Costa Mesa has long been one of Orange County’s strongest destinations for shopping and dining, but one of its newest culinary experiences adds an especially distinctive combination of food, fashion, and luxury. The Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud at South Coast Plaza brings the famous Tiffany & Co. dining experience to Southern California with breakfast, afternoon tea, seasonal dishes, and an elegant setting.
The current café opened in September 2026 alongside Tiffany & Co.’s newly reimagined South Coast Plaza store. Led by acclaimed chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud, it takes inspiration from the Blue Box Café at Tiffany’s New York flagship while incorporating ingredients and influences associated with California.
Whether you are planning a special occasion, spending a day at South Coast Plaza, or simply looking for a distinctive place to eat, here is what to know about the Blue Box Café in Costa Mesa.
What Is the Blue Box Café at South Coast Plaza?
Blue Box Café is located within the Tiffany & Co. experience at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol Street in Costa Mesa. The current restaurant is operated in partnership with chef Daniel Boulud and his Dinex Group.
According to South Coast Plaza, the new café opened on September 8, 2026. It builds on Tiffany’s famous New York dining concept while giving the Costa Mesa location its own Southern California identity.
That distinction is important because the Blue Box Café name has previously had a presence at South Coast Plaza. The 2026 opening represents a newly conceived Daniel Boulud-led version connected with Tiffany & Co.’s extensively redesigned store.
Today, Costa Mesa is home to the only Blue Box Café on the West Coast, making the restaurant more than another place to stop during a shopping trip. It has become a destination in its own right.
What Makes the Costa Mesa Café Different?
The connection with Daniel Boulud is one of the defining features of the new restaurant. The Michelin-starred chef is known internationally for French-inspired cooking, but the Costa Mesa menu does not simply recreate a New York dining experience.
The official Blue Box Café website describes the menu as seasonally driven with French influences. California ingredients and the region’s culinary character play an important role in distinguishing the South Coast Plaza location.
The interior follows a similar approach. Tiffany’s recognizable aesthetic is present, but contemporary architecture, artwork, and design details are intended to reflect Southern California’s coastal character.
For anyone exploring the wider local food scene, our guide to the best restaurants in Costa Mesa offers additional ideas for places to eat around the city.
Can You Really Have Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
Yes. Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of the signature experiences at the Costa Mesa café.
The idea naturally draws on the cultural association between Tiffany & Co. and the classic phrase “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” but here it becomes an actual sit-down dining experience.
Guests can choose from sweet and savory breakfast selections in a polished restaurant setting. Rather than treating breakfast as a quick add-on to shopping, the café presents it as one of its primary experiences.
What to Expect From Breakfast
The menu is subject to seasonal change, which is worth remembering when planning a visit. The restaurant emphasizes fresh ingredients and seasonal cooking rather than maintaining an entirely static selection.
That approach allows the kitchen to combine recognizable breakfast traditions with the lighter California influence that distinguishes this location.
Who might enjoy the breakfast experience?
Breakfast could be particularly appealing for visitors planning a full day at South Coast Plaza. Starting with a reservation at the café leaves plenty of time afterward for shopping, visiting nearby cultural attractions, or continuing into other parts of Costa Mesa.
It can also work as a special-occasion breakfast for birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations, or simply a more memorable alternative to an ordinary weekend brunch.
Afternoon Tea Is Another Signature Experience
Afternoon tea is arguably one of the experiences most closely suited to the Blue Box Café atmosphere. The café offers Tea at Tiffany’s, combining sweet and savory selections in an elegant presentation.
The restaurant also offers a Champagne pairing experience for guests who want to turn afternoon tea into a more elaborate occasion. Current experience details can be checked through the café’s official experiences page.
Because menus and individual offerings can change, checking the current menu before visiting is preferable to planning around one specific dish.
There Is More Than Breakfast and Tea
The café is not limited to its two best-known experiences. An all-day seasonal menu expands the restaurant beyond breakfast and afternoon tea.
Early coverage of the 2026 opening highlighted dishes drawing on seasonal California produce and Mediterranean influences, combined with Boulud’s French culinary background. That makes the restaurant relevant even for diners who are less interested in the themed breakfast or tea experiences.
Desserts and pastries are another part of the concept, including options designed for celebrations.
Celebrating a Special Occasion
The café offers celebration cakes for guests marking birthdays and other occasions. According to the restaurant’s official FAQ, celebration cakes should be ordered at least 48 hours before a reservation to ensure availability.
The restaurant also has options for group dining and private occasions. Anyone planning a larger gathering should contact the restaurant directly because availability and arrangements may differ from a standard table reservation.
Do You Need a Reservation?
Reservations are highly recommended, especially while the café remains one of Costa Mesa’s newest high-profile dining destinations.
The restaurant currently handles reservations exclusively through Resy. According to its FAQ, reservations are released at midnight 31 calendar days in advance.
However, not having a reservation does not necessarily rule out a visit.
The café says it holds some tables for walk-in guests throughout the day. There are also seven bar seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. Availability can naturally vary, so relying on a walk-in is less predictable than reserving ahead.
Where Is Blue Box Café in Costa Mesa?
Blue Box Café is located at:
3333 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
It is inside South Coast Plaza and associated with the newly reimagined Tiffany & Co. store.
The location makes it easy to combine dining with shopping or other activities in this part of Costa Mesa. South Coast Plaza has an extensive restaurant collection as well as luxury and mainstream retailers, while the nearby Segerstrom Center for the Arts adds theater, music, dance, and other cultural programming to the area.
For more ideas beyond South Coast Plaza, see our guide to things to do in Costa Mesa this weekend.
What Are the Blue Box Café Hours?
Current hours published by Tiffany & Co. are:
- Monday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Hours can change for holidays, private events, or other circumstances, so checking directly with the café before making a special trip is recommended.
Dietary Options at Blue Box Café
The restaurant provides several options for diners with different dietary preferences. Its current FAQ states that gluten-free tea service is available along with gluten-free choices from the seasonal à la carte menu.
Vegetarian breakfast and tea service can also be accommodated, and vegetarian à la carte choices are available. The restaurant additionally lists vegan à la carte options.
If you have an allergy or specific dietary requirement, it is still best to discuss it directly with the restaurant rather than assuming a particular dish will meet your needs.
Make Blue Box Café Part of a Costa Mesa Day
One advantage of the café’s location is how easily it can become one part of a larger Costa Mesa itinerary.
You might begin with Breakfast at Tiffany’s, explore South Coast Plaza, and then visit the nearby arts district. Alternatively, an afternoon tea reservation can provide a break between shopping and an evening performance.
The combination reflects something Costa Mesa does particularly well. Within a relatively compact area, visitors can move between major shopping destinations, acclaimed restaurants, visual art, theater, and other cultural attractions.
Allow Time to Explore South Coast Plaza
South Coast Plaza itself is extensive enough to occupy several hours. The center maintains an updated shopping and dining directory, which can be useful when planning what to visit before or after a café reservation.
If food is the main focus of your day, Blue Box Café can also be paired with other Costa Mesa culinary destinations. The city has everything from casual independent eateries to food halls and special-occasion restaurants.
Is Blue Box Café Worth Adding to Your Costa Mesa List?
Blue Box Café stands out because it combines several things Costa Mesa is already known for: destination shopping, ambitious dining, distinctive design, and experiences that can turn an ordinary day out into an occasion.
The Daniel Boulud-led café also gives the experience more culinary substance than novelty alone. Seasonal California ingredients, French influences, breakfast, afternoon tea, all-day dining, and desserts create several different reasons to visit.
For first-time visitors, the biggest practical advice is simple: plan ahead. Check the latest menu and hours, and make a reservation when possible, particularly for a weekend or special occasion.
As Costa Mesa’s restaurant scene continues to evolve in 2026, the new Blue Box Café by Daniel Boulud is one of the city’s most notable additions and another reason to explore the area around South Coast Plaza.
Continue exploring Costa Mesa Guide for more local restaurants, attractions, shopping, events, neighborhoods, and ideas for experiencing Costa Mesa.