10 California Restaurants That Perfect The Art Of Fusion Cuisine
California’s food scene is a melting pot of cultures, where chefs blend traditions to create exciting new flavors. Across the Golden State, innovative restaurants are mixing ingredients and techniques from different countries in ways that surprise and delight diners.
These 10 spots showcase the best fusion cuisine California has to offer, from Korean-Mexican tacos to French-Japanese masterpieces.
1. Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion (Anaheim & San Diego Waterfront)
Pacific Rim flavors dance on your palate at this pioneering restaurant chain. Chef Roy Yamaguchi masterfully blends Hawaiian ingredients with European cooking techniques.
The signature butterfish melts in your mouth with its miso glaze, while the pineapple upside-down cake offers a tropical twist on a classic dessert.
While Roy’s once had many California locations, today the corporate roster has narrowed to the Anaheim and San Diego Waterfront spots, with an additional Pebble Beach outpost still operating at The Inn at Spanish Bay.
Each location maintains consistent quality while adding local California touches.
2. Yu-Me (formerly Fusion Sushi, Manhattan Beach)
Beach vibes meet Japanese tradition at this South Bay gem. The chefs transform conventional sushi with distinctly Californian twists that surprise even seasoned sushi enthusiasts.
House-special rolls, such as a popcorn-tempura shrimp maki and an avocado-mango roll drizzled with yuzu honey, surface regularly, though availability can vary.
The outdoor patio offers ocean breezes while you sample creations that feel like pure SoCal indulgence on a plate.
3. Mezé Greek Fusion (San Diego – Gaslamp)
Mediterranean magic meets Southern California flair in this stylish Gaslamp Quarter destination. The expansive, modern space buzzes with energy as servers deliver small plates designed for sharing.
Last summer, I celebrated my birthday here with friends, passing around their lamb gyro tacos and saffron-infused seafood paella. While the paella isn’t a regular menu item, Mezé does incorporate Spanish-Mediterranean flavors in seafood specials.
Their twist on traditional spanakopita, typically made with feta cheese and herbs, exemplifies how they honor Greek classics while pushing culinary boundaries.
4. Blue Magpie (Arcadia, SGV)
Taiwanese cuisine gets an elegant makeover at this San Gabriel Valley newcomer. The sleek interior sets the stage for plates that honor tradition while embracing innovation. The dongpo pork belly arrives with a dramatic tableside presentation, the aromatic sauce poured over crispy skin.
The mala popcorn chicken delivers numbing spice and features fried Chinese crullers for textural contrast, though it is not served with cucumber yogurt. Each dish demonstrates the kitchen’s commitment to elevating familiar flavors through refined technique.
5. La Mar (San Francisco – Embarcadero)
Peruvian flavors meet waterfront views at this Embarcadero hotspot. The vibrant ceviche bar showcases the kitchen’s commitment to pristine seafood and bold citrus.
Their seafood bucatini blends Italian pasta technique with Peruvian spices in a marriage that makes perfect sense after the first bite. The restaurant’s dedication to never-frozen ingredients means flavors pop with remarkable clarity.
Pisco sours provide the perfect accompaniment to the ocean-meets-land menu.
6. Orsa & Winston (Los Angeles – Downtown)
Michelin stars shine brightly at this intimate Downtown LA establishment where Japanese precision meets Italian soul. Chef Josef Centeno weaves culinary traditions together with remarkable subtlety.
I once watched my typically reserved father-in-law close his eyes in bliss while tasting their katsu sando with housemade milk bread. (Note: While this dish was once offered, the restaurant now focuses on a nightly tasting menu.)
Their tasting menu flows like a conversation between cultures, perhaps a delicate chawanmushi followed by risotto enriched with dashi instead of stock. Orsa & Winston currently holds one Michelin star.
7. Camphor (Los Angeles – Arts District)
French technique embraces South Asian spices in this Arts District sensation. The Michelin-recognized kitchen crafts dishes that feel both sophisticated and deeply comforting. Their duck breast arrives perfectly rendered, glazed with tamarind and star anise.
The dining room’s minimalist elegance lets the food take center stage. Each plate demonstrates remarkable restraint, never overwhelming with spice but allowing complex flavor layers to unfold with each bite.
8. Kiln (San Francisco)
Culinary alchemy happens inside this two-Michelin-star temple to preservation techniques. The chefs blend Japanese, French, and Scandinavian approaches with remarkable creativity. Wood smoke perfumes many dishes, from delicate cured fish to hearty root vegetables.
My wife still talks about their fermented plum sorbet that somehow captured summer’s essence in the middle of February. The open kitchen reveals chefs tending to flames, jars of fermenting ingredients lining the shelves.
9. Meski (San Francisco – Lower Nob Hill)
Ethiopian meets Afro-Latin cuisine at Top Chef alum Nelson German’s vibrant eatery. The dining room pulses with energy as colorful plates emerge from the kitchen. Berbere sambusas arrive crispy and fragrant, stuffed with spiced meat that carries hints of both continents.
Their spiced sancocho transforms the Caribbean stew with Ethiopian berbere and injera on the side. The restaurant captures San Francisco’s multicultural spirit through bold, boundary-crossing flavors.
10. Leu Leu (Encinitas – San Diego County)
Coastal breezes complement the border-crossing menu at Top Chef alum Claudette Zepeda’s beachside restaurant. Mediterranean olive oil meets Mexican chiles and Asian umami in dishes that celebrate California’s agricultural bounty.
The Baja yellowtail crudo arrives kissed with lemongrass and a spicy carrot-chiltepin emulsion. Their pibil lamb shank falls from the bone, surrounded by a sauce that combines Mexican spices with Claudette’s global sensibility.
The cocktail program mirrors the kitchen’s approach with unexpected ingredient combinations.