OWNER, IL BARONE
WHY: Noted Italian restaurant Il Barone, opened in 2009 by longtime Antonello Chef Franco Barone and his wife, Donatella, has long been a favorite dining spot for OC’s movers and shakers. Became a go-to power lunch spot and a dinner mecca for those looking for an authentic taste of Italy— specifically, Sicily.
IN THE NEWS: In 2022, family-owned business moved to a new location near airport. New name: Bar One by Il Barone.
QUOTABLE: “The bar is unbelievable,” Donatella Barone said. “When people land at John Wayne Airport, the first thing they do is Google ‘bar.’ We get Uber and Lyft all day long here. But it took us 15 years to build our name. That’s what we are known for. So, we call it Bar One by Il Barone.”
