Owner opens up about new Arches location

After abruptly closing in January, The Arches, a landmark Newport Beach eatery, is moving to a new home on Westcliff Drive.

Longtime owner Dan Marcheano said Friday that he expects the restaurant to be open for business in six to eight weeks at its new location, 1617 Westcliff Drive, No. 121, next to an upscale women’s clothing boutique in Westcliff Plaza. The space was once home to the Ristorante Max Italian.

“I got my butt kicked at the last place, but I’m coming back and coming back with a vengeance,” Marcheano said.

Workers this week were busy putting booths into the new space and hanging Tiffany lamps. The Arches’ ovens are expected to be installed in the next 10 days, Marcheano said.

One perk of moving into the vacated Italian restaurant: There’s a wood-burning pizza oven Marcheano plans to put to good use.

“I’m [expletive] good at making pizza,” Marcheano said.

The new menu will include the traditional steak and seafood for which the restaurant is known, along with the addition of Neapolitan pizzas.

A small yard sign proclaiming The Arches is coming soon is already up in a planter box outside the restaurant’s location. Next to the sign is a small U.S. Marine Corps flag. Marcheano is a former Marine and has frequently used The Arches to raise funds to support the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as local charities.

Marcheano plans to have the Marine Corps Color Guard and band visit The Arches at its grand opening.

The Arches has quite a history. Old Hollywood greats, including Gary Cooper, Shirley Temple and John Wayne, dined there. Bob Hope and Humphrey Bogart also ate there, according to local lore.

Marcheano has owned the restaurant since 1982. After more than 80 years in the same location, he decided to move The Arches to a new spot in Cannery Village in July 2007.

The old Arches building still stands, and is now home to A Restaurant, which is partly owned by film and television producer McG, executive director of “The O.C.” TV show, which was set in Newport Beach.

In October 2007, Marcheano expanded The Arches to a second location a few doors down. He had hoped that Arches on the Water, 2816 Lafayette St., would lure people in with waterfront dining. Boaters could park their yachts at the restaurant and order take out meals.

But the new eatery never caught on, closing in late 2008.

After just two and half years at its Cannery Village location, The Arches closed its doors in January. Marcheano claimed a dispute with the city of Newport Beach over a use permit for the restaurant bar led to the closures, but local officials said at the time that the eatery had a valid permit.