A Couple of New Surprises For You Readers!
This week and next, I'm introducing two new features to Best of Laguna Beach™!
”Coastal Culinary Buzz” (with my weekly Buzz Bites) will keep you in the loop on Laguna and surrounding neighbors’ latest restaurant news, insider tidbits, favorite discoveries, and a few surprises happening around town.
Next week, I’m introducing another new feature – “Ask Diane,” where I answer one of your questions each week – whether it's about restaurants, cocktails, coastal development rumors, hidden gems, local happenings or anything else that helps you make the most of our life here on the edge.
Thanks for reading Best of Laguna Beach™ Please feel free to share all this news with friends!
This Week’s Buzz Bites
Development News: The End of an Era
Think we have redevelopment growing pains in Laguna? Dana Point Harbor just said, "Hold my beer."
As the $600 million redevelopment of the Dana Point Harbor marches inexorably on, we all knew this day would come. That doesn't make saying goodbye to three of its most iconic waterfront restaurants any less painful.
Turk’s and Proud Mary’s have just joined the farewell list. They both close this Halloween, 2026. Their longtime companion, Wind & Sea, is still set for a September 15th farewell.
Also announced – Frisby Cellers Winery and Cocoa Bloom Café also close on Oct 31, 2026. They join a growing list of harbor favorites that have bid farewell as redevelopment moves forward, including El Torito, Harpoon Henry’s The Brig, Beach Harbor Pizza and Gemmell’s.
Having started my outrigger “career” in Dana Point, and after circulating the three restaurants repeatedly with my dear friend, Dana Point resident Mary O’Donnell, this feels particularly bittersweet to me. When Mary passed three years ago, I made my pilgrimage to Wind & Sea the day after her death to commemorate with our usual sliders and a glass of chardonnay. Proud Mary’s is still my regular stop on Sunday mornings after my run (well, now it’s a hobble after my knee accident) at the Nature Center and Strands Beach. And Turk’s? Well, thankfully in my last more stoic visits, they don’t remember having thrown me out way back 10 years ago. (It wasn’t my fault!)
Turk’s (what I call “Our Happy Pirateville Island”), opened in 1984 by Turk, a body builder, surfer and movie star (who has MANY photos of himself plastered all over the walls). Turk's isn't just a bar – it's a Dana Point institution, the kind of beautifully unpolished dockside hangout where everyone feels like a regular in about three minutes. It’s truly one of the last of the classic dockside bars (but with surprisingly great food, too).
Proud Mary’s opened in 1977 by Mary Merrill after she decided to change dramatic direction with her life and kids after her husbands’s death. In 2005, the Zdrakas family took over to continue the tradition and endured a devastating fire on Dec 29, 2007. The entire community rallied to rebuild the iconic gal and it reopened on Feb. 11, 2009.
Wind & Sea opened in 1972 by owner Bob Maradian who thought he was going to be a lawyer, instead. It’s the oldest restaurant in the Harbor and was older sister to his second restaurant there, Harpoon Henry, which closed in 2025.
There's still time to pull up a chair, order your favorite, and say goodbye on your own terms. Beyond the sliders and calamari steak at Wind & Sea, be sure to order their famous Mai Tai (one and done). Aside from their notoriously strong-pour drinks, Turk’s has a fabulous breakfast, actually, and Proud Mary’s Harbor Chicken Sandwich is to die for. And Steve Zdrakas, the dad of the father/sons in charge, will be there to greet you until the last toast is made.
New Restaurant On the Horizon: Bar ízi
One of Laguna Beach’s most anticipated new openings is inching closer. Bar ízi – the long-awaited small plates concept that’s been under renovation for months – is now targeting an end-of-August or early September debut. It’s in the former Evan’s Gourmet location at Glenneyre and Thalia (also known as Cafe Zoolu and ROUX Creole back in previous (and great) iterations.
Owner Sam Rabon has reimagined the interior vibe to honor one specific and dearly loved Laguna culinary icon. I’ll be sharing more about that inspiration, Sam’s longtime (and little known) Laguna Beach story, and a few behind-the-scenes details in this week’s VIP Notes. (Plus a new dark horse entry for a long-vacant restaurant space in Laguna, too.)
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I created a VIP membership tier because there are always stories I wish I had room to tell. I’m tucking the deeper dives, conversations and fun backstories into a VIP section for those who want to explore a little further. (Plus there are more benefits, including exclusive tickets and invites for just you.)
Just $89 a year (less than half the price of a cocktail each month or $10 on a monthly subscription.)
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Celebrity Sighting - Amorelia’s
Sunday’s World Cup finale brought a surprise guest to Amorelia Cocina Artesanal, one of our coolest new restaurants in town. Mark Cuban, Shark Tank/former majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, stopped in with friends to catch all the action with fellow soccer fans.
Apparently, word about Amorelia’s World Cup watch parties really got around … or maybe it was Amorelia’s foodie news that got their attention – the only fresh crudo raw bar in town along with elevated Mexico City/Latin American cuisine and craft cocktails whose popularity is sweeping the town. Amorelia Cocina Artesanal is at 858 Coast Highway in what I call “the stilt restaurant” (formerly San Shi Go, Okura and Hush).
And – OC Housewives at Laguna Nursery
A couple months ago, The Real Housewives of Orange County paid a filming visit to Ruben Flores and his Laguna Nursery in North Laguna. We know this roundup of gals typically gets around to some of our restaurants, but the Nursery was a special surprise. Watch for this season’s new Episode #3.
Cocktail of the Week: Pinafini’s Laguna Breeze
My friend, Laurie Nassif, asked me to help her with one of her big Foodie Tours last Saturday. It was quite a kick taking a group of 22 people around to Pinafini, Oto Sushi and Piatti. What amazing food, drink and restaurant owner hosts these people were introduced to! In the end, my group voted on Pinafini’s Laguna Breeze as their #1 Cocktail.
As I expected, even self-proclaimed vodka aficionados weren’t able to guess the vodka base … because it’s olive oil vodka, Kástra Elión. (Spoiler: Doesn’t have the texture or taste of olive oil, I assure you.)
The olive-based vodka gives the cocktail an incredibly smooth, almost silky foundation that’s layered with bright passionfruit, juicy peach, fresh lemon and – another dark horse entry – Velvet Falernum—a classic Caribbean liqueur from Barbados infused with lime, clove, ginger, almond and rum. A few dashes of Angostura bitters weave everything together with warm spice and just the right amount of complexity.
The result is bright, refreshing, lightly tropical, and beautifully balanced – kind of like Laguna Beach. It’s proof that sometimes the most memorable cocktail is the one that keeps a little secret until the very end. Pinafini (Mediterranean) is in what I call “Restaurant Row” on Coast Highway directly across from Wyland’s Art Gallery.
❤️ Kindness on the Menu
Sometimes the best thing served in a restaurant isn’t on the menu.
On Wednesday, as I was stopped at the light at Nyes Place when … what to my wondering eyes … Chef Nick Gstrein from The Drake began trotting across the intersection. Now, Chef Nick is my buddy - he’s my radio and podcast buddy, he’s my texting buddy when big news is going down in our restaurant town, and he spoils me rotten whenever I visit their phenomenal restaurant. I started waving madly from my car and he grinned and did the same from the crosswalk, still intent on getting across in one piece.
And Chef stopped there on the side of the road where - for the first time - I noticed a homeless man crouching on the sidewalk. Nick was bringing him a fresh cooked meal and a big bottle of water. No fanfare. No social media moment. Just one person helping another.
You should have seen the look on that man’s face.
It’s a simple reminder that some of the most meaningful stories happening around town never make the headlines – and one more reason I love sharing about the people behind Laguna’s restaurants. It’s exactly why I love our indie chefs here.
🎶 This Weekend’s Live Soundtrack 🎶
With so much great live music in Laguna Beach, I figured you might want a reminder nudge to what I consider “Can’t Miss” performers.
Friday (tonight, July 24th)
Mozambique’s Ivan’s House - Party Foul, concert begins 9 pm – High energy danceable ska, reggae and classic rock and roll. These guys are awesome and tireless!
Tickets start at $12.83 (online fee included), full Mozambique menu before and throughout. Go: https://ivanzhouselive.com
Saturday (July 25th)
Festival of Arts - Grammy nominee Terry Steels sings Luther Vandross, 5:30 - 7pm – I saw Terry perform here last year and it was a concert that stuck with me a long time thereafter. He’s really phenomenal.
Reserved seating tickets (front tables) are $70 (online fee included) + Festival Grounds entrance but you can also pay for the Festival Grounds pass and sit (a bit further back) on the concert grass for free. Remember, Laguna locals have free grounds admittance with proof of residence. While you can purchase drinks and concession food on the grounds, you’re welcome to bring you own picnic basket stuffed with your own favorite goods.
Go: https://www.foapom.com/pageant-of-the-masters
The Cliff Restaurant’s Fire Pit – Tricia Freeman Band, 6-9 pm – Tricia grew up surrounded in jazz and blues, and it shows in her impeccable delivery. She is great, great energetic fun. Cliff’s full menu served throughout. See menu here: https://www.thecliffrestaurant.com/menu
Mozambique’s Ivan’s House - Marvin Gaye Tribute, concert begins 9 pm – This is classic Marvin Gaye with one hit song after another in soul, R&B and his Motown leadership.
Tickets start at $25.69 (online fee included), full Mozambique menu before and throughout. Go: https://ivanzhouselive.com
Sunday (July 26th)
Mozambique’s Ivan’s House - Scott Wilkie Jazz Brunch, 12:30pm - 3 pm – I know, I know, I keep mentioning Mozambique, but if they’ve got performers, you need to know. There’s not much better than Scott Wilke and the long line of awards he brings along with him. This guy is a fantastic performer live and you just can’t go wrong with a Mozambique brunch rounding out the deal. Tickets $15.41 and up; doors open at 11 am. Go: https://ivanzhouselive.com
That's a wrap on this week's premier “episode, ”Coastal Culinary Buzz.”
Thanks for joining me for this first lap around Laguna's restaurant scene … and much more! If you'd like the longer stories, behind-the-scenes conversations and the local history that doesn't always fit here, I'd love to welcome you into the VIP subscription.
Next week, I’ll be doing a deeper dive into the proposed (and controversial) business restaurant license tax and debuting the new “Ask Diane” column. Send your questions in to:
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