HUNTINGTON BEACH...After almost four decades serving the Newport Beach community, Champagnes Kitchen has officially opened its highly anticipated Huntington Beach location, marking the first expansion for the family-owned restaurant brand since the original Newport Beach restaurant debuted in 1989.
Located in the former iHop space on Main Street and Olive, the new 3,950-square-foot restaurant brings Champagnes Kitchen’s approachable service, elevated comfort food and family-friendly atmosphere to the heart of downtown Huntington Beach. The new location is 1,000 square feet larger than the original Newport Beach restaurant.
The opening follows nearly a year of lease negotiations and approximately four-and-a-half months of intensive construction and renovation work, in partnership with longtime commercial construction team, Slater Builders.
“Ted Slater and I are friends, our kids go to school together, they’re a big part of our community so there was no one else I would have wanted by our side than the incredible team at Slater Builders Construction” said owner, Matt Tobey.
Together, the Tobeys, Slater Builders and Steiner Studios completely reimagined the aging iHop restaurant space, modernizing it from the ground up while preserving the welcoming neighborhood feel Champagnes Kitchen has become known for.
The new location also introduces a powerhouse leadership team with deep roots in Orange County hospitality. Executive Chef Daniel Cherri, formerly of Lounge Group, is heading up the kitchen and leading the back-of-house culinary program. General Manager and Bar Manager Jordan Ramirez joins the team after spending eight years with Playa Mesa, where he developed a strong foundation in hospitality, operations and team leadership.
Daniel and Matt’s relationship actually dates back several years to their time working together at Wild Goose in Costa Mesa, while Jordan and Daniel recently reunited after previously working together through Lounge Group. This opening brings together a collaborative team with strong chemistry both personally and professionally.
“Matt and I would go on runs together and after one of those runs he asked me if I would like to come on board at Champagnes to help flourish his dreams, and begin mine,” says Dan Cherri. He adds “I love the fact that all four of us (with wife owner, Winnona) have fun with it. It makes this adventure so much more enjoyable” Dan adds.
Together, this leadership team aims to establish Champagnes Kitchen Huntington Beach as a welcoming all-day dining destination for locals and visitors alike — serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with an emphasis on quality ingredients, approachable pricing and friendly service.
“Matt, Winnona, Dan and I share the same vision for hospitality. We’re passionate about building something meaningful for this community.” said General Manager Jordan Ramirez, “I truly believe this is the perfect team to lead Champagnes Kitchen Huntington Beach” he adds.
Guests can expect a balanced menu with standout dishes like the Kale Super Food Salad made with kale, quinoa, apples, fennel, dried cranberries, roasted pumpkin seeds, candied almonds, mint, almond cheese and champagne vinaigrette – or a heartier option like the Hot Father Sandwich with griddled mortadella, capicola, salami, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pepperoncini, Italian dressing and mayo served hot on a fresh baguette. Dinner brings dishes like the Southern Fried Chicken with whipped potatoes, garlic green beans and chicken au jus and the Pan Seared Rib Eye with sauteed broccolini, medjool dates, almonds and mint chimichurri.
Guests will want to save room for dessert since Winnona, a CIA graduate pastry chef, puts the same attention to detail in her tarts (lemon and hazelnut chocolate), beignets and fresh cookies (don’t skip on the Salted Toffee) and more.
With a wide variety of gluten-free and vegan options, Champagnes Kitchen Huntington Beach was designed to be an approachable gathering place for everyone — whether guests are stopping in for a family breakfast, a casual lunch, date night cocktails or a quick solo meal by the beach. The ribbon cutting is scheduled for May 22nd at 11:00 AM and after that, hours will be 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday and Friday and Saturday 8 AM - midnight.
Established in 1989, Champagnes Kitchen has been a longtime favorite for locals in Newport Beach. More than four years ago, Matt and Winnona Tobey took over the restaurant with a vision to refresh the brand while keeping the heart of what made it special. Since then, they’ve updated and modernized the menu and continued building on the restaurant’s strong community roots. The opening of Champagnes Kitchen marks the first expansion for the brand in nearly 40 years, bringing the next chapter of Champagnes Kitchen to downtown Huntington Beach.
Champagnes Kitchen –
Huntington Beach Main Street & Olive Avenue
200 Main St. Huntington Beach, CA
Hours: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM daily
Champagnes Kitchen –
Newport Beach
1260 Bison Ave Unit D3,
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Website: www.champagneskitchenoc.com
Instagram: @champagneskitchen_oc
Photos:Champagnes Kitchen