Villa Park has its own small commercial center, but is only minutes away from the restaurants, shops and entertainment of Orange. And there’s been a lot happening locally lately.
From new restaurants at The Village at Orange to changes around Old Towne and the Chapman Avenue corridor, Orange continues adding new places to eat, shop, and spend an afternoon or evening.
Here’s a look at some of the most notable recent openings, reopenings and businesses coming soon near Villa Park.
What’s New in Old Towne Orange
Old Towne Orange keeps getting bigger, but the things that make the district special—its old buildings and independent businesses—are still there.
There are a few additions made fairly recently that are worth knowing about.
Centro & Storico Café
Status: Open
Centro & Storico Café is now open at 208 E. Chapman Avenue.
The restaurant is from the family behind Pozzuoli Winery and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in Old Towne. And there is wine and beer too.
Following the original Centro in Tustin, the Orange location gives Villa Park residents another choice for a locally-rooted dining option near the Orange Plaza.
Bluestone Lane
Status: Open
Australian-inspired café Bluestone Lane has opened at 114 N. Olive Street in Old Towne Orange.
The café serves coffee along with all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch. Its menu includes the avocado toast, bowls, breakfast dishes and specialty coffee drinks associated with the brand.
The Orange café is Bluestone Lane’s first Orange County location.
Paradis Ice Cream
Status: Open
Paradis Ice Cream has opened directly on the Orange Plaza at 30 Plaza Square.
This Danish-inspired ice cream shop churns out its ice cream in-house, offering traditional as well as rotation and seasonal flavors.
It’s a convenient dessert stop before or after dinner around the Circle.
Culinary Dropout
Status: Open
Culinary Dropout has become one of the larger recent additions to the Old Towne dining scene.
Located at 191 N. Orange Street, just north of the Plaza, the restaurant combines lunch and dinner with cocktails, weekend brunch, happy hour and a social atmosphere.
The development has also brought new activity to an area immediately north of the historic commercial core.
Oak & Poppy
Status: Open
Old Towne’s recent additions aren’t limited to food.
Oak & Poppy has opened at 117 N. Olive Street, offering fine jewelry along with professional piercing and tattoo services.
The business adds another specialty retailer to the collection of independent shops surrounding the Plaza.
Garrahan Hat Company
Status: Open
Garrahan Hat Company at 109 W. Chapman Avenue brings handcrafted hats and a distinctly Western influence to Old Towne.
The company acquired the longtime D Bar J Hat Company operation and brought its hat-making tradition to Orange.
For Villa Park residents who enjoy Old Towne’s mix of unusual independent shops, this is one of the more distinctive recent additions.
Jim’s Original Brings a Los Angeles Classic to Orange
Status: Open
A longtime Los Angeles name has expanded into Orange.
Jim’s Original opened its Orange location at 214 N. Tustin Street, bringing its well-known hot dogs, Polish sausages and other casual favorites closer to Villa Park.
Jim’s dates back to 1939 and is known for its Maxwell Street Polish sausage.
For Orange County residents who had to head toward Los Angeles for the original experience, the Orange location is a much shorter commute.
The Duchess Returns to Chapman Avenue
Status: Reopened
The Duchess has reopened at 910 E. Chapman Avenue.
The home and lifestyle store offers furniture, décor, gifts and design services, along with workshops and other offerings.
Its return gives Villa Park residents another locally owned shopping option just a few minutes from home.
The Win~Dow Plans First Orange County Location
Status: Coming
One of the more intriguing projects near the Orange Plaza is Win~Dow, a well-known Los Angeles burger joint that serves burgers, chicken sandwiches and fries.
The restaurant will be located on the former automotive property at 237 W. Chapman Avenue near Lemon Street.
The proposal is more than just turning an old shop into a small restaurant. The property is planned for adaptive reuse to include a walk-up restaurant, bar and extensive outdoor dining and outdoor activity area.
The project would transform a longtime automotive property at one of Old Towne’s main entrances.
Sabor a Cuba Coming to the Former Felix Café
Status: Coming
One of the most recognizable restaurant spaces on the Orange Plaza is also preparing for a new chapter.
Felix Continental Café, which occupied its prominent corner location for decades, has closed.
The space is being prepared for Sabor a Cuba, a new Cuban restaurant expected to continue the site’s long association with Cuban cuisine.
For longtime Orange and Villa Park residents who remember Felix, this will be one of the more closely watched restaurant openings around the Plaza.
Other Recent Closures and Changes
Not everything happening around Orange involves a grand opening.
The Starbucks near the Orange Plaza has closed, changing another familiar storefront in the Old Towne area.
Baked Banhs, known for its Vietnamese-inspired baked bánh mì sandwiches, has also closed.
What’s New at The Village at Orange
The Village at Orange is still changing with new restaurants and businesses moving into the longtime shopping center at Tustin Street and Meats Avenue.
The changes are part of a larger transformation planned for the property, but residents don’t have to wait for the long-term redevelopment to see something new.
The changes are part of a larger transformation planned for the property, but residents don’t have to wait for the long-term redevelopment to see something new.
Kura Revolving Sushi Bar
Status: Open
Villa Park residents have another nearby option for sushi and Japanese food with the opening of Kura Revolving Sushi Bar at The Village at Orange.
Kura is known for its conveyor-belt-style service, where diners choose sushi and other small plates as they go by on the table. The restaurant also brings technology into the experience, including touch screen ordering for a wider array of dishes.
Location: 1500 E. Village Way, Orange
Mr. Moto Pizza
Status: Open
San Diego-based Mr. Moto Pizza is also joining The Village at Orange.
The pizzeria focuses on New York-style pizza, serving traditional options alongside creative specialty pies. For families already shopping or running errands in the area, it’s an easy addition with pizza available by the slice.
Sourdough & Co.
Status: Open
Sourdough & Co., a new arrival in the Village, specializes in sandwiches served on fresh baked sourdough bread.
Soups and salads are also on the menu, giving the shopping center another fast-casual lunch and dinner option near Villa Park.
CAVA
Status: Open
CAVA has added its Mediterranean-inspired bowls and pitas to The Village’s growing restaurant roster. Another convenient fast-casual choice along the Tustin Street corridor, diners assemble their own meals from greens, grains, proteins, dips, vegetables and sauces.
Tifa Chocolate & Gelato
Status: Coming Soon
Dessert is coming to the Village, as well.
The center will feature a Tifa Chocolate & Gelato outlet with artisan gelato, chocolate and other sweet treats.
The Village at Orange Is Just Beginning to Change
The Village’s new restaurants are taking place in the middle of much larger plans for the aging shopping center.
Orange is processing the Meats to Heim Specific Plan that includes The Village at Orange and nearby properties.
Ultimately, the long-term planning effort could lead to a much wider mix of uses in the area. Meanwhile, new arrivals including Kura Sushi, Mr. Moto Pizza, Sourdough & Co. and CAVA are already giving residents new reasons to visit the center