The Rodeo 39 Public Market in Stanton is a testament to endurance and perseverance. Opened in the pandemic, this do-it-all food hall features a rotating collection of existing and up-and-coming talent like Kra Z Kai’s BBQ, Shootz, and Steel Pan Pizza, making it a must-stop for Angelenos on the way through Orange County.

Chef Ivan Calderon (founder of Taco Rosa and Taco Mesa) has partnered with his son Nico and Max Moriyama to open Taco Mesita in historic old town Tustin, bridging different generations with food and fun. The mole-topped tamal is based on a family recipe and made with heirloom masa. But the place also doesn’t shy away from pops of color and a bit of playful social media. Another bonus: It has a drive-thru.

This strip mall ramen and izakaya specialist from the Kei Concepts team is turning out some of Orange County’s most flavorful new food — especially the creamy, coconut milk-infused seafood laksa ramen. Lunch offers the chance for speedier service and sides beyond ramen like karaage, furikake fries, and rice bowls.

This reborn Huntington Beach restaurant on Warner is the new Orange County hotspot for hand rolls, done in a casual style. Takoyaki, unagi donburi, and other treats round out a steady menu that moves between set six-piece boxes, a la carte rolls, and donburi. There’s an outlet in Fountain Valley as well.

The second location of the artisan bakery Rye Goods has arrived in Tustin. The Newport Beach location on Lido grew a following with its bread, carmelized onion brie croissants, and pastries, but in Tustin it’s all about sandwiches. From bagel egg morning options to lunchtime sandwiches paired with soup specials, there’s something for everyone. For Challah loaves, swing by on the weekends.

Meat is the focus of French chef Jeoffrey Offer’s Costa Mesa restaurant, with masterful 38-ounce ribeye or more petit filets for dinner. But don’t skip the butcher’s burger or the weekend brunch, which features charcuterie, sausages, and eggs cooked in just about every way.

This casual seafood restaurant serves classic fish house comfort food, meaning lots of New England clam chowder, fried clams, steamed wild clams by the pound, cioppino with garlic bread, and of course crispy fish and chips. It’s a sit-down restaurant but with a casual vibe, so expect two-taco combination plates and margarita specials on Tuesdays, plus a daily kids menu to keep the family happy.

Carlos Perez and Luke Bramm built their audience by serving naturally leavened bagel sandwiches as part of a roving pop-up, selling at spots like Newport Beach’s Daydream Surf Shop and Neat Coffee. Perez grew up in the bagel business and Bramm oversees the kitchen. The gateway menu items are the Fully Loaded Lox sandwich with cured salmon, sprouts, and capers, and the O.G. with longganisa sausage, soft scrambled eggs, and aji cilantro crema double. Looking for loosies? Boil & Bake offers plain, everything, black and white sesame versions alongside cheesy cheddar Fresno and cacio e pepe. The bagel box includes an eight-ounce tub of cream cheese and six bagels of your choice.

East LA-born executive chef Gabriela Gomez takes influences from her mom’s cooking to create her style of modern Mexican food. Gomez spent time in the kitchens of Taco Maria, Jungsik, and Electric City Butcher, and her food reflects (in part) her Oaxacan heritage. Signature dishes include scallop aguachile, mole temporal, and birria tatemada.

One of Newport Beach’s biggest hits is Fable & Spirit, an upscale dinner and brunch spot that leans into Irish, Italian, and California flavors. There’s Guinness brown bread to start, fish and chips, wood-fired pizzettas, and lots of vegetables and salads to go along with cocktails and wine.

The hot new OC power lunch spot is Joey at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. While the food isn’t groundbreaking, it’s reliable enough to work for the upscale-casual ambience and lively crowds. Expect starters like hummus and tzatziki with crispy pita, plus shareable mains like steak and ravioli bianco with barely-cooked shrimp.

Filipino Islander-inspired brunch restaurant Breezy took over after the Ramen Shack shuttered in 2022. The team behind Shootz Hawaiian serves reimagined breakfast foods that they grew up eating as kids. Longganisa sausage and rice features heavily on the menu, but so are amalgams of Southern California staples, including a shredded pork adobo breakfast burrito with garlic rice, adobo chilaquiles, and ube French toast.