Diane Armitage
21-year Laguna Beach resident &
absolute devotee of this amazing town.
Here our thousands of insider tips and
recommendations
for all the best places
to dine, drink and play in
LAGUNA BEACH
Best Food & Drink

Oliver’s Weekend Brunch
For several months now, Chef/Owner Erik De Marchi of Oliver’s Osteria has been serving up brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. I’ve been so intent on dining on his sumptuous food in the evenings, that I never got around to brunch until this past weekend. Now I wonder how...

Best Local Lobster is Back: Coyote Grill
In Laguna Beach, we locals look forward to about three events each year. In October, it’s all about the lobster … for the month’s duration, you’ll find us standing on street corners in South Laguna, anxiously awaiting the unfurling of the “Local Lobster” banner at...
Upcoming Events & News

Sawdust Festival – Plenty of Shop Opps Thru Dec. 20th
After a thwarted attempt to open at the end of July this year, our famed Sawdust Festival chose to wait it out a few more weeks They finally opened on Sept. 19th to a scaled back "Outdoor Marketplace" on weekends only. And so far, it's moving along just beautifully....

The Drake Nears First Anniversary With Enthusiasm
Exactly one year ago, I interviewed the founders of The Drake Laguna Beach who, after three long years, were putting the finishing touches on the city's new posh jazz supper club. They finally opened the last week of September, just when the City of Laguna Beach...
Get to Know OC & LA Chefs
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Best Food & Drink

Beachcomber Cafe Raises the Flag for Fun Dining
Last week, I decided it was time for a field trip. Never one to stray far from home, however, I chose a restaurant less than a mile out of Laguna Beach's northernmost city limits - The Beachcomber Cafe. A very popular restaurant with visitors, the Beachcomber is...

Celebrate National Cheeseburger Day!
It's assuring to know that, even in the midst of a global pandemic, we're all still very willing to celebrate National Cheeseburger Day. Yep! It's coming up in two days - Sept, 18 2020 - so I thought I'd republishe my latest "Best Burgers of Laguna Beach 2020 column...

Royal Hawaiian’s Royal Take-Out Treatment
If you've been reading my columns this summer, you know that I've begun to lean somewhat heavily on our great restaurants in town whenever I have a small dinner party to pull off. A couple weeks ago, it was a special birthday dinner party for a neighbor. I invited...

August’s “Best of Laguna Beach” Food Finds
As I was flipping through my phone's August photos this morning, I realized that if you aren't following my social media platforms, you're missing out on most of the food I eat all month long! So, I'm introducing an end-of-month Diane's Best of Laguna Beach™ round-up...

Harley Shifts to Summertime Casual Fare
On Wednesday this week, I unchained myself from my desk and joined a friend (Ali, the lead concierge at Surf & Sand Resort) at Harley Laguna Beach to try Chef Greg Daniel's outdoor dining. Several weeks ago, it was a happy relief to all of us when Chef Greg...

Rumari Offering $37.50 Family Meals
I was so busy last week that I can't even think of a metaphor to describe it. The weekend prior, I had invited four of my COVID-quarantined neighbors (meaning they're being as cautious as I am) to my roomy patio table for a Thursday night dinner. As I tore through...
Upcoming Events & News

Men’s Volleyball Open Draws High-Level Players June 1-2
The Men’s 65th Annual Laguna Open Doubles Beach Volleyball Tournament - the world's longest running volleyball tournament - will be this Saturday and Sunday, June 1 and 2 at Main Beach, along with the first annual “Battle of the Beaches” four-person city championship....

Fete de la Musique Returns to Laguna Sidewalks June 15
Photo above by Charlie Dickerson On Saturday, June 15, the streets of Laguna Beach will be filled with music and much fanfare when the 12th Annual Laguna Beach Fête de la Musique presented by Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association (LBSCA) takes place. Originating in...

Taste for Charity event aims to surpass last year’s $80,000 win for local non-profits
On Wednesday, April 24th, the 24th annual “A Taste for Charity” is hosting a rousing number of local restaurants, live music and sizable silent and live auctions to raise funds for 10 local non-profit organizations. Some tables are still available for sponsorship...

Janice Freeman always rose above it all
When you own a marketing agency for 25 years, you figure you’re going to have to deal with some bad PR from time to time. Fortunately, my clients have been so stellar that we’ve rarely seen something fall apart that we’ve had to jump on … until Sunday morning, just...

Laguna Beach Garden Club Gate & Garden Tour 2019
On Friday, May 3, 2019, the Garden Club will host its annual Laguna Beach Gate & Garden Tour, a major fundraiser for educational school gardens, local scholarships and community projects. This year’s docent-led walking tour from 9;00 am – 2:00 pm will visit...

Casting Call for Pageant of the Masters 2019 Show
Can you stand still for 90 seconds? The Pageant of the Masters is looking for volunteer cast members fr next summer's show, The Time Machine. Individuals of all sizes and ages are needed to be cast members in the world's most famous presentation of tableaux vivants....
Get to Know OC & LA Chefs
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