect thin crust pizzas, creamy truffle gnocchi or braised Niman Ranch short ribs served alongside craft beers and global wine varietals keep this lively upscale eatery bustling. Don’t miss their epic desserts either, especially the melt-in-your-mouth maple bacon bread pudding.
Pho54
Name and Location: Pho54, multiple locations in Orange County, California.
History and Significance: A Vietnamese restaurant celebrated for its authentic Pho, a traditional noodle soup. It’s popular among locals for its authentic flavors and consistent quality.
What to Expect: A variety of Pho options, along with other Vietnamese favorites like spring rolls and bánh mì. A casual, no-frills dining experience focused on the food.
Visitor Information: Usually no reservations needed. Ideal for a quick, satisfying meal at a reasonable price.
Ask Anaheim locals where to find the city’s best pho and they’ll surely direct you to family-owned Pho54 in downtown’s Little Arabia district. Their namesake Vietnamese soup with thinly sliced beef and chewy rice noodles simmers perfectly aromatic and complex to accompany banh mi sandwiches, crunchy imperial rolls and wok-tossed XO seafood over jasmine rice. This little storefront rates not just best in its class locally but on par with California’s top Vietnamese establishments vying for such hotly contested bragging rights.
Bluewater Grill
Name and Location: Bluewater Grill, several locations along the West Coast.
History and Significance: Known for its sustainable seafood practices, this restaurant offers a wide range of fresh seafood dishes. It’s committed to serving responsibly caught fish and local ingredients.
What to Expect: A menu featuring a variety of seafood dishes, from classic fish and chips to more sophisticated seafood entrees. The atmosphere is casual yet elegant.
Visitor Information: Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner. Suitable for family dining and special occasions.
Fresh sustainable seafood takes center stage at Bluewater Grill’s stylish dining room overlooking the splash zone alongside Anaheim Harbor. Patrons soak in the sights and sounds of swaying boats just outside floor-to-ceiling windows while savoring market-driven catches perfectly prepared options like ginger-crusted sea bass, ahi poc chuc tacos with tropical salsa or an ultra-fresh raw bar starring items like Blue Point oysters and diver scallops. Their cocktail program focuses on approachable California wines, local craft beers and spirits too.
TLT Food
Name and Location: TLT Food, locations in Los Angeles and Orange County.
History and Significance: Started as a food truck, TLT Food has evolved into a brick-and-mortar restaurant offering a fusion of various cuisines with a Californian twist.
What to Expect: Expect a menu with a mix of flavors, including Asian, Mexican, and American. Popular for its tacos, sliders, and unique bowls.
Visitor Information: Casual dining, suitable for quick lunches or relaxed dinners. No reservations required.
Chef Danielle Rosales wows Anaheim with wholly original tacos, tostadas and loaded fries blending flavors from her Mexican and Korean parentage atfunky counter-service eatery TLT Food. Housed surprisingly inside a generic shopping plaza, her Koreatown-inspired Korean BBQ short rib lettuce wrap tacos might share a combo plate with Mexican guacamole, kimchi topped fries or even a bulgogi-marinated chicken quesadilla in near perfect fusion. Vegan mock meats also steal scenes but do save room for their epic flan dessert too!
Mix Mix Kitchen Bar
Name and Location: Mix Mix Kitchen Bar, Santa Ana, California.
History and Significance: An acclaimed restaurant known for its global-inspired cuisine, Mix Mix emphasizes creative dishes that blend different culinary traditions.
What to Expect: Innovative dishes that merge flavors from around the world, with a strong emphasis on presentation and taste. Notable for its artistic plating and unique ingredient combinations.
Visitor Information: Reservations recommended. Ideal for foodies and those seeking a gourmet dining experience.
Helmed by alums from fine dining dynamos Le Bernardin and French Laundry, Mix Mix Kitchen Bar fuses cuisines from Thailand, Vietnam and Korea using classical French technique for utterly original shareable plates. Their striking natural wood bar makes a dramatic stage for beautifully plating standouts like a 32-ingredient lettuce wrap platter, photogenic whole crispy fish with chili lime sauce or even their Instagram-famous faux pho served tableside pouring hot mushroom broth over fettucine and waglyu instead of noodles.
HiroNori Craft Ramen
Name and Location: HiroNori Craft Ramen, multiple locations in Southern California.
History and Significance: A highly rated ramen shop known for its authentic and high-quality ramen. The founders’ passion for traditional ramen making has made this a go-to spot for ramen lovers.
What to Expect: Authentic Japanese ramen with rich, flavorful broths and perfectly cooked noodles. Also known for their vegan options.
Visitor Information: Often busy; expect a wait during peak hours. Casual setting, great for a quick and hearty meal.
This ultra-hip ramenya focusing on premium noodles and complex broths in downtown Anaheim sets new standards locally for an already beloved category of Japanese comfort cuisine. Slurp up their signature Craft Ramen blending miso, shoyu, and shio broth for incredible depth with tender Berkshire pork belly chashu then cool off alongside a frosty local craft beer. Lines frequently wrap outside but their fast-casual setup makes for short waits. Still, arrive off-peak hours if eager experiencing HiroNori’s sublime handmade noodles bathed in umami-rich broths.
Great Maple Wagyu Steakhouse
Name and Location: Great Maple Wagyu Steakhouse, Southern California.
History and Significance: An extension of the Great Maple brand, this steakhouse is known for its high-quality Wagyu beef and upscale dining experience.
What to Expect: A menu featuring premium Wagyu steaks, along with other upscale dishes. The restaurant offers a sophisticated ambiance perfect for fine dining.
Visitor Information: Reservations strongly recommended. Ideal for special occasions and those seeking a luxury dining experience.
Spectacular wagyu beef sourced from Japan’s renowned Kagoshima Prefecture stars on modern Steakhouse menus crafted by Chef Joe Magnanelli overlooking Center Street Promenade. Their wagyu filet mingyon served with genteel truffle foie gras butter instantly melts with indulgent decadence contrasted by crispy Brussels sprouts and fluffy truffle mashed potatoes. Hand-cut premium steak options like 30-day dry aged bone-in ribeye or rich 32-ounce tomahawk pork chop share space with stunning seafood towers and a wine list spanning nearly every growing region too at downtown’s ultimate special occasion restaurant.
Chez Nous French Bistro
Name and Location: Chez Nous French Bistro, Tustin, California.
History and Significance: A cozy bistro offering a slice of France in Southern California. Known for its authentic French cuisine and intimate dining atmosphere.
What to Expect: Classic French dishes prepared with finesse, including favorites like escargot, coq au vin, and crème brûlée. The bistro offers a romantic and quaint atmosphere.
Visitor Information: Reservations recommended. Ideal for romantic dinners or small group gatherings.
The cozy little Chez Nous (“our home” in French) bistro transports diners straight to Paris through rustic décor warmly welcoming guests as extended family. Their devotion to classic French cooking shines in standouts like eh soul-warming Coq Au Vin: a tender herb-roasted half chicken simmering in red wine sauce with vegetables and house-made bacon lardons begging to be sopped up by a crusty baguette slice. Affordable set menus always satisfy with standards like vichyssoise soup, pistou-topped vegetable tartines or crème caramel custard cake rounding out meals cheerful Gallic hospitality.
Cortina’s Italian Restaurant
Name and Location: Morton’s The Steakhouse, multiple locations worldwide.
History and Significance: Founded in 1978 in Chicago, Morton’s has become synonymous with fine dining and exceptional steak. It’s known for its high-quality meats and elegant dining experience.
What to Expect: Premium steaks, fresh seafood, and a selection of fine wines in a sophisticated setting. Known for its excellent service and upscale ambiance.
Visitor Information: Reservations recommended. Perfect for special occasions, business dinners, or a luxurious night out.
Family-owned for over 50 years, Cortina’s invites guests to their vibrant red sauce Italian restaurant continuing traditions established by Roma immigrant founders PieTro and Katie Cortina. Their sizable menu spanning Tuscan pastas, huge Chicago-style pizzas and chicken parmesan remains entirely approachable thanks to Katie’s son Jim Cortina working the dining room nightly alongside wife Rhonda. Vegans delight over meatless stuffed manicotti while loyal regulars adamantly request the chicken cacciatore simmering slowly for hours in tomato ragu piled high over polenta steaming from the copper saucepan still tableside.
Morton’s The Steakhouse
Name and Location: Morton’s The Steakhouse, multiple locations worldwide.
History and Significance: Founded in 1978 in Chicago, Morton’s has become synonymous with fine dining and exceptional steak. It’s known for its high-quality meats and elegant dining experience.
What to Expect: Premium steaks, fresh seafood, and a selection of fine wines in a sophisticated setting. Known for its excellent service and upscale ambiance.
Visitor Information: Reservations recommended. Perfect for special occasions, business dinners, or a luxurious night out.
Only USDA Prime grade beef meets standards at Morton’s posh white tablecloth steak sanctuary secreted on Anaheim GardenWalk’s second floor. Splurging on their 28-day Midwestern corn-fed slabs like the aromatic coffee-crusted filet mingyon makes special occasions unforgettable. Maine lobster tails, colossal shrimp scampi and indulgent sides like truffle mashed potatoes or creamed spinach complement rich cuts decadently. Their impressive cellar also offers intricate pairing opportunities across Beefeater martinis, bold California cabernet sauvignons or aged single malt scotches breathing potent, peaty magic into every sip.
In recent years Anaheim built a formidable food scene integrating CIA-caliber training, global cultural diversity and California’s natural bounty into an underrated SoCal dining destination offering outstanding meals rivaling bigger cities nearby. Beyond Mickey waffles and churros, Anaheim’s restaurants create incredible delicacies perfect for memory making.