Irvine is a modern city focused on technology and education rather than agriculture, but as the name Orange County suggests, this area was once home to vast orange orchards. Until the mid-20th century, citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, avocados) were cultivated on a large scale in the Irvine Ranch area.

The Irvine Ranch, the predecessor of The Irvine Company, was an agricultural enterprise that occupied a significant portion of Orange County, and today, the Irvine Ranch Water District continues to carry on that history. Although most orchards have disappeared due to housing development, the Farm + Food Lab in Great Park offers a space to experience urban agriculture and local food culture.

In modern Irvine, what can be called 'local specialties' are closer to culture and innovation than food. Startups and research achievements originating from UCI represent Irvine's notable 'intellectual specialties,' with technologies like heart valve innovations from Edwards Lifesciences and semiconductor technologies from Broadcom being born in Irvine. Irvine can be considered a global hub for innovative technology, with the city itself being a 'high-tech specialty area.'

In terms of food culture, the local specialty of Irvine is the bubble tea culture. Due to the influence of Taiwanese, Chinese, and Korean communities, bubble tea shops are densely packed in Irvine, with a thriving Asian café culture centered around bubble tea, featuring chains like Gong Cha, Tiger Sugar, Ding Tea, and ShareTea, as well as independent cafes. There are enough diverse shops near the UCI campus and around the Irvine Spectrum to embark on a bubble tea tour.

Among the local foods that Irvine residents enjoy most is the unique fusion Asian food culture of Orange County. Various Asian cuisines, including Korean BBQ, Japanese ramen, Vietnamese pho, Malaysian dishes, Thai food, and dim sum, make up Irvine's dining culture. Korean restaurants and Asian fusion restaurants in the Irvine Spectrum Center and nearby strip malls showcase the city's multicultural food scene. Additionally, the Great Park Farmers Market features seasonal fruits and vegetables, homemade jams, artisan bread, honey, and other locally produced foods sourced directly from Orange County farms.