Top Places For Paninis In Orange County
Though commonly used to order a single sandwich, panini actually is the plural form of panino, an Italian word meaning "small bread." In the following Orange County restaurants, though, it's not entirely incorrect to order panini, because one panino may not be enough. The places serving the best panini in Orange County express their dedication to the culinary arts, proving it every day with the pressed sandwiches they create.
Stefano's
18220 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
(714) 993-4267
www.stefanoshams.com
Owned and operated by Frank and Colleen Stefano, this OC restaurant is known for their panini. Though they don't take credit for its invention, Stefano's puts their own spin on the pressed sandwiches. Popular panino choices include the Cubano Stefano, made with golden baked ham, and the Bostonian, which contains roast beef, over-roasted turkey and pepper jack cheese. Hungry for more? Try the homemade meatloaf on rye bread or salmon on a toasted French roll. For your next office or holiday party, Stefano's offers full-service catering or party trays and platters to go.
Panini Cafe
3041 Michelson Dr
Irvine, CA 92612
Phone number (949) 260-9800
www.mypaninicafe.com
With multiple Orange County locations including Irvine, Corona Del Mar, Santa Ana, and Aliso Viejo, you won't find it hard to grab a delicious panini at Panini Cafe. Offering fresh and healthy food using the finest ingredients, this eatery offers everything from breakfast dishes like scrambled egg dishes and French toast to kabobs with rice for lunch and dinner. But, one of the main draws here are their tasty paninis. Choose from a wide variety of paninis, including the popular turkey club with all natural turkey, pepper bacon, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo, or the chicken brie with grilled chicken breast, roma tomatoes, fresh basil and Brie cheese. But, the great options don't stop there. Other great paninis include their grilled vegetable panini, as well as a popular chicken pesto panini.
Freesoulcaffe
191 E. Main St., Suite 1B
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 371-0976
www.freesoulcaffe.com
Established in 2010, Freesoulcaffe offers a menu featuring natural plant-based ingredients with a ton of tasty panini sandwiches. Panini are served on sourdough bread or whole grain with options like a panini caprese with peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, spinach, humus, pesto and an olive spread, as well as a panini frittata, with vegan scrambled eggs, Roma tomatoes, red onions, arugula, and sun-dried tomato aioli, and a panini poulet with vegan chickin', cucumbers, hatch chili, cilantro and Sriracha aioli. For those looking to eliminate gluten and soy in their diet, Freesoulcaffe's soups are an excellent option.
Il Barone Bottega Italian Market
4251 Martingale Way, Suite D
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 536-5044
www.ilbaroneristorante.com
Chef Franco Barone has shared his love for Italian dishes with Southern California for years through his Il Barone ristorante. Located next door to the restaurant, the Il Barone Bottega Italian market serves some of the best paninis in Orange County. With authentic ingredients imported from Italy, their Toscano and Caprese paninis are rated with an "a" from customers. For those who like cooking at home, the market offers a selection of Italian specialty products and homemade gelato.
Zeytoon
412 N. Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-9230
www.zeytooncafe.com
Taking its name from a green olive, Zeytoon is a cafe, market and gathering spot that serves a variety of paninis like their Bahneer Panini with grilled cheeses sprinkled with mint, Aleppo red peppers with a touch of olive oil, as well as a roasted artichoke and gorgonzola vegetarian panini, a turkey panini, a ham and cheese panini and a rosemary lemon chicken panini. Other Mediterranean favorites such as Greek salad, Fatoush and Eech round out the menu. In their market, you can find items such as laurel soap and their house marinated olives. Zeytoon's menu also is available for take-out or on catering platters for your next party or gathering.