Knife Pleat Orange County

Knife Pleat sits on the third floor of the 3333 Bristol Street complex in Costa Mesa. It is a five-minute walk from The Westin South Coast Plaza, placing it within reach of the district’s primary retail and performance venues. The restaurant holds a Michelin star and maintains the number 19 spot on the L.A. Times 101 Best Restaurants list.

The kitchen leans into classic and creative French techniques, though the room runs noticeably more formal than the surrounding shopping center environment. While the neighboring dining options in Costa Mesa focus on high-volume foot traffic, this space offers a quiet precision that feels removed from the nearby South Coast Plaza crowds. It is a more restrained experience than the typical Orange County outing, and that stillness is exactly why it warrants a trip.