Travel Santa Ana Launches Two Flavorful Adventures: The Michelada Guide and Culinary Passport

Food and Drinks

Travel Santa Ana, the official Destination Marketing Organization for Santa Ana, CA, is introducing two new programs to spotlight the extraordinary and ever-growing dining scene in one of Orange County’s most authentic culinary communities: the Michelada Guide and Culinary Passport.

“Our Michelada Guide and Culinary Passport are an ode to Santa Ana’s rich history and mixing pot of cultures that has shaped our city into the remarkable destination it is today,” shared Wendy Haase-Roberts, president and CEO of Travel Santa Ana. “With so much to explore, these experiences invite guests to linger longer, whether by planning multiple visits or turning a day trip into a staycation with an overnight stay to fully immerse themselves in all that our city has to offer.”

The curated Michelada Guide celebrates the iconic Mexican cocktail at 20+ of the city’s most beloved restaurants and bars. Now widely enjoyed for its tangy, savory flavor, the michelada is often credited to Michel Ésper, who in the 1960s began ordering his beer with lime, salt and ice from Club Deportivo Potosino in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Other patrons soon followed suit and began requesting “Michel’s lemonade,” which was eventually shortened to “michelada.”

From classic lime-and-salt builds to housemade mix creations and mocktails, Santa Ana’s michelada scene is unlike anything else in Southern California. Head to Mission Bar or Santa Ana River Brewing Company for a vegan michelada, order a michelada flight at Café Cultura or visit Alta Baja Market for a non-alcoholic michelada so flavorful you won’t miss the alcohol.

Also launching this spring is Travel Santa Ana’s Culinary Passport, a map to 40 innovative and traditional culinary experiences throughout the city. Santa Ana is home to incredible locally owned restaurants and a diverse food culture that spans regions across the globe, including Japanese hot pot at Kaizen Shabu, Filipino fare from Lutong Pinoy OC and Argentine-Uruguyan cuisine at Puerto Madero.

The Culinary Passport showcases both new and historical Santa Ana restaurants. Standouts include Benjies NY Deli, which was purchased by longtime waitress Chanele Halkett in 2025, and has been a staple in the community since it opened its doors in 1967, serving high-quality deli classics like Matza Ball soup and Reuben sandwiches, and Antonello Ristorante, where Chef

Salvatore Ferrara has been serving traditional Italian cuisine for the past 21 years.

Locals and visitors are invited to participate in the Michelada Guide on Instagram by tagging @TravelSantaAna and using #MicheladaManiaSA. Social media participants will receive an exclusive Travel Santa Ana Michelada Guide enamel pin (while supplies last). Every quarter, one lucky winner will receive a $50 gift card to 4th Street Market, where they can savor micheladas and fresh local food.

Diners are invited to participate in the Culinary Passport by tagging @TravelSantaAna and using #CulinaryPassportSA. Every quarter, one lucky winner will receive a $50 gift card to 4th Street Market.

Michelada Guide participants:

  • Alta Baja Market

  • Amor y Tequila

  • Café Cultura

  • Cali Licious Crab and Brews

  • Cerveza Cito Brewery

  • Chapter One: The Modern Local

  • Costa Azul (both Santa Ana locations)

  • El Barco Mexican Cantina

  • El Centenario Grill & Seafood

  • El Indio Botanas y Cerveza

  • El Rincón Mexicano

  • Hammer Burger

  • Lola Gaspar

  • Mission Bar

  • Native Son

  • Perla Mexican Cuisine

  • Rosa Madera Sabores De México

  • Santa Ana River Brewing Company

  • Super Antojitos Express

  • Tacos Madre Kitchen & Cantina

  • Vault Bar & Grill

Culinary Passport participants:

  • Alta Baja Market

  • Antonello Ristorante

  • Bandito Taqueria

  • Bari Pasta & Pizza

  • Benchmark

  • Benjies NY Deli

  • Casa Oaxaca Restaurant

  • Chiva Torta

  • Crave

  • El Barco Mexican Cantina

  • El Cabrito

  • El Yaqui Tacos y Mariscos

  • Faka’s Island Grill

  • I Can Barbecue Korean Grill

  • Jugos Vallarta

  • Kaizen Shabu

  • La Chiquita Restaurant

  • La Super Birria

  • Lola Gaspar

  • Lunch Bang

  • Lutong Pinoy OC

  • MasalaCraft

  • Native Son

  • Navarro’s Taquería

  • Nguyen’s Kitchen

  • Nikis Halal Grill & Karahi

  • Omakase by Gino

  • Perla Mexican Cuisine

  • Ponzu Japanese Sushi Bar

  • Puerto Madero

  • Royal Khyber

  • Sal’s Tacos a la Mexicana

  • Sonder

  • Tacompadre

  • Tacos TJ Style

  • Tacos Y Birria El Guero

  • Taquería El Zamorano

  • Tito’s La Especial #2

  • Tortas Ahogadas La Guera

  • Tuk Tuk Thai Street Food

For more information, travel tips and hidden gems, visit travelsantaana.com and follow @TravelSantaAna.

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