Food (and Drinks) You Have to Try in Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach is a hop haven, with five craft breweries pouring stellar sips from Sunset Beach to downtown.The family-owned Four Sons Brewing has a presence across town, with its location on Gothard Street offering 20 beers on tap (and tours!), plus a tasting room on Main Street and a hot chicken joint at Bella Terra. Don’t miss big names in the craft beer game like Golden Road Brewing at Peter’s Landing, known for year-round IPAs like Point the Way and Wolf Among Weeds. Other spots on the Surf City USA® Barrel Trail include Great American Beer Festival winner Riip Beer Co., Beachwood Brewing and Flashpoint Brewing Co.

With 10 miles of shoreline, there’s no shortage of restaurants serving up ocean-to-table cuisine in Huntington Beach. Get your quick fix at Slapfish, where lobster rolls featuring buttery brioche and a touch of drawn butter, mayo and lemon are a signature menu item. And there’s no need to get “crabby” if you want a sit-down meal you can linger over — just pop by Captain Jack’s in Sunset Beach for some of the biggest Alaskan crab legs you’ll find on the West Coast. Downtown, you can enjoy a front-row view of the pier at Duke’s while savoring Hawaiian-inspired fare (try the macadamia nut-crusted fresh fish!)

Tacos are essential to the Huntington Beach dining scene, where you’ll find them served up street-style and in gourmet preparations that make for an unforgettable meal. At Sancho’s Tacos, opt for the OG, a simple bite of perfectly seasoned tri-tip, fresh onions and cilantro, finished with a drizzle of sour cream. Part of the secret is the Chubbie sauce, which adds a sweet and spicy finish that enhances the flavor of the meat. Qué Vida Tacos is also a solid counter-service choice, with nine a la carte options served on yellow corn tortillas pressed fresh daily. Choose from proteins like adobo pork, beer-battered jumbo shrimp and braised short rib. If you’re staying at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa, stop Pete’s Sunset Grille for the ultimate fish taco bursting with California flavors like smashed avocado, pineapple salsa and cilantro crema folded into a soft corn tortilla.

If your hotel doesn’t have a kitchen, you can still try some of Huntington Beach’s legendary Beef Palace goods at Surf Dog Sports Grill. Weighing in at one-third pound, the ground sirloin Beef Palace Burger at the casual bar and grill is loaded up with cheese, veggies and the butcher shop’s signature sauce. Meanwhile, Slater’s 50/50 specializes in wildly creative recipes with patties featuring half-bacon and half-ground beef. The Sriracha burger kicks up the heat with fiery bacon strips, pepper jack, and veggies (mushrooms, slaw) drenched in hot sauce, all topped with Sriracha mayo. For a bite downtown with views of the water, Pacific Hideaway offers an elevated California classic: a double-double with American cheese and secret sauce, with optional bacon, avocado and egg.

Ice cream is a good idea any time of year, and your choices here in Surf City USA aren’t your average cones. SomiSomi at Bella Terra is famous for its soft serve, offered in flavors like ube, matcha and black sesame and your choice of toppings. Don’t skip the fish-shaped waffle (taiyaki), which can be stuffed with fillings like red bean or Nutella. Looking for authentic Italian sorbet and gelato? Pacific City’s Gelateria Zomolo has scoops of classics like pistachio, stracciatella, amaretto and more. For a midday pick-me-up, try the affogato — hot espresso poured over your choice of gelato. If it’s good old-fashioned, fresh-churned ice cream you’re craving, Handel’s has cones, shakes, sundaes and Hurricanes that you can enjoy while taking a stroll down the pier.

Perk up by the pier with a sip from Java Point Café, located inside Huntington Surf & Sport off PCH. Grab a lavender latte and head to the beach to watch a spectacular Surf City USA sunrise. Also steps from the beach, 602 Coffee House has excellent drip coffee (and sells its own beans!). On a hot day, cool down at Pacific City with the creamy and sweet iced mint mojito at Philz Coffee. Or, try Sweet Elle Café, a neighborhood gem known for its decadently sweet Vietnamese iced coffee.

Supercharge your day with a grab-and-go beach breakfast. Banzai Bowls on Fifth Street downtown has around eight different açaí bowls, each packed with good-for-you ingredients like fruit, nut butters, veggies and hemp milk. (Tip: To avoid the crowds, you’ll want to order ahead online). A local favorite, Pur Bowls offers gluten-free options with a variety of bases ranging from classic açaí to berry and coco-lina (coconut, pineapple, spirulina). Try the Dragon Bowl, served with a pitaya base and topped with coconut flakes, granola, banana, strawberry and chia seeds. At the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa, Watertable has the perfect morning wake-up call. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast bowl offered in an assortment of vibrant colors, with ingredients like blue spirulina, pomegranate seeds, dragonfruit and red goji berries.

Poke bowls and the beach go hand in hand, so stop by Pacific City to get your fix at Bear Flag Fish Co. Quarter- or half-pound bowls feature salmon or ahi tuna atop rice or mixed greens, with toppings including crunchy chili garlic, cucumber, pickled veggies and ginger, and seaweed salad. Or, enjoy poke by the pound and a side of chips on the expansive patio or across the street on the sand. Also downtown, the family-run North Shore Poke offers Hawaiian-inspired flavors in sauces like ginger or wasabi shoyu, house ponzu, spicy mayo and teriyaki. Create your own dish or think outside the bowl with menu offerings like the poke tacos served with cabbage on a corn tortilla.

A quintessential Huntington Beach surf snack, strips and cheese (also known as cheese strips) are a staple along the shore. After hitting the waves, indulge in this local tradition of cold nachos and red sauce at Zack’s by the Beach, a pierside beach rental shop serving up some of the best around town. Try them plain with sun-baked sauce, with cheese, chili or chili-cheese.

Whether you want a simple nigiri or a fusion roll, Surf City USA has a spot for you. Matsu, an elegant neighborhood restaurant that’s served locals for more than 40 years, offers a la carte nigiri and rolls ranging from spicy tuna to the elaborate Sumo roll filled with shrimp tempura, cucumber and avocado and topped with tuna, green onion, smelt egg, eel sauce and spicy sesame oil. For a Thai twist on sushi, visit Mahkin Thai & Sushi downtown. In addition to more than two dozen classic rolls, there’s a fun selection of specialty offerings like the Surf City Roll — tuna, salmon and red snapper mixed with cream cheese and avocado, then deep fried and served with eel sauce and spicy mayo for extra kick. Another downtown restaurant, Sushi On Fire, is well known for these kinds of creative specialties. With more than five dozen rolls on the menu, you can sample a different dish with each visit. Try the rice-less Buzzy roll with tuna, creamy sesame sauce, chili oil and shrimp salad, or the extra spicy White Dragon with tuna and shrimp tempura, topped with seared yellowtail and spicy cilantro sauce.