Laguna Beach City Guide 2017 | Page 11

Mike Lombardo at The Cliff restaurant

FOOD-FOCUSED DAY
Behind every great adventure is a delicious meal that fuels it , and Laguna offers no shortage of tantalizing eateries that satiate all appetites , no matter what ’ s in store for the day . “ The fact that Laguna has protected itself from the large , commercial brands has resulted in a culinary community of independently owned restaurateurs guaranteeing you a unique and memorable experience that can ’ t be found anywhere else ,” says longtime local Mike Lombardo , co-owner of Laguna Beach Beer Co . Lombardo says that his perfect food-focused day would begin with a visit to the cafe at the recently opened Kitchen in the Canyon for a coffee and breakfast burrito , made with scrambled eggs , bacon , roasted potatoes and cheese .
For lunch , Lombardo points to Sapphire Laguna for its Kobe beef and havarti cheeseburger , which is served with garlic fries and best enjoyed outside on the eatery ’ s patio . Then , it ’ s on to happy hour at Coyote Grill . “ I would advocate a trip to Coyote Grill for their laid-back local vibe and comfort Mexican food ,” he says . Lombardo suggests the eatery ’ s calamari tacos : Tender strips of lightly battered calamari are fried and served with the eatery ’ s secret sauce , as well as cabbage , tomato , cheese and cilantro , all on a flour tortilla .
Finally , after enjoying the Green Jungle curry dish at Thai Bros . for dinner , you can find Lombardo at one of his favorite local end-of-the-day destinations : The Cliff restaurant . Here , Lombardo will cap off the foodfilled day by taking in live music next to one of the eatery ’ s outdoor fire pits with a cold brew from Laguna Beach Beer Co . in hand .
For Laguna resident James Pribram , former professional surfer and founder of environmentally focused nonprofit The Eco-Warrior Foundation , the town ’ s charm and its oneof-a-kind eateries go hand in hand . “ What ’ s unique about each restaurant in Laguna Beach is that all have a different … story . As does the town itself ,” he says . “... We have every type of food imaginable , from gourmet to your locally owned mom-and-pop restaurants , which are my favorite .” But for Pribram , there ’ s only one way to start the day , and that ’ s with a cup of coffee from Pacific Perk at Surf & Sand Resort ; in the early mornings ,
“ THE FACT THAT LAGUNA HAS PROTECTED ITSELF FROM THE LARGE , COMMERCIAL BRANDS HAS RESULTED IN A CULINARY COMMUNITY OF INDEPENDENTLY OWNED RESTAURATEURS GUARANTEEING YOU A UNIQUE AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE THAT CAN ’ T BE FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE .” — MIKE LOMBARDO
you can catch Pribram enjoying his java on one of the resort ’ s outdoor couches , near the coffee shop , while taking in views of the ocean and relaxing next to a fire pit . And if you happen to plan your food-focused day on a Sunday , Pribram highly recommends indulging in Tortilla Republic ’ s brunch ( he points to the Suizas enchilada as a menu must-try ), where bottomless mimosas can be enjoyed with any entree .
Pribram agrees that Coyote Grill is also a must when it comes to the ideal foodie ’ s day out , and he says the Mexican breakfasts are “ amazing ” ( think : an avocado-tomato omelet and carne asada and eggs ). For dinner , it ’ s “[ Ristorante ] Rumari for the best Italian ,” which includes mouthwatering options like cioppino , grilled filet mignon and lobster ravioli . And when it
Coyote Grill ’ s calamari tacos
comes to that last libation , as Pribram says : “ Late-night stops in Laguna Beach always start at The Saloon and end at the worldfamous Sandpiper . Talk about the perfect day followed by the perfect evening .”
SUMMER 2017 CITY GUIDE 11