You know something tastes good, if not great, when the not-easily-wooed LA Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila lovingly gives it a green light—especially in OC. Well, she was smitten with the dishes at Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa. She even said, “For one thing, the menu includes pasta, some of the best in Southern California, plus a fine antipasti and salad menu, and a handful of well-conceived main courses.” Some of the best in SoCal—wow, that’s saying a lot.
So here you go, you can dine and bring the whole family to David Myers’ fabulous Pizzeria Ortica—for Family Style Mondays—$50 feeds three to four people. The special menu features choice of two salads, tricolore with treviso, arugula, endive, apples, Gorgonzola, and candied walnuts, or L’Italo Americana, with radicchio, romaine, endive, grilled zucchini, spicy salame, provolone, pickled peperoncini, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Choice of two fresh pastas, ravioli di burrata al pomodoro, a burrata filled ravioli, fresh tomato, basil; or tagliatelle Bolognese, a hand-cut spinach pasta, with traditional meat sauce, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Choice of six handmade Napoli-style pizzas: marinara (crushed San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, Sicilian oregano); margherita (with crushed San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil); prosciutto di parma e rucola; margherita with parma ham and wild arugula and salame piccante e funghi; margherita with spicy salame, and mixed mushrooms and alla norma, cherry tomatoes, basil, eggplant, smoked mozzarella, and ricotta salata, salsiccia with house-made sausage, caramelized fennel, mascarpone, red onion, and buffalo grana; and lastly, milanesa with Fontina, asparagus, Parmigiano Reggiano, and fried egg.
Choice of gelato for dessert; and you can splurge for $20 select wines available too.
Open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; open for dinner 5:30 to 10 p.m., and 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday.
Pizzeria Ortica is at 650 Anton Boulevard in Costa Mesa. Complimentary two-hour parking with validation is available in the Plaza Tower parking structure. 714.445.4900.
Full Moon Hiking!
Spectacular views under a full moon are all yours Tuesday at sunset if you join Laguna Canyon Foundation naturalists for a moderate, 3.5-mile hike through Laurel and Willow canyons and up to Bommer Ridge. Just bring a flashlight and water, and you’ll be in for a special moonlit night. A donation of $2 per person, and parking costs $3.
Reservations required 949.923.2235.
Meet at the Willow Canyon Staging Area at 20101 Laguna Canyon Rd. just south of El Toro Rd intersection.
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park at 18751 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.
The Latest from greer's oc
An Evening of Musical Masterpieces: Rachmaninoff, Beethoven & More
Experience an extraordinary night of music with the Pacific Symphony! From September 26–28, 2024, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the evening begins with Ticheli’s Shooting Stars, setting the tone with vibrant energy. Next, Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso…
Step into ‘The Gathering’ at Roger’s Gardens Halloween Boutique
The much-anticipated Halloween Boutique at Roger's Gardens is open! Step into the enchanting world of Roger's Gardens, Southern California’s go-to destination for all your seasonal shopping needs. This year's theme, "The Gathering," invites you into a mysterious realm where…
Flora Avocado Farm: A Scenic Venue for Private Events and Photoshoots
Flora Avocado Farm offers a picturesque backdrop for private events, including weddings, corporate gatherings, commercial shoots, and personal photo sessions. Set on 10 scenic acres in the secluded De Luz community of Temecula, the farmhouse is surrounded by ancient…
Support Local Hairstylists Battling Breast Cancer: Enter The Jill Foundation’s Fundraiser Today!
Exciting news from The Jill Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting Orange County hairstylists diagnosed with breast cancer! Now, you can easily contribute to their mission by donating through The Jill Foundation's PayPal. Every $10 donation gets…
Follow Greer on Pinterest
from the blog
- 09.27.24 – An Evening of Musical Masterpieces: Rachmaninoff, Beethoven & More
- 09.26.24 – Step into ‘The Gathering’ at Roger’s Gardens Halloween Boutique
- 09.24.24 – Flora Avocado Farm: A Scenic Venue for Private Events and Photoshoots
- 09.23.24 – Support Local Hairstylists Battling Breast Cancer: Enter The Jill Foundation’s Fundraiser Today!
- 09.23.24 – Market Broiler Celebrates 35th Anniversary with Exclusive Tasting Dinners
- 09.22.24 – Oktoberfest Menu at Bayside: New for 2024
- 09.22.24 – Celebrate National Taco Day at Puesto with Golden Ticket Giveaways and Exclusive Specials!
- 09.18.24 – Transformative Currents: Where Art Meets Ocean Action at Crystal Cove
- 09.18.24 – Empowering People to Change the World at the 4th Annual Mother Earth Market
- 09.17.24 – Frankies Bikinis Warehouse Sale in Tustin
- 09.17.24 – Sweetgreen’s New Fall Harvest Menu
- 09.16.24 – Celebrate LEGO Fest at Sgt. Pepperoni’s on 9/18 Benefitting CHOC!
- 09.16.24 – Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach - Class Pass Promotion
- 09.16.24 – Gutzy Pet: Empowering Animal Lovers, Healing Pets One Gut at a Time
- 09.13.24 – Fleur De Lys Celebrates 20 Years with a Day of Festivities, Freebies, and Fun!
- 09.12.24 – Celebrate Tradition and Innovation at MO.MI.MEI’s Mid-Autumn Festival Pop-Up
- 09.12.24 – Art in the Park to Feature Over 100 Artists
- 09.11.24 – Ike’s Celebrates Smash Mouth’s 25th with Exclusive Sandwiches
- 09.11.24 – What’s It Worth at Laguna Art Museum?
- 09.10.24 – Explore Wellness & Style: Mantra Hot Yoga Open House Event
More Daily Doses
- 09.27.24 – McG Ushers in New Era for The Lido Theater with Restoration and Expanded Entertainment
- 09.24.24 – 2024 Newport Beach Film Festival Honors Nicolas Cage, Colman Domingo, June Squibb and More
- 09.23.24 – Newport Beach Film Festival Kicks Off 25th Anniversary with World Premiere of ‘Old Guy’
- 09.18.24 – Paddle Up Pickleball Tournament to Fight Cancer
- 09.18.24 – ROL Hand Roll Bar Opens Third OC Location in Irvine
- 09.17.24 – All-New IMAX with Laser Now Open at AMC Tustin 14 at The District at Tustin Legacy
- 09.16.24 – Discover Six New Exciting Additions at The District at Tustin Legacy
- 09.16.24 – OCAPICA – An Evening with Tastemakers of Orange County
- 09.13.24 – Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Musco Center
- 09.11.24 – Learn & Grow Family Fair: Free Fun, Live Entertainment, and Activities at The District
- 09.08.24 – Darkroom: OC’s Newest Everyday Fine Dining Destination with a Vinyl Twist
- 09.06.24 – Project Playhouse: Tour, Bid, and Support HomeAid at Irvine Spectrum
- 09.04.24 – 28th Season of The Witte Lectures
- 09.03.24 – Spotlight on Cinema: Orange County Film Society
- 08.29.24 – Georgia’s Restaurant Debuts at Irvine Spectrum, Serving Southern Soul Food
- 08.29.24 – 10th Annual Farm to Fork App-Off: A Culinary Showdown with MaxLove Project
- 08.27.24 – Pacific Wine & Food Classic Returns to Newport Dunes
- 08.25.24 – Irvine Barclay Theatre Launches 2024-25 Season with World-Class Performances
- 08.23.24 – Celebrate Labor Day Weekend at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort
- 08.22.24 – New Stores, New Styles: Don’t Miss This Exclusive Shopping Event!