A Newport Beach Landmark Turns 100: From The Arches to A Restaurant

In 2026, A Restaurant will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its iconic location along Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. The milestone marks a century of hospitality, community and history at one of Newport Beach’s most recognizable dining destinations.

For many locals, A Restaurant is more than historic. It is personal. I have been going there since I was a kid, and years later it became the place where Paul and I celebrated our wedding reception. Like so many longtime Newport Beach favorites, it holds decades of memories for the community.

The property first opened in 1926 as The Arches, the same year Coast Highway connected Huntington Beach to Newport Beach. Founded by John Vilelle and James Sturgeon, the roadside diner and service station got its name through a community contest advertised in the Balboa Times. The winning name came from 10 year old Victor Chatten. With its Mediterranean style architecture, arches and red tile roofs, The Arches quickly became a gathering place for locals and travelers and a familiar landmark along the coast.

In 2008, partners Joseph “McG” Nichol and restaurateur Jordan Otterbein of River Jetty Restaurant Group took over the historic property and reintroduced it as A Restaurant, keeping the signature “A” as a nod to its past. The concept evolved into a modern steakhouse while preserving the character and legacy of the original space.

Today, Executive Chef Robert Gomez leads the kitchen with a seasonally inspired menu that highlights premium ingredients and longstanding relationships with local farms and purveyors. The menu focuses on both land and sea, paired with a thoughtfully curated wine list designed to complement each dish.

While the name, ownership and menu have evolved over the decades, the heart of the restaurant has remained the same. A Restaurant continues to be a place where people gather for celebrations, dinners with friends and special occasions.

Giving back has also long been part of the restaurant’s story. Over the years, the restaurant and River Jetty Restaurant Group have supported organizations including the Hoag Hospital Foundation, Newport Beach schools, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through its Bike MS fundraising ride from Orange County to San Diego.

That commitment continues in 2026. River Jetty Restaurant Group will participate in several Hoag related events this year, including sponsorship of the Hoag Classic at Newport Beach Country Club from March 22 through 29, as well as the Hoag Summer Fest at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort in June.

To commemorate the centennial, A Restaurant will celebrate throughout 2026 with special anniversary programming and community events. The official anniversary falls in August 2026.

One hundred years after it first opened, A Restaurant remains a Newport Beach classic. 

For more information, visit ARestaurantNB.com.

The Arches circ. 1926. Photo courtesy of the City of Newport Beach. 

Puesto Introduces “Girl Dinner” Wednesdays

Puesto is giving Wednesdays a new reason to celebrate with the launch of Girl Dinner, a weekly midweek special designed for a fun and relaxed night out.

Available every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to close, Girl Dinner is served on a gold tray and priced at $40 per guest. The chef curated offering includes a Puesto Perfect Margarita, the restaurant’s Baja Fish taco and Filet Mignon taco, along with Puesto Perfect Guacamole and Chips for a well rounded meal.

The Baja Fish taco features wild caught Baja fish served on Puesto’s signature organic, non GMO blue corn tortilla. The Filet Mignon taco highlights tender steak with crispy melted cheese. Freshly made guacamole and house fried chips round out the spread.

The new offering joins Puesto’s lineup of weekly specials and gives guests another reason to gather for a midweek meal. Girl Dinner is available at all Puesto locations. For more information, visit eatpuesto.com.

Puesto recently made another notable move by removing industrial seed oils from its kitchens, becoming the first Mexican restaurant group to operate entirely seed oil free.

Since opening its first Southern California location in 2012, Puesto has focused on ingredient quality, from hand pressed organic, non GMO blue corn tortillas to wild caught Baja fish and wild Mexican shrimp. In 2022, the restaurant introduced an additive free tequila program. Most recently, Puesto eliminated seed oils from its kitchens. Fried menu items are now prepared with Seed Oil Scout approved RSPO certified sustainable palm oil, while non fried items use extra virgin olive oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.

Orange County Locations

Los Olivos Irvine is at 8577 Irvine Center Drive in Irvine. 949.608.9990

Park Place Irvine is at 3311 Michelson Drive in Irvine. 949.608.7272

Anaheim is at 1040 W. Katella Avenue in Anaheim. 714.294.0362

Two Upcoming Workshops at the Environmental Nature Center

The Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach is offering two engaging workshops this month designed to connect the community with food, nature and the local landscape.

Outdoor Cooking with Chef Corso

March 24 | 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Chef Corso, a classically trained chef and host of the Outdoor Eats TV series, will lead a lively cooking workshop focused on preparing great meals outdoors using simple gear and fresh ingredients.

During the demonstration, Corso will cover camp stove basics, smart meal planning and grocery strategies that make outdoor cooking easier and more enjoyable. Guests will watch several trail-tested recipes come together and enjoy tastings along the way.

The workshop is ideal for day hikers, backpackers, RV travelers and car campers looking to improve their outdoor cooking skills.

Corso is the creator of Outdoor Eats, where he teaches people how to prepare memorable meals outside using straightforward techniques and fresh ingredients. Through his television series, cookbooks and workshops across the country, he has helped thousands of outdoor enthusiasts upgrade their trail meals.

Cost is $22.50 for ENC members and $25 for nonmembers. Reservations and more information, here.

Belonging to Place: Why Native Plants Matter with Mike Evans

March 29 | 1 to 2 p.m.

Renowned California native plant horticulturist Mike Evans will open the Environmental Nature Center’s 2026 Native Plant Workshop Series with a thoughtful look at the role native plants play in Southern California landscapes.

Evans, founder of Tree of Life Nursery, will explore how gardening with native plants connects people more deeply to the places where they live. Drawing on more than four decades of horticultural experience, he will discuss how local landscapes function and why working with nature rather than against it leads to healthier and more resilient gardens.

The class also looks at the broader idea of belonging, asking what it means for both plants and people to be rooted in a place shaped by climate, soil and time.

The workshop is presented in partnership with the California Native Horticulture Foundation and reflects a shared commitment to expanding place based ecological education in Orange County.

Reservations and more information, here. 

Environmental Nature Center is at 1601 E. 16th Street, Newport Beach. 949.645.8489