Greer's OC

One of the best new waterfront restaurants to open in Newport Beach, The Lighthouse Café, just introduced a weekend brunch from chef Ryan Sumner, as well as new spring menu items for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and now it’s serving beer, wine and soju cocktails.

The Lighthouse Café is at the new Marina Park on West Balboa Boulevard and it offers delicious, fresh California cuisine with stunning harbor, city and mountain views.

At breakfast, some of the delicious new additions include fluffy banana and pecan buckwheat pancakes with maple syrup and whipped butter; croissant breakfast sandwich with two fresh eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese and served with fries; corned beef hash with potatoes, onions and peppers and served with two eggs.

For lunch, chef Sumner has added barbeque tri tip sandwich on a French roll with onion straws and served with Napa cabbage slaw; house-made black bean burger with lettuce, tomato, special Lighthouse sauce on a whole wheat bun served with arugula salad; and tuna melt sandwich with provolone cheese on toasted sourdough and served with fries.

Highlights from the dinner menu include tender filet mignon with red wine reduction, whipped potatoes and asparagus; Bolognese with house made pappardelle pasta and parmesan; and spinach and mushroom lasagna, béchamel, ricotta, parmesan and gruyere. You need to save room for the light and delicious beignets with an amazing sweet icing.

The new weekend brunch menu offers a tasty breakfast burger featuring an 8-ounce gourmet beef blend, fried egg, cheddar cheese, bacon, avocado and hollandaise. Scratch-made buttermilk biscuits with house made sausage and gravy, warm cinnamon roll with cream cheese icing, vanilla yogurt and house made maple granola parfait.

The Lighthouse Café has a dog friendly outside patio, inside seating, and an upstairs patio that flows around a lighthouse structure. For cool nights, there are heaters and blankets to keep guests warm while they enjoy the sunset views.

Open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

1600 W. Balboa Blvd. 949.933.1001.