Newport Beach Film Festival returns October 15 – 22, 2026, pairing world-class cinema with Orange County’s vibrant culinary scene. Opening night at Fashion Island kicks off an eight-day celebration featuring signature bites from top local restaurants. Coinciding with STYLEWEEKOC® (October 14 – 18, 2026), the festival brings Academy voters, filmmakers, and culture lovers together for coastal luxury, fashion, and dining. Festival co-founder Todd Quartararo shares his insider guide on where to dine, what to order, and how the festival supports local arts education.
MEET THE MINDS SHAPING ORANGE COUNTY’S CULTURAL & CULINARY SCENE
The 27th annual Newport Beach Film Festival has blossomed into an international phenomenon, spanning two original PBS shows, a BAFTA event in the UK, and the summer Newport Beach TV Festival.
“We have the largest grouping of Academy voters outside of L.A. and New York, living right here in Orange County,” said Newport Beach Film Festival co-founder Todd Quartararo. “So a lot of the studios recognize the importance of stopping in Orange County. We’re also the largest festival in L.A., Orange and San Diego Counties. Now all the A-listers are coming to Newport. We also have a very affluent demographic that comes to the festival and stays overnight, shops, dines. So it’s pretty impactful for our community and I love that.”
During NBFF and STYLEWEEKOC, everyone asks Todd Quartararo, where are the best places to eat? We caught up with the festival’s co-founder between films, and he shared his favorite restaurants, what to order, and what he looks forward to every year.
Why is food such a big part of the Newport Beach Film Festival?
“Greg, my partner, and I thought, let’s build this festival how we would like it. The culinary and the fashion, and the film, all go together, which makes this more of a luxury lifestyle event than just a film festival.”
Tell us about Opening Night.
“Fashion Island has been a long partner of ours, and we absolutely adore them. (The event grew so large over the years that finding the right space was challenging.) We wouldn’t fit into a ballroom. Now, our opening night party, which is also a fundraiser, has about two dozen top area restaurants serving signature bites. [Participating center restaurants include CUCINA enoteca, True Food Kitchen, Sushi Roku, Red O Taste of Mexico, JOEY Newport Beach, Great Maple, and Levain Bakery.] We are a 501c3 nonprofit and operate on individual giving, sponsorship and ticket sales, and that’s it. We are also one of the largest culinary events in the area with over 65 restaurants, hotels, and resorts that participate as culinary partners. So it’s pretty spectacular how much goes on over the eight days.”
Todd’s List: Restaurants to Enjoy During STYLEWEEKOC & NBFF
OCEAN 48
“Everything at Ocean 48 is amazing. I always get a steak and they prepare it to perfection. Their crème brûlée corn is insane! And, I’m not a mac n cheese fan but their shells and cheese (with 9 month aged sharp white cheddar and garlic breadcrumbs) is incredible.”
Location: Fashion Island, 151 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660
Learn More: ocean48.com
JOEY NEWPORT BEACH
“I always order their hummus appetizer and the little lettuce wraps with chicken. We are fortunate that we get to take a lot of lunches for work with sponsors, and this is a favorite spot.”
Location: Fashion Island, 453 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660
Learn More: joeyrestaurants.com
RH OCEAN GRILL
“We just had a work meeting there and you can’t beat the atmosphere and the view. We were there on a Thursday night. There was a slight breeze and so everything was crystal clear. You could see all the way out. It was pretty remarkable. I love their Chinese Chicken Salad.”
Location: Fashion Island, 1101 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660
Learn More: rh.com
MARCHE MODERNE
“It’s a mainstay. I love that restaurant and the chefs who own it. They always do a wonderful job with everything there and I’m just thrilled to have them at Crystal Cove Shopping Center.”
Read about Marche Moderne’s Hotel Crillon Paris Riz au Lai, or “Elevated Rice Pudding” here on The Dish!
Location: Crystal Cove Shopping Center, 7862 East Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, CA 92657
Learn More: marchemoderne.net
A CRYSTAL COVE
“A is next door to Marché Moderne and it’s just great too! It’s a McG restaurant and he’s always been so supportive of the [Newport Beach Film] Festival. I always order the braised short ribs.”
Location: Crystal Cove Shopping Center, 7865 East Coast Hwy., Newport Beach, CA 92657
Learn More: riverjettyrg.com
Speaking of fundraisers, can you share more about NBFF’s community outreach?
“We’re committed to the community as a whole through education. We have over 50 community partners. Whether its other arts organizations like the Philharmonic Society or Pacific Chorale, we work with organizations that help underserved kids. [The Newport Beach Film Festival assists other community partners like UC Irvine for student film showcases and media education initiatives to Sage Hill School’s Cinema Sage Hill screening series, and more.] For these kids that maybe don’t have access, we give them the opportunity to come to the film festival, walk the red carpet, and meet some of their favorite celebrities. That experience for them is really important to us.”
“We believe in the philosophy that a rising tide raises all boats. So with all of our arts partners, we’d love to collaborate with them.”
“Last year, our opening night film had a lot to do with music. We partnered with Pacific Chorale, and we had the whole chorale come and surround the audience and do a full a cappella performance. It was really fun. It also put a spotlight on them to an audience that they might not normally have access to. There’s a Grammy Award-winning chorale performing – that is incredible! It’s so much more than just a film. That’s why we view ourselves as a luxury lifestyle film festival with culinary and fashion, and arts partners.”
What’s your favorite part of the festival?
“It’s seeing the kids light up. Last year, we showed the live action Lilo and Stitch, and the little girl who was the lead in the film took pictures with all the kids on the red carpet. That was so special.”
What’s one thing that people still don’t know about the festival?
“The general public can go to our film festival. It’s open to everyone. We want to give everyone an opportunity to have these experiences and we try to keep it accessible.”
Visit newportbeachfilmfest.com for the full line-up of events and tickets.
*This interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
**We are committed to making StyleWeekOC events accessible to everyone. If you require accessibility accommodations please contact us at (949) 720-5133 to make your request. To allow sufficient time for arrangement and implementation, all accommodation requests must be received at least one week (7 calendar days) in advance of the event. Requests received after this deadline will be addressed on a case-by-case basis, however, fulfillment cannot be guaranteed.
