Nice weather and beautiful scenery are not all that Tustin, California has to offer. Located in southern California, Tustin is nestled among the hills between Irvine and Santa Ana, once largely occupied by Orange groves is now a diverse city rooted in the past by its old town historical homes and trees, but very much a modern city by design.
As with any flourishing modern city, you can find diverse activities and attractions to enrich the week or weekend. For instance, you could visit the Marconi Auto Museum or Citrus Ranch Park, but if food is your idea of how to celebrate life in SoCal, well, Tustin is home to some amazing restaurants.
Let’s take a look at…
The 12 Best Tustin Restaurants:
Rock & Brews
If classic American-style food is your jam then Rock & Brews has your all-time greatest hit list.
You know what this place is up to by the name, but there’s a lot more going on here than the name implies.
Dedicated to local sourcing for what goes into the your made-from-scratch American classic food experience, Rock & Brews dining leaves nothing out. Including a craft beer selection that includes IPA’s, stouts, ambers, blondes, all on a frequent tap rotation giving you every opportunity to try out a different beer every time you come in.
Rock and roll themed menu that’s ready to jam, with “Opening Acts” to “Rock Star Tacos”.
Don’t forget to put this foodie magnet at the top of your list of must-visit good restaurants in Tustin.
1222 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, CA 92780
Ramen Mura
Our favorite ramen spot among other Tustin restaurants is Ramen Mura.
When it comes to Ramen, Executive Chef Kevin Yu takes it to the highest level.
Born to become a chef, Chef Yu’s life was all about culinary experience and culture and in his Ramen Mura restaurant, you can see his 35 years of training come to life in exquisite ramen dishes.
Seven ramen broths are a signature at Ramen Mura, each simmered to perfection for at least 16 hours and all crafted with the finest ingredients. Vegan and vegetarian options are available along with traditional dishes served with pork.
Tonkotsu Ramen, Spicy Tonkoutsu Ramen, Miso Ramen, and Black Ramen—” Rich pork broth with chashu, soft boiled egg, black garlic oil, bean sprout, green onion, wood ear mushroom, seaweed”, some of what Ramen Mura’s has in store for you.
13882 Newport Ave, Tustin, CA 92780
American Grub
American grub is, no doubt, one of the top Tustin restaurants to embrace the idea of guilty pleasure.
Carefully selected beers and wines are available to pair with your favorite dishes.
Speaking of guilty pleasures, maybe you should have a go at the Guilty Burger. “Angus beef patty, applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar, pepper-jack cheese, swiss, applewood-smoke bacon, fried egg, spicy mayo, toasted brioche bun”, and since we are indulging, make it a double.
Rejoice carb cutters, you can get all the burgers,” protein style”, no bun, it’s just wrapped in a lettuce leaf. American Grub also serves a variety of sandwiches and not to leave the vegetarians out, they also have an “Impossible Burger” for those wanting to dine sans meat.
For office parties and home celebrations, catering is available.
365 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780
Roma D’ Italia
When you have a restaurant that has remained open for 60-plus years, there’s a reason.
Roma D’ Italia has been open since 1961, which is incredible. Proudly presented by the Dominic Corea family, Roma D’ Italia serves a “Slice of Heaven Daily”.
Lunch and dinner offerings of pasta, seafood, and their famous fresh and in-house made gnocchi, finishing off their selections with legendary desserts.
And the “slice of heaven” comes from Roma D’ Italia’s equally legendary pizza.
The mouth-watering menu is packed full of traditional Italian favorites. Signature pasta dishes, baked pasta, fresh seafood, and Roma’s original hand-thrown New York-style pizza.
Roma D’ Italia easily gets one of the top spots on our list of the best restaurants in Tustin because they make the best Italian food in all of town. Period.
611 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780
Piadina
Piadina is one of the best restaurants in Tustin for days when you just need a dang good sandwich.
Piadina is a modern Italian food restaurant using simple recipes to create dishes using high-quality ingredients. The uniqueness of Piadina is what sets them apart.
Piadina is named after an Italian bread recipe that over the last 10 years their chefs have perfected into a new version while maintaining the classic rustic Italian flatbread that is cooked fresh on a griddle and filled with meats or cheese or vegetables. Turning all those natural ingredients into a crispy and light version of the original.
Taking the extra steps, Piadina brings the taste of Parma to their tables with exquisite dry cure prosciutto, aged 24 months in a unique environment found only in Parma, Italy. So all that care is what goes into your sandwich first.
Equally next-level attention is given to sourcing the finest ingredients, like the handcrafted mozzarella that is flown in weekly from a small coastal town off the Amalfi Coast. Add this to the freshly made fresh dough and you have a heavenly combination of modern Italian ingredients put together just for you.
2933 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92782
Peter’s Gourmade Burgers
Step aside average burger joints, Peter’s Gourmade Burgers is in the house and they are offering the best burgers in Tustin and is in contention for best burger in Orange County.
Peter’s Gourmade Burgers offers up a friendly family atmosphere so it feels like you’re eating at home, but with a heap of gourmet twists.
Peter’s started in a shared gas station but over time the food and family feel made it necessary by demand to expand into what they are today. Bringing all the original recipes but with a few new twists, the Normans — the new owners, continue to serve the “juiciest and most mouth-watering burgers in Orange County”.
Speaking of twists, Peter’s has taken their sweet potato fries to a new taste level by adding brown sugar and topping them with marshmallows.
Or how about Peter’s Greek Fries, “ShoeString fries topped with feta cheese, Gyro Meat, Onions, Tomatoes, and Oregano, served with a homemade Tzatziki on the side”
Adding to the mouth-watering deliciousness of the menu Peter also has more than a half dozen sandwiches to choose from.
14311 Newport Ave, Tustin, CA 92780
HONDA-YA
Restaurant Guru awarded Honda-Ya the Best Sushi award of 2022 and is one of our favorite Tustin restaurants.
Honda-Ya serves over 300 dishes specializing in sushi and yakitori. This is a Japanese restaurant with a deep-rooted traditional work ethic and personal values system that carries over into the cuisine they serve.
Honda-Ya serves a variety of craft beers, house, and premium sake. The menu is filled with traditional dishes from, rice dishes, steamed dishes, stewed, deep fried, and much more. It is all about the food and the service at Honda-Ya.
This is the place to find it all, and don’t worry there’s desert. Try out the Japanese Style Macha Mount Blanc, or the Daigaku Imo w vanilla ice cream.
Honda-Ya, where tradition, flavor, service, and menu choices are all at the highest level.
556 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
For the best breakfast and brunch in Tustin, look no further than Snooze.
Not your same old breakfast eatery, Snooze flips things on their ear, or in this case the griddle.
With the Snooze Eatery, don’t be surprised by the vibe of sustainability, responsibility and community, because that’s what Snooze is about.
Dedicated to giving back to the community, and setting higher standards for food, they have “pancake principles”, and following these principles is what sets them apart.
Alongside the environmental standards is a bar that opens up when the restaurant opens, so you can enjoy breakfast with a bloody mary if you so choose.
Boasting a seasonal menu as well as a breakfast menu there are flights of pancakes you can order. Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes, Blueberry Danish Pancakes, OMG French Toast or maybe you want to give their plant-based foods a try, like the Bravocado Toast, or the absolutely gorgeous Sweet Potato Smashup.
One of the Snooze’s mottos is “We Make Breakfast Different”, they serve it up with a higher purpose.
3032 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92782
Chaak
One restaurant we ALL agreed had to be on our guide to the best Tustin restaurants is Chaak.
Mexican food is far more than most people think, with the different regional flavors adding a flare that is unique to its region. This is what Chef Gabbi Patrick brings to your table. She introduces the flavors of the Yucatan. Mayan flavors are brought to life with her out-of-the-ordinary award-winning Yucatecan cuisine.
Smell the smoke, and exotic spices and experience the modern flare of Chaak Kitchen, you have stepped into the midst of the spirit of the Yucatan.
Spanish, Mediterranean, and Caribbean influences make up the lunch and dinner menu and the Cóctels are created to enhance the experience. Don’t miss out on Sunday brunch, where you can savor the food along with a favorite cocktail. Try out the Guava Mimosa, a mix of guava, house guava-pineapple shrub and faire la fete brut.
The Baja Wine Club is available in-house to enjoy the wines of Baja Mexico, a perfect accompaniment to the award-winning cuisine.
215 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92780
Cream Pan
Cream Pan is one Tustin’s best rated restaurant and for good reason.
Having spent years experimenting and using the French techniques he learned in Japan, to create his pastries, Yoshinori Inada continues to sell out many of his items daily and that speaks volumes about the demand.
Pastries, bread, sandwiches, desserts, donuts and sweets galore. I’ve been here a million times and tried everything and can confidently say that everything here is delicious.
A house favorite is the Strawberry Croissant, one of the items that have stood the test of time and is still a favorite among guests.
In house or if you have an event, catering is available. He is open every day and works late into the night to make sure the next morning’s offerings are fresh and ready.
The Black Marlin
No list of best restaurants in Tustin would be complete without The Black Marlin.
The restaurant’s history begins at the Tustin Garage where service was top notch. That sentiment and level of service are now part of the Black Marlin Restaurant.
Word gets around and folks are talking about The Black Marlins’ “Sunday Funday”. It’s live music on the patio where entertainment and good eats get together for a Sunday Funday.
Open for lunch and dinner, along with a happy hour menu the American fared menu is stacked deep with locally sourced fish and produce and meats all with sustainability in mind.
Chilean Sea Bass, fresh Halibut, and a perfectly grilled swordfish are waiting on you.
Executive Chef Alfonzo Gonzales has created a dinner menu that is a virtual feast made up of starters, entrees, house favorites, and sides. Steak, Surf n’ Turf, Seafood, and more.
Sichuan Impression
Sichuan Impression is Chinese Asian Fusion. The creations of a family born into the culinary arts bring their knowledge and passion to set the standard for traditional Chinese cuisine, with a contemporary style.
The chef’s specialty menu is stunning, Signature Braised Duck,Ma-Po Tofu—said to be the best in SoCal, “Xi-Zhi Wok Fried Crab, Tea Smoked Pork Ribs, and more. ”
Sichuan is recommended by Restaurant Guru for a good reason.
Try something you have never tried before, Sichuan’s menu is loaded with options.
The owners are proud to give an authentic culinary trip to the “City of Gastronomy”, Sichuan China, through a high standard of food, service, and quality of products.
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