Neighborhood: Yorba Linda
“We should open a store called Forever 39. We’ll sell wine and yoga pants.” This viral Internet quip was part plea, and now the ingredients are all there at Yorba Ranch Village. But that doesn’t do the peaceful, unhurried shopping center justice: OC Wine Mart & Deli staffs a wine concierge, holds wine tastings, and will help you create overflowing gift baskets for anyone on your list. Fig Leaf stocks Pilates and yoga gear, and a little inspiration (ever heard of the “30-Day Plank Challenge”?) There’s more, of course: Herbed Chicken Breast Gorgonzola at The Wild Artichoke, and eclairs from Beverly’s Best Bakery.
Neighborhood: Dana Point
Perched above Pacific Coast Highway, Monarch Bay Plaza reflects the relaxed sophistication of its Dana Point neighborhood. In the Spanish-style mall with red tile roofs, ocean breezes blow through white stucco archways, and upscale-yet-casual boutiques and restaurants attract locals and tourists.
Neighborhood: Buena Park
On the edge of what’s quickly becoming Orange County’s own Koreatown, the new Village Circle on Beach offers a mash-up of Asian cultures. Anchored by Taiwanese bakery 85C, Korean supermarket H Mart, and Japan’s dollar store Daiso, it’s Buena Park’s answer to Irvine’s Diamond Jamboree.
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Neighborhood: Anaheim’s Packing House
An agricultural landmark and architectural gem, Anaheim’s packing house has been transformed into a European-style food hall. The venue, at 440 S. Anaheim Blvd., offers nearly 20 dining experiences ranging from customized gelato to sushi, as well as a handful of vendors making their first O.C. appearance.
Neighborhoods: Along the Boulevard
One of Newport Beach’s busiest thoroughfares may be just a block away, but the sprawling strip mall at Old Newport Boulevard and Hospital Road still seems like a local secret. It’s one worth knowing: Among the hairstylists and tanning salons, you’ll find an unexpectedly diverse collection of treasures.
Neighborhoods: Huntington Beach’s Bella Terra
Construction crews have been busy at Huntington Beach’s Bella Terra. In the past year, more than 10 stores and restaurants have opened at the shopping center just off the 405 Freeway’s Beach Boulevard exit, adding to the dinner-and-a-movie spot’s lively vibe
Hot O.C. Neighborhood: East Side Costa Mesa
This updated neighborhood doesn’t have to try hard to be interesting, original, surprising, and modern—it just is. Take the mile-long stretch of strip malls along 17th Street, between Newport Boulevard and Irvine Avenue, the heart of the renaissance. Foodies come for the Instagram-worthy Aussie-style meat pies at PieNot, coconut French toast at Plums Café, and braised pork panini at Pitfire Artisan Pizza. And that’s just the Ps. Other homegrown restaurants and shops tip toward lean-and-clean fare, such as the casual Jan’s Health Bar. Plus it’s the birthplace of Mother’s Market & Kitchen.
Hot O.C. Neighborhood: Downtown Anaheim
With a focus on food and community, downtown’s fresh look gets inspiration from the city’s rural roots. It takes resourcefulness to restore and imaginatively reuse old buildings, qualities the city’s founding farming families had, too. The new energy is centered on the Packing District, a two-block stretch of Anaheim Boulevard between Santa Ana Street and East Broadway: the restored 1920s-era Packard Building, now home to Anaheim Brewery and Umami Burger, and the 1919 Anaheim Citrus Packing House, with a food hall of locally based food-and-beverage artisans.
Neighborhoods: Costa Mesa
Chain restaurants and stores dominate most of the strip malls on Costa Mesa’s east side. But at Santa Ana Avenue and 17th Street, look a little closer and you’ll find indie boutiques and cafes tucked in among the usual suspects
