"Salazar and Peñaloza's scratch New American kitchen near Newport Beach, strong on duck mole and grilled octopus. Book it for date night."
About Lemon & Thyme
Lemon & Thyme sits at 1907 Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa, a short drive from the Newport Beach harbour, and it has become one of the most-talked-about newer rooms on this stretch of the coast. The chef duo Jackeline Salazar and Miguel Peñaloza run it as a scratch kitchen: everything made in-house, a farm-to-table sourcing habit, and a menu that pulls flavours from Mexico, the Mediterranean and the wider Americas onto one New American carte. It is intimate, chef-driven and built around a tight, seasonal list rather than a sprawling one.
The Kitchen
Salazar and Peñaloza cook with a global accent and a from-scratch rule. The seared duck breast with mole negro is the dish people come back for, a properly built mole against rich duck, and the grilled octopus and the roasted lemon-and-thyme cauliflower show the kitchen's vegetable and seafood side. The spicy rigatoni does the comfort-food work, and brunch on weekends keeps the room busy past noon.
Prices are mid-range for the area and posted plainly: the spicy rigatoni runs about $24, the steak frites about $42, with most mains in between. That puts a chef-driven, made-to-order kitchen at numbers well below the harbour's steak-and-sushi palaces. Read it next to the best seafood restaurants worldwide for the octopus and the catch, and it earns its place as the neighbourhood's serious-cooking option.
The Room
The room is small and personal, the kind where the kitchen plates within sight of the tables. Sound sits at an easy conversational level on weeknights and climbs at weekend brunch, lighting is warm, and the spacing is tight in the way intimate rooms are rather than cramped. Dress is Orange County smart-casual: jeans-and-a-nice-top through to a date-night dress all read correctly. Book a weeknight for the quiet version, and go at dinner rather than brunch if you want the calmer room.
Best for Date Night
Book Lemon & Thyme for date night because the scale works in your favour: a small, warm room, a chef-driven menu you can graze across, and prices that leave the evening relaxed. Share the grilled octopus, order the duck with mole negro, and let the from-scratch cooking carry the conversation. It is minutes from the harbour, so a Newport Beach walk afterward is easy. See the Newport Beach dining guide, the best anniversary restaurants, and Newport Beach's best steakhouses for a bigger night.
Not for
Not for a harbour view or a big-group blowout. Lemon & Thyme is a small inland Costa Mesa room, so large parties and water-view seekers should look to the Newport marina instead.
Frequently Asked
Is Lemon & Thyme worth it?
Yes, for chef-driven cooking at fair prices. Lemon & Thyme is run by chefs Jackeline Salazar and Miguel Peñaloza as a scratch, farm-to-table kitchen near Newport Beach, and dishes like the duck breast with mole negro and the grilled octopus punch above the modest bill. It is a small room rather than a special-event palace, which is exactly why locals rate it for a relaxed, well-cooked dinner.
Where is Lemon & Thyme, and is it in Newport Beach?
Lemon & Thyme is at 1907 Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa, just over the line from Newport Beach and a few minutes from the harbour. It sits inland near 19th and Harbor rather than on the water, so plan a short drive if you are staying by the beach. The location keeps prices and the mood more neighbourhood than resort.
What should I order at Lemon & Thyme?
Order the seared duck breast with mole negro, the dish the kitchen is known for, and start with the grilled octopus or the roasted lemon-and-thyme cauliflower. The spicy rigatoni, around $24, is the comfort pick, and the steak frites at about $42 is the splurge. On weekends the brunch menu is worth a detour if you prefer a daytime table.
What is the dress code at Lemon & Thyme?
Smart-casual. Lemon & Thyme is a relaxed Costa Mesa neighbourhood room, so there is no formal dress code, and you will see everything from jeans and a nice top to a proper date-night dress. The setting is intimate rather than fancy, so aim for put-together rather than dressed-up, and you will be comfortable at dinner or weekend brunch.
Is Lemon & Thyme good for a date night?
Yes. The small, warm room, the chef-driven menu and an easy noise level on weeknights make Lemon & Thyme a strong, low-key date near Newport Beach. Book a weeknight for the quieter version, share the octopus and the duck, and keep a harbour walk in your back pocket for after. See our best first-date restaurants for more nearby options.
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Practical Information
Address1907 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
NeighbourhoodCosta Mesa, minutes from Newport Beach
CuisineNew American · farm-to-table
PriceMains $24–$42
Dress CodeSmart-casual
ReservationOpenTable / phone
RecognitionAmong Costa Mesa's most-talked-about new openings
