"Andrew Foskey's truffle risotto and a Forbes Five-Star room make Olivella the Ojai Valley Inn table to book for an anniversary."
Olivella is the fine-dining room of the Ojai Valley Inn, set against the Topa Topa mountains above Ojai. Chef Andrew Foskey has led the kitchen since 2018, and under him it has held a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating alongside a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence. It is the most formal table in town, a step up from neighbours like Nocciola.
Foskey cooks California produce through an Italian lens: a four-course prix fixe at $125 that changes with what the valley's ranches and orchards send in. Truffle risotto and a whole roasted branzino are the dishes regulars come back for, with house pastas and a deep cellar behind them. It is the Ojai table for a proposal or a milestone dinner.
The room is warm and low-key for its price, with a garden terrace that catches the evening light. Service is polished without being stiff. For a more relaxed night in town, The Dutchess is the obvious alternative.
A jacket, a four-course menu, and a sunset over the Topa Topas. Book the terrace and build the evening around the wine pairings.
Not for a casual drop-in or kids' night: this is a composed four-course dinner at resort prices, built for a slow, grown-up evening.
Olivella at the Ojai Valley Inn has been led by chef Andrew Foskey since 2018, cooking California produce through an Italian lens.
Olivella is a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant and holds a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence.
Dinner is a four-course prix fixe at $125 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
Truffle risotto and a whole roasted branzino are the dishes regulars return for, alongside house-made pastas and a deep wine list.
At the Ojai Valley Inn, 905 Country Club Road, Ojai, California.
Reservations essential; the dining room keeps limited covers each evening.
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Olivella headlines our occasion-ranked guide to dining in Ojai.
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