Gourmet & Healthy in Dana Point

At Antica Olive Oils and Vinegars, the namesake cooking elixirs adhere to Italian standards stricter than the mothers who created them. The shop stocks a rotating inventory of more than 50 extra-virgin olive oils, which originate in Italy, Spain, Tunisia, and other exotic locales and bear the taste of olives crushed at the peak of harvest months. Creative flavors infuse each oil, with almonds, chipotle peppers, and Tuscan herbs lending their profiles to oil meant for sprinkling on salads or drinking straight out of a champagne flute. White and dark balsamic vinegars also emanate unique flavors–aged apricot, honey ginger, and lavender among them–but their journey to bottles is much longer. They steep in seasoned wood casks in Modena, Italy for up to 18 years and bubble over an open wood fire before immigrating stateside.

In more than 1,112 stores worldwide, Edible Arrangements' staff¬¬––known as fruit experts––arrange pieces of premium fruit in stunning bouquets for all occasions. The experts customize their patrons' orders to suit any event, dipping fruits into semisweet or white chocolate to complete the arrangement. They select their chocolate-coated morsels from a range of fruits such as pineapples, granny smith apples, and juicy strawberries that—unlike fruit products sold by mummies—don't contain any preservatives. For birthdays and anniversaries, they personalize bouquets with gifts such as plush teddy bears and mylar balloons.

In more than 1,112 stores worldwide, Edible Arrangements' staff¬¬––known as fruit experts––arrange pieces of premium fruit in stunning bouquets for all occasions. The experts customize their patrons' orders to suit any event, dipping fruits into semisweet or white chocolate to complete the arrangement. They select their chocolate-coated morsels from a range of fruits such as pineapples, granny smith apples, and juicy strawberries that—unlike fruit products sold by mummies—don't contain any preservatives. For birthdays and anniversaries, they personalize bouquets with gifts such as plush teddy bears and mylar balloons.

In more than 1,112 stores worldwide, Edible Arrangements' staff¬¬––known as fruit experts––arrange pieces of premium fruit in stunning bouquets for all occasions. The experts customize their patrons' orders to suit any event, dipping fruits into semisweet or white chocolate to complete the arrangement. They select their chocolate-coated morsels from a range of fruits such as pineapples, granny smith apples, and juicy strawberries that—unlike fruit products sold by mummies—don't contain any preservatives. For birthdays and anniversaries, they personalize bouquets with gifts such as plush teddy bears and mylar balloons.

Traces of Californian sunshine emanate from breakfast plates and lunch sandwiches crafted with seasonal, organic, and free-range ingredients by the artisanal chefs at Charlie's Pantry. An all-day breakfast menu treats early birds and late risers to gourmet dishes such as Tuscan-style eggs dappled with organic spinach and roasted garlic. The panoply of lunchtime options includes 19 signature sandwiches that compile ingredients such as marinated chicken, Italian-style cold cuts, and heirloom tomatoes in edible monuments to organic farming. An unassuming interior features white walls, polished concrete floors, and a simple picnic table at which patrons can dine with friends or challenge nemeses to salad speed-eating contests.

After being diagnosed with celiac disease in 1997, Pam MacDonald began scouring local stores for gluten-free options and employees knowledgeable enough to assist in her quest. Frustrated by her lack of success, Pam took matters into her own hands and opened Pam MacD's Gluten-Free Market, a store praised by New York Magazine's Grub Street Los Angeles for its wide selection of glutenless eats and tasting stations. Pam stocks her shelves with high-caliber products such as Organic Clover milk and Maplegrove mac 'n' cheese cups and sources some items from local and independent brands. Her cadre of well-informed employees expertly navigates rows of fresh, frozen, and refrigerated foods, guiding visitors through a selection whose breadth and variety supports the truth of Pam's mantra: "There is life after wheat!"