Restaurants in Fullerton

Husband and wife team Ray and Heather Breitwieser opened Raymond’s California Bistro after many years spent in the restaurant biz, stocking up on experience at long-standing, popular restaurants such as The Rusty Pelican and The Yard House. They decided to open shop for themselves to serve hearty and wholesome California and Italian dishes that feature fresh seafood and crisp veggies in a space with, as they put it, an “at-home” feel. Their menu includes pasta dishes such as linguini with clams, grilled rib eye entrees, and Californian salads with poached pears and freshly panned nuggets of gold.

The spit-masters at Texas Pit Bar-B-Que bring a taste of backyard Texas cooking to California, delivering hearty barbecue to the eatery’s tables or directly to doorsteps. Their macaroni salad, mashed potatoes, and coleslaw accompany sauce-slathered helpings of St. Louis–style ribs, tri-tip sandwiches, and whole or pulled chicken. A sampler platter gives customers a little taste of everything, like a movie that features one scene from all the movies of ever. The staff also grants deli sandwiches a spot on the menu, with soft bread cushioning turkey and swiss or pastrami. Cooks pack up takeout or delivery meals for groups as small as 3 and as big as 25; they also can provide onsite barbecuing of pork and the like at picnics.

To Master Chef Massimo Navarretta—who grew up farming and wine-making in Campania, Italy—it makes little sense to separate wine from food. At his eatery Onotria, which received Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence in 2011 and 2012, he groups dishes on the menu by wine pairing, rather than by main ingredient or ability to be balanced on the tip of a tiny dessert spoon. Seafood-based plates, such as prosciutto-wrapped tiger shrimp or poached octopus with artichokes, complement a glass of dry, sparkling white wine. Lightly breaded pork medallions accompany a light, dry red, while hearty lamb chops or filet go with a bolder varietal such as zinfandel or merlot. These dishes can serve as tasting plates for groups, entrees for individuals, or finger food for visiting giants.

To create the seasonal menu, the kitchen uses hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, as well as organic and biodynamic ingredients. Meals are served under a high-peaked ceiling with wooden rafters, in a dining room with exposed-brick columns and mottled walls that echo the look of an old-country trattoria.

Linguini, penne, spaghetti, and fettuccini—the chefs at Carolina’s Italian Restaurant have been preparing pasta in its many incarnations for more than three decades. But their time-tested cooking techniques aren't the only reason for the robust flavors in their classic Italian cuisine. Ingredients are delivered five times a week, ensuring that each tomato is as fresh as the day its life coach finally coaxed it off the stem. Quality seafood and meats such as Atlantic salmon and new york steak put a finishing touch on many entrees.

After diners polish off their meals, they can indulge in a dessert such as housemade tiramisu or cannoli drizzled with chocolate syrup. Then, they can lean back and admire the wall murals of Italian countryside and verandas, or watch confused airplanes circle the ceiling's painted blue sky.

At the heart of Pepz Pizza & Eatery lies its owners' passion for bettering the community. They show their neighborhood love not only through fundraisers and discounts for the star student, but also with an atmosphere warmer than the sun’s feelings for coconut-scented tanning oil. The pizzeria's hefty menu gives diners loads of options, from specialty pizzas including the vegetarian and a chorizo-topped Mexican-style pie, to crisp salads tossed with barbecue dressing and chicken breast. Pasta, sandwiches, and the house secret-recipe "broasted" chicken hold their own on the menu to the unbridled admiration of second-string dishes at pizzerias everywhere. Once meals have wrapped up, parents can kick back and catch some TV as kids horse around in the arcade and game area.

The seasoned chefs at Tsunami Sushi augment their tableside cooking techniques with dazzling dramatics, including knife twirling and spatula slinging, as they slice, dice, and sizzle morsels of chicken, steak, and fish atop traditional Japanese teppanyaki-style grills. Sushi gurus also prepare fresh sushi and sashimi rolls as an alternative or supplement to cooked offerings. The full bar offers a lengthy list of liquid meal enhancers, including wine, imported beers, and sake. Valet parking grants patrons a reprieve from finding a space or learning the ancient art of sedan levitation.