Ojai is a beautiful, quaint town tucked away in a valley between mountain and sea. We first discovered it a year ago and it has since become one of our favorite local get-away destinations. Only a three hour drive up the coast of California, this hidden gem is accessible and holds all that we love to do. Good food, beautiful shops, and plenty of hiking trails and outdoor activities. Boutique hotels hold the charm of a pioneer-town, with garden patios and ranch-vibe inns. Our favorite times to visit are sunny California winters or in the Spring. I would recommend avoiding the Summer months when bugs like to come and visit the valley floor and snakes litter the hiking trails. That’s just my personal preference! Regardless, Ojai deserves a travel guide. Here are some of our favorite eats and shops in downtown!
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Not worth the time.
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Good, but ordinary.
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Great. Worth a visit.
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Exceptional. A must-do experience.
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Frugal friendly
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Reasonable
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Pricey
Pinyon
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423 E Ojai Ave Ste 101,
Ojai, CA 93023
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Pinyon is a great spot to grab sandwiches and pizza! Even though it’s on the main street of downtown, it’s an easy spot to miss. I am here to tell you to make sure you don’t just drive by. They serve pastries and coffee for breakfast. For lunch they serve amazing hoagies. Mike and I split a lamb hoagie with confit for dipping.
The server behind the register was so excited to talk about how they sourced the meet. Pinyon partners with local farmers who raise sheep. The sheep help to keep grass levels down which reduces fires on the mountains of Ojai, which used to be way more frequent. We couldn’t help but feel like purchasing our sandwich helped protect the land! Pinyon also makes pizzas in a wood-fire oven. All their dough is made in-house and I just have to say the seeded hoagie bun was out of this world. We also got a pretzel on the side, which we used to lap up the left-over confit.
The Dutchess
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457 E Ojai Ave,
Ojai, CA 93023
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First and foremost, the first time we went to Ojai, we missed going to The Dutchess. But on our most recent trip, we found ourselves at their door all three days of our vacation. Our wedding party had a welcome ceremony there, and the bartenders were allegedly serving some of the best cocktails that night. Being pregnant, all I can attest to as far as drinks go was the merry composition of the guests. They also had the rehearsal dinner there and Mike’s grandmother could not stop talking about the chicken.
A Burmese-French inspired spot, delicious desserts such as passionfruit chiffon cakes, rye chocolate sables, and shortbread linzer cookies were served. Every morning thereafter, I begged to go back for breakfast. We wolfed down ham croissants, samosas, berry danishes, bagel sandwiches, cheese croissant twists, and scones. It’s good I don’t live there because my wallet would not be able to take it. As an avid baker, I would highly recommend this place! Next time, we will stop by for dinner.
Farmer and the Cook
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339 W El Roblar Dr,
Ojai, CA 93023
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Farmer and the Cook is further away from the main downtown road. It is, however, worth the drive. The farmer owns 12 acres of CCOF certified land producing organic foods. It’s part Mexican-cafe, part grocery store, and part pizza shop. They serve delicious smoothies and granola bowls. We also tried their vegetarian tacos and classic burrito. The day we went, we were with eight other friends who all enjoyed their food. It’s a great option for vegetarians! You can really tell the ingredients were fresh and in season.
Topa Topa Brewery
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345 E Ojai Ave A,
Ojai, CA 93023
$
We love Topa Topa Brewery. There’s a Santa Barbara location as well, one I am sure gaucho grads are familiar with. The Ojai location is in the heart of downtown. With an outdoor patio, it is perfect for sunny afternoons. A group of gals went with me and we spent a few hours away from the boys drinking good beer and chit-chatting away. Within the establishment is Little Sama, a delicious asian-inspired restaurant that serves food to-go from a tiny window. See my review on Little Sama below.
Revel Kombucha
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307 E Matilija St c,
Ojai, CA 93023
$
If beer isn’t your thing, then you may want to swing by Revel for some on-tap kombucha that’s sure to raise your spirits. They also serve fully organic acai bowls for the entire family. The colorful decor and foods really set the vibe here. A teenager’s dream hang-out spot, there are a few patio chairs outside however I recommend bringing your bowls to eat at the central garden not to far from the shop!
Little Sama
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345 E Ojai Ave A,
Ojai, CA 93023
$
This small establishment lies within the Topa Topa Brewery. We ordered our food to-go and ate at home, although you can also eat at the brewery itself. Southeast-asian fair pairs really well with Topa Topa’s extensive beer menu. All the dishes were tasty! Favorites included the signature chicken wings, lemongrass beef donburi bowls and seared tofu. We also enjoyed the Vietnamese noodle salad and Okonomiyaki tots. Perfect for a lazy night in after a full day of hiking!
Ojai Rotie
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469 E Ojai Ave,
Ojai, CA 93023
$
Delicious Lebanese-French rotisserie chicken is being served in this outdoor patio area under twinkling lights. Picnic style is the vibe, with the wooden picnic tables and family style packages. A picnic for four is purchasable, with options to get chicken in half or full sizes. Accompaniments include sides such as potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and slaw. Sprinkled in the menu are dishes such as kafta, lebne, hummus and freshly grilled manouch. Plus, freshly baked sourdough line their shelves every day!
Papa Lennon’s
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515 W El Roblar Dr,
Ojai, CA 93023
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We got take-out on a busy Friday night booked with wedding preparation and celebration. It was a local recommendation to try Papa Lennon’s pizza. They say it’s one of the best, but to be frank, it was mediocre. I’m alright with being called a pizza snob, but the take-out fell short of my expectations. The toppings were sparse and the dough was tough to chew. It did, however, save us on an extremely busy night. It’s just, for what you pay for, I think we could have gotten something better.
The Nest
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401 E Ojai Ave,
Ojai, CA 93023
$$
Delicious pub-fare, with an outdoor patio and late-night hours. We headed over here with a group of ten friends as they were closing. Their food was super tasty and so were the drinks. I tried the chicken wings and the vegetarian tacos. Our friends gorged on sandwiches and burgers. Everyone was happy with their orders. The Nest also has a small shop where they sell kitchen products, pet accessories, and fun trinkets. I love swinging by to peruse the shelves and have walked away on multiple occasions with a trinket or other. Definitely would return here!
Osteria Monte Grappa
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401 E Ojai Ave,
Ojai, CA 93023
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We had a reservation for 12 at this Italian restaurant in the center of downtown. You can’t miss it as it’s a beautiful establishment facing the main street. The food was delicious! Pasta was amazing, as well as all appetizers and dessert. Organic and farm-based, this restaurant makes their doughs from scratch as well. The restaurant itself has a cozy interior, perfect for a cold winter soiree. What could be cozier than carbs and homemade pasta sauce?
Sanders and Sons
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334 E Ojai Ave,
Ojai, CA 93023
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Sanders and Sons feature a rotating array of gelato flavors, which change seasonally based on Mr. Sanders’ whim and fancy. You’ll never know what you’ll find on the menu. We tried a delicious mimosa flavor before landing on the Guava Bella and the Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Pair with a number of cone options, including Blue Corn Tortilla, Orange Creamsicle, Birthday Cake or Matcha. It’s the perfect treat on a warm, sunny California day.
Ojai Ice Cream Company
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210 E Ojai Ave,
Ojai, CA 93023
$
Ojai Ice Cream Company is at the end of the downtown area cross from the park and post. They serve both traditional ice cream flavors as well as wilder scoops. Whereas Sanders & Sons house the hip teens and twenty-year olds, young kids and senior couples can be found at Ojai Ice Cream Company. Look, good old-fashioned ice cream may not be trendy, but it is classic. And honestly, there are enough unique flavors here to make it Instagrammable. If you’re debating between Sanders and this place, I say try this spot first. Walk across the street to the park, sit on a bench, and divulge before the ice cream melts.
Bart’s Books
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302 W Matilija St,
Ojai, CA 93023
$
A bookworm’s dream, and a minimalist’s nightmare. I had mixed feelings about this spot. It was endearing, walking amongst endless shelves lined with all sorts of books and novels. The sun lit up beautiful corners, though there weren’t any reading nooks to speak of. However, from an organizational standpoint, it was quite over-whelming. Sections were broadly categorized based on topics, but the range they offered was so wide and the books sometimes out of alphabetical order. It was nice to peruse, but not for long. There were dusty corners to avoid, and I much prefer perusing a small, independently-owned book shop with personal anecdotes written on index cards on a limited number of books.
Noted
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423 E Ojai Ave #102,
Ojai, CA 93023
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A paper aficionado’s dream store. Noted has everything from yearly planners to task pads. Little notebooks for travel and Japanese stickers line the tables. Coloring books for children and cookbooks or adults line the walls. In the back of the store lies a wall full of greeting cards, which my sister-in-law had a blast perusing. There were even desk brushes and fancy pencils and pens. It’s hard not to find something that speaks to you.
Dekor
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105 S Montgomery St,
Ojai, CA 93023
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I always stop in this store, despite the high price point. Quality home goods can be found here. Elite fragrances, body oils, and beauty products abound. I personally love buying the body oils and fragrances from Rowsie Vain. There are coffee table books and jewelry, as long as locally made mugs and linens. It isn’t for shallow pockets, though!
This travel guide to Ojai only skims the surface. Definitely there are other things to love, like the Biking Trail, the kid park in the middle of downtown, the weekly Farmer’s Market, and the summer concerts in their auditorium. Places to stay include Emerald Iguana Inn, Ojai Rancho Inn, or the Capri Hotel. You can also book the super glam Ojai Valley Inn, a must-stop for all golfers. If you want to glam, check out the Caravan Outpost too! Or do what we did with our group of 12 friends and rent an AirBNB. You can’t really go wrong.
Photo by Brandon DesJarlais on Unsplash
