The story
Olivella, at 905 Country Club Road in Ojai, California, earned a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating in 2026. Its American kitchen leans Italian, with a California accent.
Chef Andrew Foskey prepares Italian cuisine with California flair. Sustainably farmed TransparentSea Farm king prawns come with prawn butter, fennel, prosciutto and cherry peppers. Channel Islands swordfish is paired with endive, sea bean, caper and white wine sauce. The rigatoni Bolognese follows a century-old recipe and has been on the menu since the restaurant opened.
Ojai olive oil cake arrives with candied fennel, olive oil curd, pistachio, basil meringue and Greek yogurt sorbet. The almond and cherry semifreddo is another option, or you can choose from a changing list of California and Italian cheeses. The wine list centers on California, with some Italian bottles, and sommeliers can guide pairings or a four-course wine-pairing dinner. Olivella also received a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2006. On the cocktail list, A Clockwork Orange combines gin, Campari, vermouth, basil and balsamic.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Chef Andrew Foskey has created a unique dining experience by preparing Italian cuisine with California flair.Some signature dishes you may find on the menu include the sustainably farmed TransparentSea Farm king prawns with prawn butter, fennel, prosciutto and cherry peppers; Channel Islands swordfish with endive, sea bean, caper and white wine sauce; and rigatoni Bolognese, a century-old recipe that has been on the menu since the restaurant opened..Desserts are no afterthought, either. Pick from crowd-pleasers like Ojai olive oil cake with candied fennel, olive oil curd, pistachio, basil meringue, and greek yogurt sorbet; the refreshing almond and cherry semifreddo with almond cherry nougatine, pomegranate, luxardo cherries and almond crumble; or an ever-evolving selection of California and Italian cheeses.Olivella’s wine program focuses on the vintages produced in California, although there are some excellent choices from Italy as well. Sommeliers are on hand to help you choose wines to match your meals, and there is a four-course wine-pairing dinner option, too.A well-edited cocktail list includes whimsical-sounding concoctions like A Clockwork Orange (gin, Campari, vermouth, basil, balsamic), and the spirits list is a generous collection of top-shelf whiskeys, tequilas and more.
Location