From standout cocktails and creative desserts to hidden pizza spots and award-winning bagels, these are Orange County’s must-try food and drink destinations this summer.
Ding Dong Dupes
You’ll find all kinds of wonderful baked confections in addition to delicious breakfast entrees, signature sandwiches and burgers, and hearty salads ($7.96 to $18.95) at Scratch Bakery Cafe’s two restaurants. But it’s the menu of Knock temptations ($5.50 to $9.95) that’ll steal your heart. From the outside, they look like an old-fashioned Ding Dong. Take a bite, however, and you’ll find exotic fillings like Dubai pistachio, pumpkin spice latte, or cocoa cream.
24321 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills; 561 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach
Whiskey Banana Milk Cocktail
From seafood to dim sum, there’s lots to love at the new Chinese Cantonese restaurant Palette at The Market Place in Tustin. But perhaps the most surprising hit on the menu is the Golden Oak cocktail ($18). Featuring whiskey, banana milk, cinnamon, demerara sugar, and oak bitters, the smooth and perfectly balanced drink simply steals the show.
3015 El Camino Real, Tustin
Grab-and-Go Mimosas
Tiny and quaint, Orange Inn Cafe has been serving Laguna Beach locals and visitors alike for 95 years. It’s a popular place to grab breakfast, a cup of coffee, a quick lunch, or a smoothie. It’s also a great place to order a mimosa…