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Best Places to Eat in Irvine CA – Food Lover’s Guide

Looking for the best places to eat in Irvine CA? Here’s where you should start.

Irvine, California is full of food options, especially some amazing Asian cuisine. During our trip, we ate way too much trying to get through our list. We especially loved how much Asian food there is after our stint of living in Portland. The Diamond Jamboree Shopping Center, which is one of the most popular spots, has Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese food all in one area.

Food Lover's Guide on Where to Eat in Irvine CA // localadventurer.com

So grateful to Destination Irvine for hosting our trip and sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are our own. This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: February 7, 2024

13 Places to Eat in Irvine California

To help you plan your visit, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to eat in Irvine, California. Let us know if we’re missing anything! Some spots we visited have closed but we’ll continue to update this list. Let us know if you see anything we need to fix.

See More: Best Things to Do in Irvine California

1. 85°C Bakery (Bakeries, 💰)

2700 Alton Pkwy Ste 123, Irvine, map

This Taiwanese Bakery opened their first U.S. location in Irvine, and when they first opened, the lines wrapped around outside. Even when we visited, it was still busy, but much more manageable than the first time we visited. They serve coffee, cakes, pastries, and more. We ordered the sea salt coffee and tried a bunch of different pastries, and our favorite is the Taro Bread. 

See More: The Best Food at Disneyland You Need to Try

2. A&J Restaurant (Taiwanese, 💰)

14805 Jeffrey Rd Ste D, Irvine, map

This is a Taiwanese chain and is our friends’ go-to spot for beef noodle soup. Don’t forget to order the scallion pancakes and cucumber salad in hot garlic sauce. 

A & J Restaurant + 13 Irvine Restaurants You Should Try // localadventurer.com

3. Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails (New American, 💰💰)

2607 Main Street, Irvine, map

If you’re looking for a feel-good food spot, 100% of the profits from Andrei’s goes towards finding a cure for Retinitis Pigmentosa. We can’t speak for the food, but we went for cocktails and loved their barrel-aged Manhattan.  

Andrei's Conscious Cuisine + Best Things to Eat and Drink in Irvine California // localadventurer.com

4. Il Fornaio Irvine (Italian, Seafood, Pizza, 💰💰)

3972 Barranca Pkwy N, Irvine, map

Award-winning house-made pasta and an extensive award-winning culinary menu. Be sure to try a wine pairing!

5. Urban Plates (New American, 💰💰)

3972 Barranca Pkwy N, Irvine, map

Fresh ingredients that are sourced locally, sustainably, and ethically. Tons of vegetarian and vegan options. Two Irvine locations.

6. Fukada (Japanese, 💰💰)

8683 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, map

This is a really popular spot right now. They serve deliciously simple udon, soba, and rice bowl dishes. We went for lunch and got a soba + unagidon combo. YUM! 

See More: 49 Best Places to Eat in Los Angeles

Fukada + Best Restaurants in Irvine CA // localadventurer.com

7. Hironori Craft Ramen (Ramen, 💰💰)

2222 Michelson Dr #234, Irvine, map

We ate here twice during our SoCal trip! The broth is really creamy and delicious and the pork is full of flavor. We also tried their fried chicken and rice bowls. If there was only one place you could eat at during your visit, I would recommend HiroNori. 

HiroNori Craft Ramen + Where to Eat in Irvine California // localadventurer.com

8. In-N-Out (Burgers, 💰)

4115 Campus Dr, Irvine, map

If you haven’t gotten your In-N-Out fix yet, there are plenty in Irvine. They are also headquartered here. The funny thing is when we lived in SoCal, we rarely went, but there is no denying that at their price point, they have the best burgers. 

In n Out is headquartered in Irvine + All the Best Places to Eat in Irvine CA // localadventurer.com

9. Puesto (Tacos, 💰💰)

8577 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, map

We didn’t try the Irvine location, but if you’re in the mood for fancy tacos, go to Puesto. You can check out our full review of the San Diego location. Our favorites are the Tamarindo Shrimp Tacos and Mexican Street Bowl. 

See More: Ultimate San Diego Bucket List

10. Snow Monster (Desserts, 💰)

4255 Campus Dr A124, Irvine, map

If you’re looking for photogenic desserts and drinks, stop by Snow Monster. We got the lightbulb glass with a cotton candy cloud, but they also have a 70-200mm lens glass. Both the Thai tea and lemonade were too sweet for our taste but the lightbulbs were too cute not to get. 😂

Snow Monster + What to Eat in Irvine California // localadventurer.com

11. Tim Ho Wan (Dim Sum, 💰💰)

2700 Alton Pkwy, Irvine, map

Michelin Star rated dim sum, hailing from Hong Kong. Known for their baked BBQ pork buns and lotus wrapped sticky rice.

12. Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai (Ramen, 💰💰)

14370 Culver Dr., Irvine, map

On Eater’s Hottest Restaurants in Orange County 2019. Chewy, housemade ramen in flavorful broths. Be sure to try their boiled gyoza.

13. Poached Kitchen (Breakfast/Brunch, 💰💰)

17595 Harvard Ave Unit A, Irvine, map

Waffles here are a must and their coffee options are locals’ favorites.

More Places to Eat

We left with happy bellies but there are still plenty of places we want to try next time.

Closed

  • Bruxie (Breakfast & Brunch, 💰💰)
  • Burntzilla Modern Eats (Hot Dogs, 💰)
  • Caspian Hookah Lounge (Hookah Bars, 💰💰)
  • Clay Oven (Indian, 💰💰)
  • Eats Kitchen and Bar (New American, 💰💰)
  • EMC Seafood & Raw Bar (Seafood, 💰💰)
  • Red Bar & Lounge (Lounges / Cocktail Bars, 💰💰)
  • Scoops N Scoops Creamery (Ice Cream, 💰💰)
  • Sweet Combforts (Desserts, 💰)
  • Temakira Hand Rolls (Sushi, 💰)

Map to Help You Get Around

Best Places to Stay in Irvine

Planning Checklist

Let us know if you make it to any of these spots or if there are others we should add to the list.

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Esther and JacobPin

Esther + Jacob

Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.

Follow on Instagram (E + J), YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest.

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