The Dutchess
Burmese restaurant · Ojai ·
Bakery, café & restaurant with Burmese fare, cocktails & pastries
Bakery, café & restaurant with Burmese fare, cocktails & pastries
"By day, a bakery and cafe with pastries, sandwiches, and Burmese-inspired bites like a Burmese fried chicken sando; by night, a bustling Burmese restaurant led by Chef Saw Naing featuring specialties such as tea leaf salad. Called a “love letter to Ojai,” the operation sources the majority of its ingredients from within 50 miles—produce from Ojai Roots Farm, wine from Ojai Alisal Vineyard—with a focus on farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and winemakers committed to the health of land and water. Only using what’s local and available is described as a hallmark of Burmese food, and that ethos defines the menu here." - Daniel He
"Smack in the center of Ojai, The Dutchess reigns from its perch inside a charming 1920s building. It may be the queen of cool, but prim and proper it's not. Instead, this quirky concept features a bakery/cafe by day and a trendy Burmese restaurant by night. Come hungry, as this heartfelt menu is brimming with snacks, salads, curries and large plates designed for sharing. Begin with a tea leaf salad, piled high with slightly bitter tea leaves balanced by napa cabbage and sungold tomatoes with crispy-crunchy peanuts, fried garlic and shallots. Chickpea tofu is perfectly golden-brown and sided by a sweet and sour tamarind sauce. The contemporary, rustic dishes are bested by the skillfully prepared desserts, like a decadent chocolate-caramel ganache tart." - Michelin Inspector
"Ojai’s dining scene has expanded in recent years, thanks in part to this Rustic Canyon Group-owned restaurant that combines baked goods with chef Saw Naing’s all-day offerings. Drop by in the morning for baker Kelsey Brito’s outstanding pastries and dishes like a croque madame with smoked ham and poached eggs. Come dinnertime, don’t miss Naing’s Burmese-influenced dishes like the show-stopping seasonal fried fish, served with a tea leaf salad, chickpea curry, jasmine rice, lentils, chili paste, and house-made naan." - Eater Staff, Mona Holmes
"If we lived in Ojai, the people working at The Dutchess would probably know our middle name, favorite song, and daily coffee order by heart. This all-day spot from the restaurant group behind Rustic Canyon is that comfortable. Much like every well-styled photo of "a boho cabin in Ojai" on the internet, this place is full of antique wallpaper, sturdy wooden furniture, and coat hooks shaped like ducks. Starting at 7am, they serve breakfast, lunch, and pastries, ranging from croque madames to samosa hand pies. If you stop in for dinner, expect a menu of Burmese-Californian dishes you won’t find anywhere else in town. They have a walk-in bar with a pool table in the back, so even if you can't snag a reservation, you can still drop by for a fun night out." - nikko duren
"Mornings at The Dutchess, one of Ojai’s newcomers, are heavenly. Cappuccinos fly through the space, kids devour chocolate croissants, and dogs pant underneath the sidewalk tables. The restaurant transitions to an Indian-Burmese menu at dinnertime."