By 
Nestled in a valley in the Topatopa mountains, Ojai is the epitome of California living due to its hippie, laid-back atmosphere that has captivated those seeking a slower pace of life. If you’ve never been to Ojai, you should know there are no big corporations. With the exception of one Vons, all the grocery stores are family-owned.
Not only do Ojai residents have the freshest produce available at grocery stores, but also farmer’s markets abound every week. The artsy atmosphere and the calming energy due to the energy vortexes reminds me of Joshua Tree, but in the mountains. I’ll reserve all the cool things to do in Ojai for another post!
From the moment you get off the Interstate, you’ll drive on two-lane roads surrounded by beautiful mountains and family-owned farms with citrus trees and endless miles of other crops. California is the number one agricultural state in the nation, and driving through this area will inadvertently make you aware of this powerful sector. It’s important to know that this agricultural region (the Southcoast region) is only one of the many agricultural regions of the Golden State.
Whenever I go to Ojai, I always gravitate towards one place that’s been around since 1987: Boccali’s Pizza and Pasta. Every time I plan a mini day trip to Ojai, it’s hard for me to pick a different restaurant. The first time I went to Ojai was in the summer of 2020. I was charmed not only by this beautiful town, but by the amazing food.
What I love the most about this restaurant is the peaceful scenery. Ojai’s main street is dotted with businesses, but Boccali’s sits inconspicuously on the far east end, making its secluded location a one-of-a-kind experience.
On the restaurant’s outdoor patio, you’re surrounded by citrus groves and oak trees while you watch the cars passing on the two-lane road with the mountains in the background. It almost feels like you’re in Tuscany or somewhere in the Mediterranean. At the restaurant’s entrance, there are wooden crates of fresh fruit and vegetables for sale, showcasing the area’s rich agriculture.
There are two things that I always order when I’m at Boccali’s: the meat lasagna and of course, the strawberry shortcake. The latter comes with a delicious shortcake, covered by a handful of fresh strawberries and topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
Because the strawberry shortcake is so big and substantial, unless you go with someone, I don’t recommend ordering too much for your main course. If you go solo, ask for an extra plate to scoop out all the whipped cream and eat the strawberries with the shortcake underneath. Unfortunately, if you’re not staying nearby and you’re going to be out and about all day, the strawberries will go bad in the car — so eat as many as you can! If you go with someone else, you can ask to split the strawberry shortcake and they’ll bring two plates with smaller portions. 🍓🍓🍓
Shortcake underneath.
Note: This post was written in September. The strawberry shortcake is a seasonal dessert that is available from February to October.
The meat lasagna reminded me of the lasagna my mom used to make when I lived in Spain (except for the cheese on top). She’d go to specialized markets to get the freshest ground beef and tomatoes. It was very simple, but veeery delicious. The lasagna at Boccalis is straight out of the oven still bubbling with melted cheese. They also offer a vegan, spinach and eggplant lasagna, but the meat one is by far their most popular. The combination of the fresh ground beef and their homemade tomato sauce is heaven.
Marde Boc is the manager of Boccali’s. He was nice enough to answer all of my questions!
“The Lasagna and strawberry shortcake are both favorites of customers and staff. Our strawberries are delivered daily. They are sourced from Oxnard, Camarillo, and Santa Maria. Where they come from depends on time of year, weather, and availability.”
“DeWayne Boccali is a farmer so he grows produce for the restaurant. This time of year he is growing tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, hot peppers, basil, zucchini, cucumbers, garlic, and two types of onions.”
Besides the lasagna, I asked if there was another dish he recommended:
“I would recommend the pasta primavera because it is made with lots of our homegrown vegetables. I would also recommend the eggplant Parmesan since the eggplant is from the garden. It is cooked in a casserole dish like the lasagna.”
I heeded Marde’s advice and went back to Ojai two weeks later just to try out this dish. This time, I skipped the strawberry shortcake and ate inside because it was too hot, even though it was an overcast day. In my experience, eating inside paled in comparison to eating outside on the gorgeous patio. If you’re planning on going to Boccali’s, make sure you go on a clear sunny day to amplify your experience!
I took a picture of the pasta primavera but it was overcast and it was dark inside that day, so here’s a better one.
The highlight of the pasta primavera, as Marde said, are the vegetables. It was good, but unless you really really love vegetables, I would skip it. I did get an appreciation for the vegetables as I was eating them, but I felt like the pasta was a little bit overlooked. Although the pasta at Boccali’s is not made in-house, the quality of the homemade sauces and fresh vegetables really make up for it. Here’s a picture of the Carbonara pasta.
“I am glad you were able to enjoy the pasta primavera since most of the vegetables are coming from our garden. Each order is made with freshly cut homegrown vegetables. We make it in house to order.”
Since the strawberry shortcake is seasonal, Boccali’s offers their apple cobbler during the fall and winter months. This is what Marde said:
“Apple cobbler is usually made November-mid February. We start strawberry shortcake for Valentine’s Day. Apple cobbler started with our own homegrown apples (now it is so popular we do have to buy some apples). It has a pie crust bottom, freshly peeled apples, and a crumble on top. Most people opt to add vanilla ice cream. It is served hot so it is a perfect winter dessert.”
On what people can expect from going to Boccali’s: “People can expect generous portions of high-quality flavorful food served in a casual atmosphere. We try to source our ingredients from local vendors when possible.”
If you go to Ojai from LA, I highly recommend taking the route through the I-5 freeway. It’s a more scenic drive than the 101 until you get to Ventura.
After taking the I-5, you’ll drive on the California 150, a two-lane road that will take you to Santa Paula, also known as “the citrus capital of the world”. Fun fact, did you know that the movie Carrie (1976) was filmed there?
Note: Boccali’s has a gorgeous patio, but since the garden is a produce farm they have a VERY strict no-pet policy. So keep that in mind if you’re thinking of bringing a pet with you. In the summertime, people that have pets leave them inside with the car idling while they pick up their orders.
Boccali’s Pizza & Pasta: Website and Instagram
Address 3277 E. Ojai Avenue – Ojai, CA 93023
Hours: Monday and Tuesday 4PM-9PM
Wednesday – Sunday from 11:45AM until 9PM
