Italian food has never been difficult to find in Orange County. Great Italian food, however, is a more interesting conversation.
Along the coast, the best rooms currently cover a surprisingly wide spectrum: hand-made pasta inspired by Emilia-Romagna, polished modern Italian, waterfront steakhouse energy, contemporary plates by the harbor and a newer Laguna Beach arrival that has quickly settled into the neighborhood.
These are five addresses we would happily build dinner plans around.
Oliver’s Osteria, Laguna Beach
Tucked slightly away from the ocean in Laguna Canyon, Oliver’s Osteria is the kind of restaurant that proves a memorable coastal dinner does not necessarily require an ocean view.
Chef Erik De Marchi draws heavily from the cuisine of Emilia-Romagna, with house-made pasta and traditional recipes at the center of the restaurant’s identity. The Michelin Guide currently lists Oliver’s under Italian and Regional Cuisine and highlights the authenticity De Marchi brings to familiar dishes.
This is where we would go when the food itself is the evening: pasta, a bottle of Italian wine and enough time not to rush either.
Bello by Sandro Nardone, Newport Beach
Bello by Sandro Nardone takes a more contemporary route.
Bello describes itself as a Michelin-recognized modern Italian restaurant, and its current 2026 menu continues to put house-made pasta alongside more inventive compositions and tasting experiences.
It is polished without slipping into predictable special-occasion Italian, making it especially good for the night when you want dinner to feel like the main event rather than simply somewhere to eat before moving on.
Louie’s by the Bay, Newport Beach
Some nights call for pasta. Others call for pasta and a Newport Harbor sunset.
Louie’s By The Bay is positioned directly on Mariner’s Mile and combines modern Italian cooking with the structure of a classic steakhouse. The restaurant’s waterfront setting provides approximately 180-degree views across Newport Bay.
That setting is part of the experience rather than an afterthought. This is the table for out-of-town guests, celebratory dinners and those September evenings when leaving the coast before sunset seems like a waste.
Molo, Newport Beach
Molo feels a little more relaxed, and that is part of its charm.
Its current menu moves through the Italian staples people actually want to order—arancini, pizza, cacio e pepe, tortellini and branzino—without becoming an exhaustive catalogue of Italian cuisine.
The mood works for a dinner that is stylish but not overly formal. Order several things for the table, stay for another glass of wine and let the evening unfold without too much ceremony.
Piatti, Laguna Beach
One of the newer names on the list is Piatti, which arrived on Ocean Avenue in summer 2025 and is now entering its second year in Laguna Beach.
The restaurant makes its pasta in-house daily, with the current menu moving from bucatini carbonara and pappardelle to seafood linguine alongside pizzas, antipasti and Italian-inspired mains.
Its downtown location, steps from Main Beach, makes it especially easy to turn dinner into a full Laguna evening: gallery wandering first, pasta next and one final walk toward the water before heading home.
