Buena Park and Santa Ana are amazing to visit on their own. Still, when you combine the two cities, all I can say is WOW! Each has unique things to see and do, but you know I’m really just there for the food—well, and the drinks. Fun spots like Knott’s Berry Farm and nearby Disneyland, wineries, zoo, aquarium, and harbor cruises leave you thinking that’s all there is. But don’t dismiss Orange County as a foodie destination. I recently spent five days and nights eating my way through two locations, and oh, how I wished I had five more days to enjoy the tastes of Orange County.

Exploring Buena Park

Buena Park is home to The Source OC, which sat just a block from my hotel. Close enough to be convenient, far enough to begin working up an appetite on the way there. From the outside, the four-story facade looks more like a warehouse than a dining destination.

The Source has a decided slant toward all things Korean, but there are also Japanese and Mexican spots. The macaroons are French, but I’m claiming doughnuts as being as American as Apple Pie. Speaking of pie, apple, and otherwise, about a mile down the highway is the famous (at least locally)  Porto’s Bakery.

Porto’s Bakery & Café

Porto’s has been baking one delicious thing after another since 1960. They now have six locations, so Orange County residents are never far from freshly-baked goods. In fact, Porto’s ships goodness across the country so you can bake it right at home. Just imagine that tantalizing aroma.

Husband-and-wife team Raul and Rosa Porto requested permission to leave Cuba, immediately lost their jobs, and were forced to survive on the income Rosa earned from selling baked goods from her kitchen. When the Portos at last left that island, those family recipes contained most of their worldly goods. Upon settling in California, Rosa was soon baking for the neighbors. Raul spent several years working in a large bakery. Eventually, the two entrepreneurs opened the family bakery, and the rest, as they say, is history. Porto’s is still a family enterprise, with their three children now at the helm. Don’t miss this spot. It is beautiful and has way too many choices. You’ll want one of everything.

Expert Tip:  Start with Cuban-style French toast, meat pies, potato balls, and guava cheese pastry—pardon me while I wipe my chin.

The Source OC

Step inside that warehouse-appearing building, and it’s a different story. Shops, bakeries, restaurants (Korean, Mexican, Japanese), a cinema, live entertainment stages, ice cream shops, and a sprawling food court fill the space. And yes—more bakeries. You know me—I noticed those right away. Come along with me for a day at The Source.

Don Melt

Ok, so Don Melt isn’t the oozing cheese sandwiches I originally envisioned from the name. It is an ice cream shop with plenty of other goodies to make you drool. They specialize in croffles: croissants cooked on a waffle iron. And they have dairy-free soft serve. It actually only melts if you eat really slowly.  The strawberry-topped soft-serve on a croffle made me smile.

Myungrang Hot Dog

Myungrang Hot Dog is a surprise. I mean, I do love a good Southern dog with chili and slaw, but these Korean dogs are in a whole ’nother league. Chosen as the top dog in 2022 among Buena Park Hot Dog Restaurants, Myungrang translates to cheerful, playful, and bright. What else can you say about a dog on a stick?

The menu offerings are certainly playful, and one of the best was Squid-ink and Mozzarella, a sausage dog covered in mozzarella, rolled in their secret crunchy squid-ink coating, and fried. The sweet potato cubes covering another dog were a taste sensation at our table, too. The Flamin’ Hot Cheeto Dog was lovely to look at, but too hot for me to handle.

Sweet Box

Macarons make me smile. The bright colors and delectable fillings are my happy place. The Sweet Box manages to improve even on that. These macarons are too cute to eat—almost. Whimsically decorated, they make you second-guess your choices—did I pick that one because it is a Clemson Tiger, or because it was a flavor I craved? No matter. They are all beautiful and all delicious.

Gangnam House

On the rooftop of The Source, you find restaurants with outdoor seating areas and see-for-miles views. Gangnam House is one of those spots. A restaurant with roots in Seoul, Korea, the grill serves high-quality, dry-aged beef with traditional Korean flavors. Platters of meats and seafood arrive at your table, which has a grill in the center, and your server cooks as you watch. You can tell from the photos that if you leave here hungry, you’re doing something wrong.

Expert Tip: If you like your beef on the rarer side, ask your server to take your meat off the grill early.

Old Ferry Donut

Donuts galore at Old Ferry Donut, and even after a huge meal (or three), and carrying a bag of macarons, my resistance to donuts was still low. I left with a Raspberry Ring. We tried to visit Old Ferry earlier in the day, but the line was intimidating—so many things to taste, so little time for standing in line.

Thirty Acres Kitchen (inside Knott’s Hotel)

For a convenient farm-to-table breakfast featuring Knott’s famous boysenberries, stop at Thirty Acres Kitchen. It’s a perfect place to start your pre-park day. The buffet offers all things breakfast, or you can order from the menu. Some favorites to try are the boysenberry-glazed chicken, boysenberry fruit punch, and classic boysenberry pancakes or waffles with boysenberry jelly.

Expert Tip: Set aside some time to explore the historic displays on the restaurant walls.

Knott’s Berry Farm

Yes, this is an amusement park, but everyone knows about “Fair Food,” so while kids of all ages can enjoy rides from the little planes slowly circling a miniature tower to a locomotive (attacked by bandits) to the largest inverted roller coaster in California.

As you walk the park experiencing rides and meeting Snoopy and his friends at unexpected stops, enjoy boysenberry-themed treats along the Boysenberry Trail. Everything from boysenberry carmels to boysenberry beer is available.

Knott’s Berry Farm is open year-round, but I think it shines brightest in the Fall. They have two events running in October: Knott’s Spooky Farm, a kid-friendly daytime event, and Knott’s Scary Farm, filling each night with chills and frights. You can read my article about these and other ghostly spots, including The Cauldron in Buena Park.

Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant

When Mrs. Knott started serving fried chicken and biscuits, it didn’t take long for word and her reputation to spread. Soon, lines were waiting for her weekly chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits with boysenberry jam, and boysenberry pie.

Nobibi

On their website, they proclaim, “It’s a party with Nobibi”, and they’re right. With ice cream treats like a cone of S’mores and a huge pink concoction called Dream Cloud, there is certainly a party at every Nobibi table. In case you’re wondering, the Cloud is a massive pillow of pink cotton candy, topped with ice cream and other treats.

The Cauldron Spirits & Brews

The Cauldron is a snug, relaxed cocktail lounge with antique décor and scrumptious signature drinks like the Knotty Kid (boysenberry cotton candy, vodka, lemon) and a Lavender Lemonade (gin, lemon juice, lavender simple syrup, lavender bitters). The small bites (they aren’t that small) are eclectic, delicious, and have a French flair. The crock of French Onion Soup is a perfect place to start, and then move right along to the Devils on Horseback (dates stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in prosciutto, and baked in jezebel sauce). But (another expert tip) save room for the Cherry Cheesecake Bread Pudding.

Visit Santa Ana

From Buena Park, the drive to Santa Ana is short, but the shift in atmosphere is noticeable. The culture stands out, streets are filled with art, and the food scene is even more layered.

Alta Baja Market

Alta Baja Market and Café is stocked with unique items from South of the border and from the US side, too. Best known for Micheladas (Mexican beer cocktails) and cheese boards, they also offer delicious cocktails and food. Owner Delilah is as passionate about wine as I am and has an impressive selection of Mexican wine, along with an impressive display of cookbooks, including one on preserving foods written by Delilah Snell (yes, the owner).

Expert tip: order a Prickly Pear Margarita.

The Market has special events and a number of regularly scheduled events, including Pozole Sundays (pozole is a traditional Mexican soup of hominy simmered with chicken or pork and spices), wine and mezcal tastings, and weekend Brunch (think Blue Banana Pancakes).

Brewskiee

Brewskiee Coffee is a welcome stop for a sip of something hot or not, and a cookie or brownie. An interesting list of items topped the must-try list for many in our group, with macha at the top. I went for a fruity blend that looked suspiciously like a Tequila Sunrise, but at only 10 a.m., I drew the line at tequila. Brewskiee’s offers wi-fi, so it is a popular spot for people to stop in for a quick connection or to work for a while.

Lola Gaspar

Lola Gaspar is a taqueria and cocktail bar in downtown Santa Ana with influences from Mexico and Spain. A former food critic, Brad A. Johnson, named the 50  top spots for tacos in Orange County. Lola Gaspar was listed as #1, and 19 others from that list are also found in Santa Ana. Can you say “Yum”? The specialty drinks were delightful, and the dessert was chocolate-drizzled churros. I was there for five days—you know I had to have chocolate. The menu centers on fresh, locally available ingredients, so check the board when you arrive for last-minute offerings.

Benchmark

We joined owners Duane & Pedro & Chef Stefano for a family-style dinner. The food and drinks were fresh and creative, showcasing the flavors of Southern California. Benchmark is a popular local spot for celebrations, and the table next to ours held the family and friends of a wedding party, with the beautiful bride still in her wedding dress.

With all the deliciousness listed on the menu, the Short Rib Pasta loudly called my name, as did the Pear Almond Tart. Benchmark is aptly named—they set the mark for other eateries to try to reach.

Cerveza Cito Brewery

To end our day, we went off to Cerveza Cito for more Micheladas and Loteria. Playing Loteria was fun and a crash course in Mexican words, since it’s a traditional Mexican game much like bingo, but instead of numbered balls, the leader uses a deck of cards to determine the word to cover. Most of the Micheladas I tried were a bit too bold for me (I’m a wimp), but I found one at Cerveza Cito with lychee in the mix—just my style.

Santa Ana has produced a Michelada Guide to help visitors find the city’s top spots to enjoy this bold and flavor-filled drink. 

Café Cultura

Café Cultura is in downtown Santa Ana. Start your day there with a huge plate of Churro Waffles, which arrive topped with blueberries, strawberries, caramel, powdered sugar, and whipped cream. Café Cultura blends flavor with tradition. Of course, they have Michelada flights, but they also have mimosas.

Grand Central Art Center

The Grand Central Art Center is a partnership between the California State University and the city of Santa Ana. The Center promotes art with rotating displays and an artist-in-residence program. Even the elevator is in use as a gallery. Don’t miss it. A small gift shop offers smaller pieces to enjoy at home.

Santa Ana Public Art

Explore Santa Ana’s mural scene as you walk the streets and spot cultural landmarks. Keep your eyes open because you’ll spot art in alleys and on buildings.

Collective2one9

I enjoyed a mini piñata-making workshop at Collective2one9. We had an excellent teacher, and made the cutest little piñatas you’ve ever seen. What fun to make a custom Mexican folk-art-inspired souvenir. The shop, in the heart of downtown Santa Ana, features over 25 vendors showcasing apparel, music, art, and home décor items.

Walk Through Orange County and California History

Santa Ana isn’t just about dining. The city also offers cultural stops that add context to the experience, especially if you’re looking to balance out all that eating. Museums and historic sites here tend to be approachable rather than overwhelming, making them easy additions between meals or on a quieter morning.

Bowers Museum

The Bowers Museum is the largest in Orange County and one of the finest art museums in the region. Their docents conduct tours of exhibits that cover not only the history of Orange County but also that of Southern California, especially the artistry of indigenous peoples of the Pacific. During my visit, it was the story of the Terracotta Warriors (showcasing the two Chinese originals added to the collection).

In a Spanish Colonial Revival building in Santa Ana, six separate galleries house more than 100,000 art objects from pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, Native American art, and the art of Asia, Africa, Oceania, and California. Bowers Museum celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2026 and has been voted the Best Museum in Orange County for 32 consecutive years.

Expert Tip: They offer hands-on activities. I made a lovely hand-painted fan. Check the activity calendar.

Old Orange County Courthouse

Southern California’s oldest court building is the historic Old Orange County Courthouse, also called the Santa Ana County Courthouse. The 1901 Romanesque Revival structure in Santa Ana’s Historic District is open to the public. The imposing granite-and-sandstone building is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a California Historic Landmark.  It still houses some local county offices, like the parks department, which is a good place to pick up maps and information about other county parks you will not want to miss. You can even arrange to hold a wedding there.

The Parks Department offers free Courthouse tours by appointment, or you can tour it yourself with a map in hand. Much of the 30,000-square-foot building has been restored to its original beauty, including the courtroom where camera crews filmed scenes from Legally Blonde. I could see Reese taking charge of the trial in her signature pink heels.

Where to Stay

Where you stay matters when you’re trying to cover as much ground—and as many meals—as possible. Both Buena Park and Santa Ana offer convenient lodging options, depending on whether you want walkability, nightlife, or easy freeway access.

Hilton Buena Park – Located on Brenner Avenue, the hotel offers sweeping views of the area and a Rooftop Pool. The Rooftop’s Rosemary Room cocktails and appetizers will spoil you and your dinner—but they are so worth it. The Hilton is convenient to The Source, Knott’s Berry Farm is a mile away, and Disneyland is an easy six-mile commute.

Holiday Inn Santa Ana-Orange County Port By IHG is on a convenient corner of South Grand Avenue. The staff there couldn’t be nicer, and you’ll be on a first-name basis by the time you’ve checked in. You can arrange easy airport transfers as needed, and Uber and Lyft are just an app away.

Buena Park & Santa Ana Podcast

Listen to the Jo Goes Everywhere! Buena Park and Santa Ana podcast.

Plan Your Next Trip

For more exciting trips, try some of my favorite wine-filled locations. Plan a trip to Corning and the Finger Lakes to visit as many wineries for tastings as possible, or make a road trip from the Roanoke Valley of Virginia to North Carolina’s beautiful Yadkin Valley Wineries.