The Dutchess

This is hands down the best food I've had in all of Ventura County, and I've lived here on and off for 19 years.

Burmese is one of my favorite cuisines, and their execution was basically flawless for both the Burmese and other French tradition foods.

We got dinner--the crispy rice salad, naan, fish tikka masala, and the falooda dessert.

We were so impressed we came back the next morning, where we got 6+ pastries, as well as the waffles and Burmese fried chicken sandwich.

ALL WERE SUPERB.

I can't wait to go back here again.

The only caveat is that everyone else knows how good it is, so you have to wait in line 💁🏾‍♂

My wife and I came here the other night for our anniversary dinner. We called ahead and had a reservation so that we could easily walk in and grab a seat. You immediately walk into the bar and it was a little loud for me there. We were taken towards the back where there was a quiet room where we were able to have a dinner together.
We started off with the fried potatoes, and those were super good. In hindsight, though, I don’t think we needed them as a part of our meal. Next we got the crispy rice salad, and the dish was significantly larger than I thought it was gonna be.
For our entrées, we ordered the pork belly noodles and the beef masala. Both of those were excellent.
Finally for dessert, we ordered this pie that was like an ice cream pie with passionfruit topping and then we ordered some other tart dish. I would suggest going with the passionfruit pie for sure, and I would also look at the float that they had that’s made with pistachio milk.
Overall this place was phenomenal. Our service was amazing. The location was clean, the staff was friendly, and the portions were larger than I thought for the price.

We went to The Dutchess for both lunch and dinner. The transformation is quite astounding. At lunch it is counter service with delivery to your table. We really enjoyed the Burmese fried chicken sandwich but found the pastrami in the pastrami sandwich kind of tough. They stop serving at 2pm and convert to a full service Burmese inspired restaurant. We ordered almost the entire menu and found the flavors to be quite complex and utterly delicious. Our favorites were the crispy rice salad, the goat (very much recommended) and the tandoori chicken. Really everything was delicious and the service was quite gracious and on pace. While in Ojai, a visit to The Dutchess is a must.

Beautiful spot! Head to the very back for a private bar area with more seating plus a pool table. Drinks we're great! Kudos to Adrian who crafted all our drinks and even experimented with a few that turned out amazing! Food was yummy! The potatoes and their dipping sauce were our favorite! A must stop while in Ojai!

Since it was my first time visiting in California, my partner convinced me to go here telling me it was the best place on Earth: well, he was right!!
The baked goods are homemade and absolutely delicious. This bakery gets busy QUICK, at about 9 AM in the morning! So if you are wanting a quick coffee or baked goods moment before work or wherever you are headed, I would come before 9 AM. (It gets busy for a reason!)
We sat outside at one of the coffee tables and had a great view of Ojai. We were waited efficiently by our waitress and the service was top-notch.

This was an excellent dining experience. The food was good, the service was excellent and friendly, and the atmosphere and ambiance was stellar. It was a very laid back palace that also happens to host private events. They also have a bakery with bread that looks delicious, but I didn't try it so I can't say. The desert I got was phenomenal, it truly was an experience to savor every bit in my mouth. The Naan bread was mouth watering was well. I recommend this place for anyone stopping by Ojai!

Absolutely delicious dinner!! Every dish was carefully crafted with fresh ingredients and layers of herbs and spices. So unique and flavorful!! The restaurant is lovely and the service was friendly and attentive. Great atmosphere and decor. We’ll definitely be back.
Crispy potatoes
Fresh naan
Tomato salad
Curried chickpeas
Tandoori Chicken
We happened to stop in earlier in the day for coffee and I took some photos of the interior then.

This place is a must go. Very friendly service, cautious with food allergies + open a bit later than other places (kitchen closes at 9:15pm).
But the most important part : it's a true delish. Savory, tasty, creative and delightful. Do not miss this place !
We went for dinner and had the tea leaf salad, coconut chickpea curry, a naan and a mango lime pie to share with my partner. Everything was amazing.
The next morning we had a croissant and chocolate cookie (with sea salt 😋), it was so yummy and being French I can attest the croissant was a really good one.

NB : you'll notice on the pics that the food is already half eaten... it was so beautiful and good that we rushed on it and totally forgot to take pictures before 🤦🏻‍♀

If you're on the hunt for an unforgettable dining experience in Ojai, look no further than The Duchess. Nestled in the heart of this charming town, The Duchess promises a culinary adventure that will leave your taste buds singing with delight. My recent visit to this restaurant was nothing short of extraordinary.

The ambiance at The Duchess is both warm and inviting, making it the perfect setting for an evening of gastronomic exploration. The decor exudes a subtle blend of elegance and comfort, setting the stage for an exceptional dining experience. But it's the food that truly steals the show.

Our meal commenced with the naan, a classic favorite that never disappoints. The naan at The Duchess was warm, pillowy, and perfectly cooked. It served as an excellent canvas for the array of delectable flavors to follow.
Next up were the chickpea fritters, a crispy delight that had just the right amount of spice. The fritters were expertly prepared, boasting a crunchy exterior and a tender, flavorful interior. They were served with a mouthwatering dipping sauce that added an extra layer of complexity to each bite.
The crispy potatoes were a revelation. Golden and crispy on the outside, yet soft and creamy on the inside, they were seasoned to perfection. A sprinkling of herbs elevated their flavor profile, making them utterly irresistible.
And then there was the tandoori chicken, a dish that showcased The Duchess's mastery of Indian cuisine. The chicken was succulent and bursting with the smoky, aromatic flavors of the tandoor. Each bite was a revelation, and I found myself savoring every morsel. The naan, chickpea fritters, crispy potatoes, and tandoori chicken were all exceptional, and I can't wait to return to explore more of their menu. If you're in Ojai and in search of a memorable dining experience, make a reservation at The Duchess—you won't be disappointed.

The atmosphere was lovely including fabulous paintings, the service was flawless and the food was amazing: fresh, creative, excellently prepared and beautifully presented. Wish I lived closer and could become a regular.

Love that the restaurant has a 3% Health fee to assure that all employees have health coverage!

Incredible. Can't be better about every part of the experience. The food was excellent, the service was outstanding (all the people who work there are too sweet!) My mum is a vegetarian and was not a single uncomfortable point to choose the food for herself. Highly highly recommended and don't forget to have a dessert. It is worthy!!!

Beautiful restaurant with lovely food offerings. I specifically came here for the coconut creme brulee (non-dairy). It was delicious and elegantly presented. I will return on my next visit to Ojai!

Pastries and coffee are excellent! Not "cheap" but what you can pay for good quality these days. I couldn't believe how packed the place was, all morning (over 2 hours), on a Friday. The service to order is quite slow due to how many people, but the staff are very friendly. LOVED that the lady taking the coffee order for drip coffee was clear there was "free refills, just ask". Nice touch to avoid an awkward situation. Would definitely recommend The Dutchess for a pastry & breakfast, just beware finding a good table may be hard and you may wait a little while, but it's worth it.

One of the top 5 meals I've had in my life. We ordered the crudite plate, which I honestly thought it would be boring, but they even elevated raw, crisp vegetables with creamy yogurt and chili paste. We followed that with the tea leaf salad, lamb biriyani, roasted squash curry, and the chocolate tart for dessert. Every flavour was well rounded, balanced but an explosion in your mouth. The staff was delightful (the waitress even brought the chef to the table so I could compliment him personally). The best part was that even though we kept eating even after reaching satiety, by the time we got home, we weren't overfull. I think the spices they use are digestifs, and even help reinforce the experience. If I come back to this part of the world, I'll definitely be back!

Burmese Chicken Sandwich was great. The quality of the baked good is superb.

The dinner we had here a few years back was really good, and we had really nice service. However, what I come back for every day when I visit Ojai now are the morning pastries and coffee. Everything is so good and the service is nice and casual. I have had so many delightful pastries here! Chocolate croissant, ham and cheese croissant, passion fruit danish, cinnamon roll, cheddar scone are all favorites.

A new sensational restraunt in Ojai. Every single detail of the decor, menu and wine list has been meticulously considered with an exceptional standard of quality. I stopped in last Friday for baked goods for the office and was blown away with the excellent service and delicious bakery goods.
Dinner tonight was incredible. I had the "kiss me" cocktail and would highly recommend it. The tandoori chicken was also scrumptious. Our server Kimmy... wonderful! She was exactly the right amount of timely service, friendly conversation but let us enjoy our dinner and privacy as well....a true professional. Will be back for sure!

Some of the best food I've had. Made with a lot of love. We ordered a little bit of everything (pastries, entrees, coffee). I got the Burmese-styled fried chicken sandwich. It was a culinary masterpiece. It was a toasted bun that tasted like it was baked in the back by an artisanal baker, and it probably was. There was a lemongrass flavor to the fried chicken that worked really well with the Asian-styled coleslaw and even down to the sesame seeds on top of the bread, which eaten all together were like the sesame seeds you would get atop sushi rice or a cucumber salad. I was thoroughly impressed.

My wife got a vegan chickpea, white rice bowl with cilantro and I wish I could remember the menu name because it was so light and refreshing. It tasted like a kiss on a spring morning. So good.

Then we got coffee and fresh baked sweets. A matcha shortbread cookie with cacao nibs on top, a coconut macaroon, and a vegan pomegranate cake. The espresso shot was well-poured and each dessert was to die for.

Beautiful setting and interior design! Friendly service and amazing food. Hard to find a downside other than they are located way out in Ojai and I can't go more often.

The best goat (in masala form) I’ve ever had in my life!!! Our waitress Melina was so kind and patient with us and offered amazing recommendations. We got the tea leaf salad, chickpea fritters, goat masala special, and passionfruit lassi pie for the two of us and were STUFFED by the end of the meal. I left feeling very inspired and would love to be back to try everything else on the menu. Thank you for a beautiful dinner!!!!

Dinner at The Dutchess was the best meal we had in Ojai all weekend. The naan, crispy rice salad, and tandoori chicken were standouts. Dinner was so good that I returned the next morning to try pastries and the ham & cheese croissant was to die for. I was such a fan that I bought a hat from their merch corner.