Restaurants in Anaheim

When people say Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain has a checkered history, they’re talking about the ever-present tablecloths, which flaunt cheery red-and-white squares that whisk diners back to the 1950s. Here in the more than a century-old establishment, cooks still stack pancakes higher than the Statue of Liberty’s beehive hairdo as kids ogle retro candies such as Necco wafers, Sweethearts, and Clark bars. Come lunchtime, half-pound burgers sizzle on the grill, alongside toppings such as bacon and mushrooms.

Near a vintage Pepsi-Cola sign, soda jerks uncap bottles of root beer and scoop banana floats into glass boats en route to white leather booths or a sunny outdoor patio. The shop also summons nostalgia with its shiny jukebox, vintage postcards, and iconic storefront, which has been featured in films, commercials, and PSAs for time travelers.

At Pho 88 Restaurant, heaping plates of fresh basil, bean sprouts, and lime add depth to the eponymous pho’s savory noodles and beef broth. The mound of sweet herbs is one of many fresh and fragrant garnishes that flavor Pho 88’s traditional Northern Vietnamese dishes, which spotlight stir-fried seafood and beef. Vietnamese black coffee and thai iced tea with boba wash down bites of traditional bahn mi sandwiches, which diners can hoist up with their hands or eat off the nose of a well-trained seal companion.

Skewered cuts of sirloin, brazilian sausage, and pork ribs rotate slowly over a sweltering grill, their savory juices producing a rhythmic hiss as each drop hits the metal. This is churrasco, Xodó Grill's specialty. Once the traditional Brazilian barbecue has roasted to a tender finish, the staff slices off juicy morsels for customers to pair with 12 types of salads and a slate of hot dishes from the colorful buffet. Heaping plates of fried yucca, picanha, and cheese bread await the scales, which customers use to pay by the pound and Lady Justice uses to smuggle extra cuts of steak.

Jim and Patty Gattari spent years compiling recipes from aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents, until, in 1974, they reached their limit. With a massive list of family traditions, the couple decided to share those dishes with the world by opening their own deli and local grocery. The combination of their hearty lasagnas, housemade meatballs, and friendly demeanor kept people coming back, and Orange Tree soon evolved into a popular sandwich shop, stuffing chicken salad, deli meats, and burgers between slices of bread baked fresh daily. Over the years, Jim and Patty's daughters worked the register during high school and when home from college as the family added burritos, tacos, and sizzling fajitas to their eclectic menu.

With hot daily specials such as baby back ribs and fresh roasted turkey, Orange Tree has today become the haunt of local firemen and business folk in the mood for fresh lunches. Patrons can follow the eatery's growth through the years by the frames on the walls that display photos of family members, local sights, and awkward prom dates with the restaurant down the block.

Ringmastered by raw-foods guru Jenny Ross, 118 Degrees is a wellness-focused vegan restaurant serving living cuisine prepared at 118 degrees or lower to lock in essential nutrients. The menu, populated with Italian-, Thai-, and Latin-inspired dishes, labels all nut-free items and dishes made with kamut, a high-protein, low-gluten grain. Each cheese on the menu consists solely of fresh herbs blended with sprouted nuts and seeds, allowing milk to be saved for donations to chocolate factories and preschool job fairs.

Hewing true to the principles espoused in Jenny's book The Art of Raw Living Food, the restaurant's premade, take-home meals are carefully calibrated to support clean organs, strong metabolisms, and likelihood of naming a child Kale. Already low in nut content, the oft-changing menu may be customized to accommodate food allergies.

A warm breeze wafts over the iron chairs and benches gathered under palm trees. Lights glow on the airy porches of the buildings across the courtyard. Inside, guests clink wineglasses under a spiral of white string lights, surrounded by bistro tables topped with floral arrangements and tall wooden wine racks. CA WineRoom's outdoor and indoor seating immerses visitors in an intimate atmosphere inspired by the state's coastal and Spanish roots.

CA WineRoom's wine director, Noah Buffet, extends this local focus to his menu: he features only California wines and specializes in smaller batches from family wineries. The selection spans cabernets, chardonnays, and zinfandels from the coast of Mendocino County, Napa Valley, and the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, and there's a handful of California craft beers on tap as well. Live music often complements drinking here: guest musicians, including pianists, monkeys with accordions, and folk bands, play each Thursday, and the lounge hosts live jazz every Saturday night.