With June coming to an end, it means summer is in full gear. Which means BBQs with friends, day trips to the fair and theme parks, beach days, after work happy hours and more.
Our reporters are back at it again with a round-up of our favorite eats from June. This month’s guide includes ice cream recommendations for when you’re in need of a sweet treat, sandwich spots for dining in or grabbing to go to, Indian food packed with spices, Japanese staples like ramen and sushi, and other nearby bites if you’re looking to try something new.
Also see: The best things we ate at Southern California restaurants in MayHere’s a look from reporters at nearby eateries to try around Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.
Related: See the best things we ate in Southern California in 2024.
Tri-tip chili fries at Seasalt Honky Tonk at the Beach on Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, June 19, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)Tri-tip fries – SeaSalt Honky Tonk, Huntington Beach
While covering Alicia Cox’s SeaSalt Honky Tonk, the “queen of concessions” latest seaside venture on Bolsa Chica State Beach, I simply had to investigate her new partnership with Heritage Barbecue. Daniel and Brenda Castillo’s acclaimed San Juan Capistrano barbecue joint is running a summer-long pop-up at SeaSalt Honky Tonk, featuring a condensed menu. Among their offerings are fries topped with smoked tri-tip, shredded cheddar, pickled jalapenos and onions. The tri-tip was generously portioned and cooked to tender perfection, smoked on-site, of course. However, the true standout, much to my delight, was the exceedingly crisp and well-seasoned fries. Though I’m far from a beach enthusiast, with the sun god and his punishing rays being my lifelong nemesis, this quintessentially Orange County collaboration between Cox and Castillo might just compel me to brave the sands and sun-kissed throngs with SPF 50 and an oversized hat, all for another taste.
— Brock Keeling, Restaurant Reporter
RELATED: OC’s ‘queen of concessions’ brings two new beachfront restaurants to Huntington Beach Eggplant Parm from Ggiata in Studio City, California. (Carolyn Burt, SCNG)Eggplant Parm – Ggiata, Studio City
This bread is some of the best sandwich bread I’ve had in my life, and that’s coming from a Bay Area girl who makes dutch crunch her whole personality when she hears you went to Ike’s. If I can grab your attention for one thing about this sandwich, let it be how good the bread was. Ggiata is a name that might ring a bell if you’ve spent recent downtime scrolling on TikTok. The sandwich shop has gained social media fame thanks to a few viral videos, which made me curious to stop by. I ended up going with the eggplant parm, which was one out of a handful of vegetarian options. After opening the to-go box, all I could say was “wow, this smells so good.” And the first bite lived up to every expectation. My parents raised me on eggplant parmesan. They’re big fans of the one from Buca di Beppo, but that’s a whole other story. The flavors, combined with the texture, made it clear that this is where I’ll take them the next time they’re in town. The cheese, sauce and eggplant all felt perfectly portioned, not only to taste, but so you’re not left with parts of the sandwich awkwardly falling out with each bite.
— Carolyn Burt, Audience Engagement Producer
Daddy Ji’s Achari Chicken Tikka arrives on a sizzling hot plate packed with spice and flavor. (Emily St. Martin)Achari Chicken Tikki – Daddy Ji, Claremont
Daddy Ji, nestled on the west side of Indian Hill in the Claremont Village, is a local favorite. Whether you were planning to grab some Indian street food or not, walking down the block, the spices wafting from the small eatery pull you in, and that’s how my girls and I find ourselves there time after time. Across multiple trips, we haven’t ordered a thing off the menu that we didn’t rave about, but the Achari Chicken Tikki has become a staple dish no matter how much we mix it up from visit to visit. Served on a sizzling hot plate alongside bell peppers and onions, the boneless dark chicken dish is marinated in a blend of spices and light sauce that coats your taste buds like butter. Enjoy alongside some basmati rice or garlic naan, and don’t sleep on the mango lassi to drink.
— Emily St. Martin, Digital Features Editor
Tonkatusu Ramen from Jikan Japanese Restaurant in Ontario. (Mercedes Cannon-Tran/SCNG) USA Roll from Jikan Japanese Restaurant in Ontario. (Mercedes Cannon-Tran/SCNG) Show Caption1 of 2Tonkatusu Ramen from Jikan Japanese Restaurant in Ontario. (Mercedes Cannon-Tran/SCNG) ExpandTonkatsu Ramen, USA Roll and Spider Roll – Jikan Japanese Restaurant, Ontario
As the weather takes a warmer turn, there was one thing I was craving…Ramen. A bit wild, I know, but stay with me as I also wanted sushi. Jikan’s Japanese Restaurant in Ontario had everything I was looking for. I shared a bowl of the very large and delicious tonkatsu ramen, which was enough in itself. I also ordered two rolls: the Spider Roll and the USA Roll, both of which were fresh and had large portions. An unexpected star of my meal, though, was the garlic edamame. It was loaded with fresh garlic, and honestly, I couldn’t get enough. For both price and quality, this is a solid choice for Japanese.
— Mercedes Cannon-Tran, Local Reporter
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