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You’ve made it! As a Newport Beach resident of over 30 years, Danielle has come to find her favorite local spots and hidden gems. Many of these places have played a part in inspiring aspects of backhouse - from the scents, the names and the design. So here it is… Danielle’s ultimate guide to some of her faves in backhouse’s hometown of Newport Beach.
If you know Danielle, you know that every morning starts off with a Chai Latte - and she has tested out every offering here in NB. Leading the list is C'est Si Bon, located right down the road from the backhouse. Stop in for a hot coffee and freshly baked croissant and you can thank us later. If you are looking to get some work done or enjoy a coffee with the salt breeze blowing, don’t miss Herst Coffee in Lido Marina Village and Huskins on Balboa Island. And we of course, would be remiss not to mention the trendiest spot in Costa Mesa - Coffee Dose. Trust us - it lives up to the hype (and don’t forget to order The Goldie Latte). For our foodies, we recommend visiting Kit Coffee on 17th to enjoy a gourmet avocado toast while sipping on freshly brewed coffee.
Newport Beach is home to some of the best when it comes to restaurants. It can be overwhelming trying to choose where to go next - so we are here to help! Let us take you through some of our faves from breakfast to dinner (and we won’t judge if you go to them all!).
As they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and at backhouse, we follow this religiously. If we are on the run, (which we normally are) picking up a chocolate croissant from C'est Si Bon or a hearty breakfast burrito from Rose’s Bakery in CDM is our go-to. For a brunch with the girls or a breakfast meeting, our faves are Malibu Farm and Zinque in Lido Marina Village or Haute Cakes on 17th. And of course an honorable mention to everyone's favorite gourmet donuts at Sidecar.
For a midday bite, we always recommend picking up a salad or their BLTA sandwich from A Market, ordering in from Ruby’s Sandwich Saloon or enjoying the infamous “Le Bowl” while sipping Rose at the waterfront table and chairs at Zinque. There are plenty of places to finish off your day of eats - but CDM Restaurant is by far one of our favorites. This high-end restaurant has the best of it all - a great vibe, good food and great for eating out with both friends and family. Take the whole fam with you to our newest favorite pizza spot - SKal in Lido Marina Village. A place with amazing food for the whole family and even better views. For a date night away from the kiddos we love to escape to Javiers, Bandera, Gulfstream or A Restaurant.
Who doesn’t love to shop til they drop? If you couldn’t tell from the rest of this post, we can’t get enough of Lido Marina Village and the shopping here is not any different. Grabbing a bite, walking along the bay front and shopping is one of our favorite activities in Newport and here are some of our favorite stops: Elyse Walker, Jenni Kayne, Alchemy Works, The Great, Stoney Clover, Le Labo, Clare V, Eberjey, and Amber Interiors.
After grabbing a bite at Haute Cakes Cafe, saunter over to one of our all-time favorite boutiques in all over Orange County, The Red Balloon. You can find to die for statement pieces and basics, along with comfy and chic loungewear at their second location right next door. One of our other favorites, James Perse, is also located a few doors down. And while you are there, don’t forget to pop into Urban Gardener to pick yourself up a fresh bouquet of gorgeous flowers. Laguna Supply is a must visit when looking for eclectic and timeless pieces for every occasion. We can never leave here with just one thing. If you are looking to splurge and treat yourself, there is no better spot than Michael Nusskern. Last but not least, a shopping spree in Newport is never complete without a visit to our favorite home store Juxtaposition. We truly feel like we are a kid in a candy shop every time we come here - too many amazing things for your home and for gifting!!