🔑 Quick Answer: The best restaurants in Ojai are farm-to-table spots built around the valley’s local produce, most within walking distance of downtown. For date night, book Ojai Rôtie, Izakaya Full Moon, or Condor Bar at Hotel El Roblar. For daytime, go to Farmer and the Cook, The Dutchess, or Highly Likely; for a quick healthy bite, The Nest; and for a drink, Topa Topa Brewing and Ojai Roots.
Ojai bound? This guide to the 11 best restaurants in Ojai will sort out where to eat and drink. Tucked back in the hills of Ventura County, this quaint Southern California town is about as relaxing as it gets, and its food is a big part of the draw.
What makes it so good is the setting. Ojai’s Mediterranean climate makes it one of the best agricultural regions in the state, so the citrus, olives, avocados, and produce that fill the valley’s farms end up on the plate. The result is a small but seriously good food scene, hyper-local and seasonal, where you can eat your way through town over a weekend. Here are our favorites.
Why Trust Us
This guide was written by Jessica Wright, a California-born travel writer and photographer and the founder of Bon Traveler, who spent a long weekend in Ojai eating her way through town to report it firsthand.
It’s published by Salt & Wind Travel, and Ojai is home turf for our team. Co-founder Aida Mollenkamp grew up in Southern California and has been coming to Ojai since she was little, with dear friends in the valley who share their local takes, and her most recent trip was over Mother’s Day weekend. She and Kristen Kellogg have also filmed in Ojai for California Grown.
We plan California trips constantly and vet the restaurants, hotels, and experiences we recommend, and no visit is complete without a stop at the Ojai Olive Oil Company around lunch.
Restaurant hours and menus change, especially at small independent spots, so confirm current details before you go
What Is Ojai Best Known For?
It’s a quick drive from Santa Barbara and the perfect road trip from Los Angeles. The town is small but has quite a lot to do. You can consider hiking in the Los Padres National Forest, wine tasting in the valley, or kickback at a luxe hotel.
The laid back atmosphere is easy going, and has just enough to do for a weekend away. The climate, combined with a beautiful setting, means that there is something to do year-round. And you can’t miss the famously dubbed “Pink Moment” in Ojai. At sunset, the hues of pink drench the mountains as the sun sets. You don’t want to miss that when in town.
What Is The Food Scene In Ojai?
If two words could describe the food culture in Ojai, it would be “community” and “fresh.” Everything is deeply intertwined in Ojai between the restaurants, the farm owners, and the ingredients. Hyper-local with a sense of keeping it as seasonal as possible defines most of the food styles from the chefs in town.
Since Ojai has such a rich agricultural practice as part of the community, rest assured you are eating some of the best food in the state. The town caters to many travelers from other cities like Los Angeles, so you find an elevated experience. Many restaurants have that cool edge, a twist of good design and presentation. All of this is why these Ojai restaurants are so good.
11 Best Restaurants In Ojai
The best restaurants in Ojai are the farm-to-table cafes, bakeries, and rotisseries concentrated in the small downtown, most of them sourcing from the valley’s own farms and orchards. If you’re wondering what are the most popular restaurants in Ojai, we’ve got you. These are 11 local restaurants where you can eat in Ojai on your next trip:
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Meals | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmer and the Cook | Vegetarian farm-to-table | Breakfast and lunch | Daytime and families |
| Ojai Deer Lodge | California roadhouse | Lunch and dinner | Groups and live music |
| Ojai Rotie | Lebanese-French rotisserie | Lunch and dinner | Date night and groups |
| Pinyon Ojai | Sourdough all-day cafe | All day | Daytime and casual dinner |
| The Dutchess | Burmese-Californian | All day | Date night and daytime cafe |
| The Nest | Healthy bowls and salads | Lunch and dinner | A quick healthy bite |
| Topa Topa Brewing Company | Craft brewery with Little Sama | Lunch and dinner | Groups and casual drinks |
| Highly Likely | All-day cafe | Breakfast to dinner | All-day meals and coffee |
| Condor Bar | Wood-fired Californian and cocktails | Dinner and drinks | Date night and cocktails |
| Izakaya Full Moon | Japanese izakaya | Dinner | Date night and foodies |
| Ojai Roots | Wine garden and farm shop | Daytime and early evening | Daytime wine and small plates |
Farmer and the Cook | Serves breakfast and lunch
If one restaurant embodies Ojai the best, it’s The Farmer and The Cook. It’s vegetarian and hyper-locally focused (they run their own farm box program from the owner’s farm). While you can stop into their market to stock up on weekend supplies or grab healthy smoothies, I’d stay for their breakfast in this Ojai institution.
A highlight is the Mexican-inspired dishes like huarache and cauliflower tostadas. It’s certainly a twist on Mexican food, but nonetheless delicious. A few tables out front are available to eat at, or you can take your food back to your hotel.
Best for: daytime and families
Farmer And The Cook, 339 W El Roblar Dr, Ojai, CA 93023
Ojai Deer Lodge | Serves lunch and dinner
It’s Ojai’s historic gathering place. A complete classic spot to kick back and enjoy live music and great drinks, this is the happening spot on the weekends. It’s California food with a roadhouse twist. Find plates like pulled pork grilled cheese sandwiches and a slow-braised lamb shank to cap off the menu.
Best for: groups and live music
Ojai Deer Lodge, 2261 Maricopa Hwy, Ojai, CA 93023
Ojai Rôtie | Serves lunch and dinner
On a previous trip, I may or may not have eaten here two times in a 24-hour period because it was one of my favorite Ojai restaurants. Lebanese meets French rotisserie, with some of the best local ingredients. And the setting? Idyllic outdoor seating under the canopy of old oak trees with hanging lanterns.
Start with an order of roast chicken, the specialty of Ojai Rotie, and pair it with either the pommes rotisserie cooked in chicken drippings with lemon-pepper aioli, purslane tabouli, or their take on a classic Avgolemono soup.
Best for: date night and groups
Ojai Rotie, 469 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023
Pinyon Ojai | Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
You could find a reason to come in any time of day to Pinyon. Relaxed, unfussed, well-done food is the name of the game here. And, of course, it’s all centered around sourdough. Bagels, pastries, and wood-fired pizzas are the menu’s mainstays throughout the day.
Best for: daytime and casual dinner
Pinyon Ojai, 423 E Ojai Ave Ste 101, Ojai, CA 93023
The Dutchess | Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
I love a restaurant open nearly daily, and The Dutchess is no exception. By morning, it’s a cafe and bakery, serving classics like oven-baked eggs and mouth-watering “egg sando.” Come night, it’s a Burmese Californian kind of restaurant.
Crispy rice salad, tea leaf salad, and hearty Niman Ranch pork belly are the highlights of the dinner menu. They also serve unique cocktails and even an Amaro flight. P.S. The restaurant doesn’t close until 11 p.m., so come later if necessary.
Best for: date night and daytime cafe
The Dutchess, 457 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023
The Nest | Serves lunch and dinner
Right on the edge of town, The Nest is the choice for a healthy take on lunch classics. As you arrive or depart, it’s a convenient stop; you could even take your lunch to the Ventura beaches. Their salad and bowls are particularly exciting for their unique takes, like the smoked salmon Caesar salad and the filling taco salad, a simple yet fresh Mexican-inspired bowl.
Best for: a quick healthy bite
The Nest, 401 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023
Topa Topa Brewing Company | Serves lunch and dinner
With Topa Topa opening their brewery taproom in Ojai, it’s the spot on a sunny afternoon on the main street. While I love a crisp, cold craft beer, I love it even more that I can pair it with food from Little Sama next door.
The two businesses, side by side, work beautifully together — grab a pint, grab amazing Southeast Asian cuisine, and sit down under the sun. If you pick one dish, let it be the tater tots at this great spot.
Best for: groups and casual drinks
Topa Topa Brewing Company, 345 E Ojai Ave A, Ojai, CA 93023
Highly Likely | Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Now in the Ojai Avenue spot the beloved Beacon Coffee used to hold, Highly Likely is an all-day neighborhood cafe from the Los Angeles favorite of the same name. Come for coffee and a pastry in the morning, a vegetable-forward lunch on the patio, or an easy dinner and a drink. The menu runs from avocado toast and grain bowls to fish and chips, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options.
Best for: all-day meals and coffee
Highly Likely, 211 W Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023.
Condor Bar | Serves dinner and drinks
Inside the reimagined Hotel El Roblar, Condor Bar is one of Ojai’s most exciting newer spots: a wood-fired Californian kitchen and cocktail bar with a long, handsome bar and a patio made for lingering. The kitchen leans on local produce and live-fire cooking, and the cocktails and salsas get as much love as the mains. It’s the move for a date night or a proper night out in town.
Best for: date night and cocktails
Condor Bar at Hotel El Roblar, Ojai, CA 93023
Izakaya Full Moon | Serves dinner, Tuesday through Saturday
Tucked behind a tea shop on the east end of town, Izakaya Full Moon is Ojai’s under-the-radar Japanese gem, and locals will tell you it serves some of the best Japanese food around. It’s walk-in only and small, so expect a wait at peak times, but the skewers, agedashi tofu, and izakaya small plates are worth it. Go early or settle in.
Best for: date night and foodies
Izakaya Full Moon, 928 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023
Ojai Roots | Serves daytime through early evening
In the former Tipple & Ramble space on Montgomery Street, Ojai Roots is a farm shop, wine garden, and cafe rolled into one. Graze tapas and local wine in the garden, grab a coffee or matcha, or pick up farm-fresh pantry goods and prepared meals from their regenerative farm. It’s a relaxed, pretty place to slow down for an afternoon.
Best for: daytime wine and small plates
Ojai Roots, 315 N Montgomery St, Ojai, CA 93023
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Restaurants In Ojai
Ojai's culinary scene reflects a blend of local and international influences, offering a variety of cuisine types. Visitors can enjoy everything from farm-to-table American cuisine, which utilizes local organic produce, to authentic Italian, Mediterranean, and innovative Californian dishes. The emphasis is often on fresh, seasonal ingredients from the surrounding valleys.
As of now, Ojai does not have any Michelin-starred restaurants. However, the town is renowned for its high-quality dining experiences that focus on sustainability and local produce, with several eateries renowned for their unique culinary approaches and exquisite settings.
Absolutely! Ojai is known for its health-conscious community, which is reflected in its restaurant offerings. Many eateries provide a range of vegetarian and vegan options, using fresh, local ingredients. Restaurants like Hip Vegan Café specialize in plant-based meals, while others, such as The Farmer and The Cook, offer extensive vegetarian menus.
Ojai's standout restaurants include Ojai Rôtie (Lebanese-French rotisserie), The Dutchess (Burmese-Californian, now on the Michelin Guide), Farmer and the Cook (vegetarian farm-to-table), and Pinyon (sourdough and wood-fired pizza). For a roadhouse dinner try Ojai Deer Lodge, and for craft beer and food, Topa Topa Brewing with Little Sama
Great lunch spots in Ojai include Farmer and the Cook, Ojai Rôtie, Pinyon, and The Nest, all downtown or a short drive away and built around fresh local produce.
Ojai is known for farm-to-table California cooking driven by its Mediterranean climate and local orchards- think citrus, olives, and avocados- alongside a strong cafe, coffee, and wine-bar scene.
For a date night in Ojai, book Ojai Rôtie for dinner under the oaks, Izakaya Full Moon for Japanese small plates, or Condor Bar at Hotel El Roblar for wood-fired Californian food and cocktails. The Dutchess is also a lovely choice for a dinner out.
California-Inspired Recipes
Want to get a taste of the Golden State at home? Cook up these recipes inspired by the Golden State:
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Photo Credit: Photos by Jessica Wright of Bontraveler
