Vaca Menu: Costa Mesa's Best Spanish Restaurant Guide (2026)

Vaca serves upscale Spanish cuisine rooted in the tapas and asador traditions of Spain. The menu spans cold and hot tapas (jamón ibérico, gambas al ajillo, croquetas), paella and rice dishes cooked to order, and whole meats from the wood fire (chuletón, Secreto Ibérico, lamb rack). The restaurant also has an extensive Spanish wine and sherry program. The cooking is ingredient-led, anchored in premium Iberian products and classical Spanish technique.

Vaca is helmed by Chef Amar Santana, a James Beard Award winner (Best Chef: California, 2024) and well-known figure in the Orange County dining scene. Santana co-founded Vaca in 2015 with restaurateur Ahmed Labbate. He has appeared on Top Chef and is known for rigorous, classical technique applied to Spanish cuisine. His cooking at Vaca consistently draws national critical attention.

Vaca is famous for two things above all: the Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (acorn-fed Iberian ham, 36-month cured, hand-sliced at the table -- Spain's finest product) and the Chuletón (a 32-ounce Galician-style bone-in ribeye cooked over the wood fire for two). Both are considered essential orders. Among the tapas, the gambas al ajillo and croquetas de jamón are consistently praised. The paella and arroz negro are the choices for a shared main course.

Yes. Vaca's paella and arroces (rice dishes) are a menu highlight. The Paella Valenciana for two is made with free-range chicken, rabbit and saffron-infused bomba rice in the traditional Valencian style. The Arroz Negro (squid-ink black rice with calamari) and Fideuà (toasted pasta with seafood) are further options. All rice dishes are cooked to order and take 25-30 minutes -- plan accordingly.

Jamón ibérico de bellota is the highest grade of Spanish cured ham, made exclusively from free-ranging Iberian black pigs raised in the dehesa (oak woodland pasture) of southwestern Spain. "De bellota" means the pigs were finished on a diet of acorns (bellotas), which gives the fat its unique oleic acid profile and the meat its deep, nutty, complex flavour. The hams are cured for a minimum of 36 months -- premium examples for 48-60 months. It is widely considered the world's finest cured meat, more expensive than Parma or San Daniele by a significant margin. At Vaca it is hand-sliced to order.

Reservations are strongly recommended at Vaca, particularly for dinner and weekend evenings. Vaca is one of Orange County's most acclaimed restaurants and is consistently busy. Book well in advance via vacarestaurant.com or OpenTable. Walk-in bar seating may be available for smaller parties, but do not rely on it for Friday or Saturday dinners without a reservation.