When we visited Oxnard I made it my personal mission to eat as many restaurants as possible. But let’s be honest that’s pretty much my plan when visiting any new place. All of the super fresh food we devoured seemed to go hand in hand with the active beach community we fell in love with. So save yourself for needing to do too much research, these are the Oxnard restaurants you can’t miss.
Recommendation: Stoke Acai Bowl $9 and a Cold Brew $3.50
Pepe’s Mexican Food
If you’re in the mood for casual Pepe’s Mexican Food is that spot. It’s a carryout taco joint right on the beach. They have tables to sit at or you can wander down for a little picnic in the sand. This is totally one of those local hot spots you have to get in on. The shrimp, maybe the fish or ya know, both tacos are the way to go. Do not skip the signature spicy sauce it’s a game changer. Keep in mind this is a cash only spot.
Recommendation: Shrimp Taco and Carne Asada Taco
Thank you Visit Oxnard for inviting us to taste all this delicious food. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Breakfast in Oxnard
Palm & Boy Coffee + Acai
This is what I think of when I think of the quintessential beach breakfast. At Palm and Boy Coffee + Acai you’re getting really fresh healthy breakfast that also tastes delicious. It’s a walk up counter style restaurant right along the water with cute white picnic tables to sit at. You’ll leave full and ready to attack an active day exploring Oxnard.
Recommendation: Stoke Acai Bowl $9 and a Cold Brew $3.50
Hollywood Beach Cafe
Did someone say fried chicken and waffle? Yes, the Hollywood Beach Cafe is serving up what I consider to be the perfect brunch food. The menu is huge, with lots of homestyle classics. They serve breakfast all day with turns it into an Oxnard restaurant favorite. It is located just a few steps from the beach keep it in mind to fill up before a day in the sand. Recommendation: Chicken and Waffles $13Mexican Food in Oxnard
Cabo Seafood Grill & Cantina
I’ve called Merida, Mexico home for the last two years so my expectations on Mexican food are well, high. Cabo Seafood Grill & Cantina exceeded even my loftiest expectations. They’ve won the Oxnard Salsa Festival for Best Red Salsa 13 consecutive years for good reason. The restaurant itself is really large with a bright colored interior. I really enjoyed how many options the menu has. Recommendation: Any type of platter allows you to taste a bunch of things.
Pepe’s Mexican Food
If you’re in the mood for casual Pepe’s Mexican Food is that spot. It’s a carryout taco joint right on the beach. They have tables to sit at or you can wander down for a little picnic in the sand. This is totally one of those local hot spots you have to get in on. The shrimp, maybe the fish or ya know, both tacos are the way to go. Do not skip the signature spicy sauce it’s a game changer. Keep in mind this is a cash only spot.
Recommendation: Shrimp Taco and Carne Asada Taco
Best Lunch in Oxnard
Oxnard Farmers Market
The Oxnard Farmers Market is open on Thursdays from 9:00 am -1:30 pm in Plaza Park Downtown Oxnard. It’s a great mix of delicious Mexican food trucks, fresh churros and local produce. The atmosphere is casual and there were a lot of people lounging in the grass eating and hanging out with family. I really like how much variety there was in fresh produce. If we had been in town a bit longer I would have certainly grabbed some to cook with. Recommendation: Fresh Strawberries and a couple of tamales from Me Gusta Tamales
Fresh and Fabulous Cafe
The outdoor seating area at Fresh and Fabulous Cafe made for the perfect spot to soak up the afternoon sun. The bright yellow chairs and potted plants transformed the are into a little lunch paradise. They make classic soups and sandwiches but everything is fresh including their own loaves of bread and sauces. There is a clear intention in all of the ingredients that is evident in every bit. Recommendation: Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich $11
Date Night Food in Oxnard
La Dolce Vita
The perfect date night spot is a really great Italian place in Heritage Square. La Dolce Vita is in an old colonial home with an interior that makes you feel like you’ve been invited into someone’s home. It is an upscale restaurant for a really great price point. The menu has lots of great Italian classics and some new twists. The wine list was good and our server had some great suggested pairings for us. Recommendations: Arancini $10 and Chicken Piccata $16.50
Annex Food Hall
Hear me out on this one! I know when you think date night a food hall might not be what instantly comes to mind. The Annex Food Hall is an upgraded food hall serving up tasty bites in a trendy setting. What makes it such a perfect date night spot is that you can taste lots of things together. You’ll get to have the experience of discussing what dishes to have next. We love doing in a progressive dinner style of an appetizer at one place, main another and one final spot for dessert. Recommendations: Lychee Bubble Tea at Love Pho $4, Seoul Tots with Bulgogi $12Best Pizza in Oxnard
Toppers Pizza
Judging by the number of cars with Toppers Pizza delivery signs on the roof buzzing about town, Toppers Pizza is a local favorite. I’m a pizza lover so you know I had to taste it for myself. The place was absolutely packed when we walked in, obviously another sign of its popularity. I like that they are small pizzas so Meg and I could each select our own toppings. I really enjoyed the gigantic salad bar before dug into the pizza. The pizza itself was good but all the topping options were really the highlight. Recommendation: Spicy Garlic Italian
Uptown Pizza
Another great pizza spot is Uptown Pizza. They are serving super fresh pies with a really crispy crust. We enjoyed delivery from here and it showed up quick and hot. Sometimes after a busy day, it’s nice to just have a chill couple slices and this is your place to do that. Recommendation: Pepperoni because it’s classic and the best pizza topping ever!Dessert in Oxnard
Michoacanita Ice Cream
Was one of the most fun spots with visited on our trip. Michoacantia Ice Cream is a place you should not skip while you’re in Oxnard. They are serving food that is proudly inspired by Mexican roots. They have all the classics mixed with some new twists. What I loved the most was the warm bubble waffle the ice cream was served in. I asked the girl at the counter what her favorite was and she handed me fruity pebble topped the ice cream with fresh strawberries. If you’re someone who prefers salty over sweet they have classic snacks like hot cheeto nachos.
Oxnard Coffee Shops
Honey Cup Coffee & Kitchen
Honey Cup Coffee & Kitchen is serving up easily the most delicious cup of coffee I had in Oxnard. Both the coffee and the wifi are strong making it the perfect place to settle in if you have a little bit of work to get done as we did. They do have a full menu available for both breakfast and lunch. We had a chicken sandwich that was really good. Recommendation: Honey Cup Latte $3.25 and the Chicken Little sandwich $10.50Heritage Coffee and Gifts
This super cute little coffee shop is located right at the entrance to Heritage Square. We stopped into Heritage Coffee and Gifts before we wander through the historic square. As they were making our coffees we had the chance to browse the cute gifts portion. They have stuff like mugs, hanging wall decorations it has an Etsy kind of vibe.
Thank you Visit Oxnard for inviting us to taste all this delicious food. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.
