The Best of Newport Beach: Dining, Shopping, Galleries and more

Newport Beach is a jewel nestled on the California cost, watched by the wealthy and international trendsetters. With beautiful weather year-round and world famous beaches, artists, industry heads and celebrities like Lakers star Kobe Bryant reside in Newport Beach in some of the most spectacular ocean and bay-front homes on the West Coast. When visiting Newport Beach, the luxe activities are endless. From shopping to dining, scouting art to taking advantage of spas and sport, there is nothing like ending your day with a stroll along the 3.5 miles of Crystal Cove, or a boat ride on the Newport Harbor Bay. With world-renowned yacht, sport and social clubs, romantic evenings and sunny, scenic days, Newport Beach seems to have it all.

[highlight_text] With so many options, it’s almost impossible to leave here without finding exactly what you’ve always wanted. [/highlight_text]

Best Shopping

Fashion Island

401 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

(949) 721-2000

Fashion Island is Orange County’s premier coastal shopping experience, offering more than 200 specialty boutiques and prestigious department stores, including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. An array of fine and casual dining includes several restaurants exclusive to the area. At 1.5 million square feet with a breathtaking view overlooking looking the ocean, Fashion Island offers distinctive shopping and dining in a coastal resort setting, which draws more than 13 million visitors annually. Guests can also take in a series of custom-designed fountains and water features throughout the center, including a beautiful 20,000-gallon koi pond and a dramatic 45-foot water wall in the Atrium Court Garden. With so many options, it’s almost impossible to leave here without finding exactly what you’ve always wanted.

Best Health Food

True Food Kitchen Fashion Island

451 Newport Center Drive

Newport Beach, CA 92660

(949) 644-2400

True Food is Newport Beach’s hottest health food fare. Executive Chef Michael Stebner focuses on simplicity while executing his dishes with the freshest and most flavorful  quality nutritional ingredients. Proteins packed with vitamins and minerals are paired with hearty whole grains and vibrant fresh veggies and fruits. True Food offers a variety of vegan options as well as a mouthwatering list of natural refreshments. Dine inside or enjoy your meal on an outdoor banquet or long table. You can choose to sit beneath yellow canopies or take in the Newport sun in luxurious booths and chairs.

Haute Property

Casa De Rosselet

16 Rockshore Blf

Newport Coast, CA 92657

For sales inquiries contact Leslie Silver (949) 683-7129

This $4,495,000 Crystal Cove Estate has the feel of an authentic Spanish villa in the heart of Newport Beach. The old world details of this home give the property a true feeling of luxury and coziness perched high above the Pacific Ocean. Boasting modern amenities with elegant architecture reminiscent of renowned architect George Washington Smith, every inch of this home reflects the artist’s touch. From antique lighting to heavy wood beams, old church doors to Venetian plaster, the décor and design compliments any taste. As an added touch, the floors are handmade Spanish terra cotta and hardwood and the custom floor-to-ceiling disappearing doors reveal ocean and island views of both Catalina and the San Clemente Island, offering a seamless indoor/outdoor Southern California living experience of casual elegance.

Best Art Gallery

Southern California Art Projects and Exhibitions | SCAPE

2859 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625

(949) 723-3406

Southern California Art Projects and Exhibitions (SCAPE) delivers provocative and fresh exhibits to the art community in Orange County. SCAPE has been referred to as a “hybrid gallery,” since owners Jeannie Denholm and Diane Nelson have a dual approach: bringing significant exhibitions to the community and offering extensive art advising and collection management services to their clients. The partnership between Denholm and Nelson, who share more than 40 years of combined experience in the art business and a notable contact list, is the very thing that sets this gallery apart from all the other galleries in Orange County.

“What makes us the best place for high end art in Newport Beach is our wide range of artists, having two pairs of critical eyes and our mutual and shared passion for what we do,” said Denholm and Nelson. Artists who have exhibited at SCAPE are: Kim Abeles, Wolfgang Bloch, Jeff Leonard, Sally Storch, Ray Turner and Eric Zener, among others.

Best Golf Club

Pelican Hill Golf Club

22800 Pelican Hill Road South

Newport Beach, CA 92657

(949) 467-6800

Ranked as California’s Top Golf Resort by Condé Nast Traveler, Pelican Hill boasts 36 Fazio-designed ocean-view holes at this top-notch club. Golf Digest ranks both 18-hole courses, the Ocean North and Ocean South, as two of America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses in 2011/2012. Pelican Hill Golf Club offers a luxurious 44,000-square-foot clubhouse, the acclaimed Pelican Grill and Lounge, an Italian coffee bar, a golf shop, and a full-service practice with an expansive driving range, a complete practice tee and tour-event Nike Platinum One balls. Pelican Hill Golf Academy offers monthly clinics, private lessons and special programs, led by Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Teachers in America” Glenn Deck. To rub shoulders with the who’s who in Newport beach, this is the haute spot for playing golf and closing deals.

Best Restaurant

Andrea at Pelican Hill

22701 Pelican Hill Road South

Newport Coast, CA 92657

(800) 820-6800

Led by Chef Luca Cesarini, Andrea sources the perfect ingredients and implements time-honored practices and preparations to recreate the best of Italy, particularly Tuscany. Diners savor salads made with 100-year-old Balsamic vinegar, delicate milk-fed veal dishes, exquisite pastas made in a one-of-kind, temperature-controlled Pasta Room, and sublime artisan-style gelato made in the Laboratorio del Gelato. As in Italy, Andrea is seasonally focused, with the menu adapting to the finest ingredients available throughout the year. A chic, yet understated and relaxed atmosphere is highlighted by the perfect location in the heart of the resort, to capture the most inspiring panoramas of the coast and the sun setting over the Pacific. A glassed-in wine room displays 1,200 bottles, predominantly from Italy and notably a number of vintages exclusive to Andrea. Open-air dining on the beautiful ocean-view terrace can be savored throughout the year with the radiant-heat travertine flooring. Key dishes include table-side prepared seasonal risotto, 16 varieties of hand-made pasta and resort-made tiramisu and gelato.

Best Hotel

The Resort at Pelican Hill

22701 Pelican Hill Road South

Newport Coast, CA 92657

(800) 820-6800

Set on 504 acres by the Pacific Ocean in Newport Beach, Pelican Hill features 128 two, three and four-bedroom villas with magnificent coastal views and an unparalleled array of appointments, immersing guests in the absolute finest accommodations. There are 204 luxuriously-appointed bungalow guest rooms and suites with private terraces, a five-star spa with a menu of the world’s most celebrated therapies, world-class restaurants, an iconic Coliseum Pool, one of the largest circular pools anywhere with tiered decks and luxurious cabanas, and Pelican Hill Golf Club with 36 dramatic holes by Tom Fazio, nearly all with ocean panoramas. A Five-Diamond destination, Pelican Hill has earned acclaim and is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top hotels.

Best Tennis Club

Palisades Tennis Club

1171 Jamboree Road

Newport Beach, CA 92660

(949) 644-6900

In 1995, Ken Stuart purchased the John Wayne Tennis Club, which he would rename the Palisades Tennis Club after his previously-owned club in Costa Mesa. With a long list of pro tennis players members including Pete Sampras, John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, Martina Navratilova and the world’s number one player, Lindsay Davenport, a member since 1992, it’s no wonder the club has a supreme reputation. Clinics and private lessons are also offered by top tennis pros in the country.

Best Spa Services

The Spa at Pelican Hill

22701 Pelican Hill Road South, Newport Coast, CA 92657, (800) 820-6800

The luxurious 23,000-square-foot retreat at Pelican Hill recaptures the original purity and effectiveness of the world’s most celebrated traditional treatments, such as the Lulur Italiano massage and the Body Gelato treatment. The Spa delivers unequaled indulgence in a sophisticated ambiance where every sense is awakened and every moment is one of extraordinary pampering. The dramatic 28-foot-high Palladian rotunda, tranquil relaxation room, 22 private treatment rooms designed for quiet comfort and deep relaxation, men’s and women’s Aqua Colonnades with herbal steam rooms, saunas, and a regal Roman bath and separate dressing areas for men and women. Every amenity and appointment makes this spa one of the most sought-after reservations in town. The Spa also offers a full-service salon, boutique, spacious fitness center and yoga room for a variety of wellness activities. In its first year of operation, The Spa at Pelican Hill earned the top Forbes Five-Star rating, and claimed the title again this year.

Best Couture Boutique

A’MAREE’S

2241 West Coast Highway

Newport Beach, CA 92663

(949) 642-4423

A’maree’s Boutique has been a West Coast institution since the early ‘70s. Founded by European and Italian families, the store boasts a high fashion and luxurious appeal while remaining a relaxed, no pressure, no pretense environment. The family owned boutique concentrates on choosing pieces that fit the particular customer’s lifestyle, body and taste. Feel like a true A-lister with exclusive brands from Milan, Paris and Europe as well as luxe brands like Azzedine Alaia, Dries Van Noten, Lanvin, Lanvin Bride, Harlow, Lucien Pellat-Finet, Céline, Golden Goose and Elizabeth and James.