15 Most Delish Restaurants in Temecula

03/20/2024 | by Fieldtrip Staff Writer | Temecula

Eat like you’re on vacation during your stay in Temecula. Alongside enjoying all the best things to do in Temecula, exploring the delish restaurants is all part of the experience. Consider this your pass to indulge as you please.

Explore the abundant flavors of the Temecula Valley with farm to table experiences, check out the historic buildings in Old Town that now house contemporary eateries, and adventure to seas far away with international dining options available when you stay at a curated Fieldtrip vacation home.

Guests staying in our vacation rentals in Temecula are just a short drive away from their next meal.

Check out our 15 favorite restaurants in Temecula.

 

1. Cork Fire Kitchen

  • Price: $$
  • Address: 44501 Rainbow Canyon Rd, Temecula, CA
  • Website: corkfirekitchen.com
  • Best for: Farm-to-table cuisine.

Taste the rich flavors sprouting up from right here in Temecula Valley. Wine isn’t the only thing it produces. Cork Fire Kitchen explores the myriad ingredients found throughout the valley and brings them directly to your plate as creative, farm-fresh dishes.

Head Chef Ben Diaz leads the kitchen. His experience with prestigious French culinary techniques from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking is the perfect fit for bringing gastronomic ingenuity to locally sourced ingredients found throughout the valley.

The menu features contemporary American dishes of hearty meats raised nearby, greens from the Chef’s Garden, and, of course, local wine!

 

2. Bluewater Grill

Use the meal kit to dine outside at Edna Terrace
  • Price: $$
  • Address: 26700 Ynez Ct, Temecula, CA
  • Website: bluewatergrill.com
  • Best For: Savory seafood.

Your taste buds will be swimming in flavor while dining at the Bluewater Grill. There’s nothing fishy happening here except for a casual dining experience at one of the best seafood restaurants in Temecula.

Bluewater Grill uses only sustainably sourced seafood and shellfish. Try menu favorites like the Mahi Mahi and Lobster Roll, or keep it classy with a plate of fish and chips.

Order a meal kit or purchase seafood directly from the fish market if you prefer to prepare your own seafood meal at your Temecula vacation rental.

 

3. Public House

Checking out Old Town Temecula is one of our top recommended things to do while you’re in town. While soaking up the historical atmosphere, sit down and soak up the vibes of the closest thing you’ll get to an Old Town pub.

Public House is for more than just dining—it’s to immerse yourself in the entire experience. Share a few laughs with your friendly server and a fun ambiance from live music by local musicians.

The menu is full of delicious pub grub, including burgers and sandwiches. And it wouldn’t be a proper gastropub without an extensive menu of beer, wine, and artisanal craft cocktails to pick from.

 

4. The Gambling Cowboy Chophouse & Saloon

  • Price: $$$
  • Address: 42072 5th St, Temecula, CA
  • Website: ilovethecowboy.com
  • Best for: Top-quality steakhouse.

It’s your lucky day when you get confirmed for dinner reservations at The Gambling Cowboy for dinner. We recommend saving this one for when you’re starving because these hearty meals will instantly put you in a food coma.

This is one of the best restaurants in town for quality meat with prime cuts and Choice Certified Angus Beef selections.

Order filet mignon cooked-to-order with a loaded baked potato or a blackened ribeye with a side of lobster Mac ’n cheese. Even themed dishes like the Cowgirl Kisses, a spicy bacon-wrapped hot pepper. Try it if you dare!

 

5. Carol’s Restaurant

Lunch always tastes better when accompanied by your pet. You didn’t leave them behind for the vacation, so don’t leave them out of the lunchtime fun! Dine on the vineyard terrace at Carol’s Restaurant for Dog Days Sundays.

Located at the Baily Winery & Vineyard, Carol’s Restaurant hosts a special pet-friendly lunch every Sunday. The menu features the perfect lunchtime foods that pair perfectly with Baily wines. Match a burger or sandwich with a Cabernet Franc red wine. Or taste a sweet Riesling white wine with a seafood entree. And yes, pets eat, too! Ask for their special Doggie Menu.

Pro Tip: Dining with a furry friend? Browse our pet-friendly vacation rentals in Temecula.

 

6. Devilicious Eatery

Feeling hangry? Rid yourself of those hunger pains at Devilicious Eatery. Food this good should be a sin! Devilicious Eatery started as an award-winning food truck in San Diego that’s found success as one of the top restaurants in Temecula.

You’ve got a date with the devil, and he’s prepared a menu full of food to die for. This restaurant specializes in gourmet food with a twist.

Taste the unique flavor combination in the Pineapple Chimichurri Steak Wrap, and get a mouthful with the Wawahi Burger. The chefs are always happy to fire up the grill for their signature Devilicious Burger. Wash down your food with a choice of 40+ craft beers from California breweries.

After your meal, head next door to the Apparition Room, a prohibition-era speakeasy hidden behind a wall in the restaurant.

 

7. E.A.T. Marketplace

  • Price: $$
  • Address: 28410 Old Town Front St, Temecula, CA
  • Website: eatmarketplace.com
  • Best for: Healthy eating.

Choose E.A.T. Marketplace for healthy eating in Temecula. This artisanal market includes ready-to-eat meals catering to diners with specific dietary needs.

E.A.T Marketplace is where vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo diets come first. Start your day with the vegan ecoculture breakfast, and stay on track for lunch with a farm veg sammie and mighty greens for all the essential nutrients your body needs for the day.

There are also menu options for meat-eaters, but let’s be honest. The healthy options are tasty enough that everybody will love them!

 

8. Gourmet Italia

After the Sicilian owner of Gourmet Italia relocated to Southern California to chase the American Dream, his ambitions led to the creation of one of the best Italian restaurants in Temecula. Many people hear about Gourmet Italia through the grapevine because with food this good, how can you not talk about it?

This restaurant brings homegrown family recipes from Sicily to the Inland Empire. The secret is starting with fresh, quality ingredients and then letting the magic in the kitchen do the rest. The pasta dishes are a must-try–lobster ravioli, seafood pasta, and squid-ink pasta. Try not to get full on the complimentary bread.

 

9. Pinnacle Restaurant

Dining at Pinnacle Restaurant feels like an impromptu trip to the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean-inspired menu is complemented with views of Mediterranean Cyprus trees and the rolling hills of Temecula Wine Country.

Pinnacle Restaurant is part of the Falkner Winery. Sit on a patio perched on a 1,500-foot hill with panoramic views. Pair an entree with fine wines. The Chicken with Wild Mushroom Risotto goes well with the 2021 Falker Chardonnay or the Beef Stroganoff with a 2020 Falkner Merlot.

Inquire about their VIP Room dining experience.

 

10. Small Barn

  • Price: $$
  • Address: 28535 Old Town Front St, Temecula, CA
  • Website: smallbarn.com
  • Best For: Curated bistro menu.

Small Bar reimagined one of Old Town’s historic buildings into a modern bistro. You’ll barely notice since renovations transformed this into a stylish, contemporary venue with outdoor seating on the patio.

This Old Town eatery is all about simplicity. It’s a straightforward menu with creative contemporary dishes like burgers and chicken. Enjoy a boozy brunch fueled by mimosas.

 

11. The Goat & Vine

  • Price: $$
  • Address: 41923 2nd St #103, Temecula, CA
  • Website: thegoatandvine.com
  • Best for: Crispy, stone-fired pizza.

Bite into the crispy crust of your personalized pizza at The Goat & Vine. Make pizza night a delight with this local favorite named after the famous Goat and The Vine fable—a fitting story for wine country.

Each gourmet pizza is made from scratch before being cooked in a stone-hearth oven. The Goat pizza is a signature pie made with goat cheese. Experiment with the Mexican-inspired flavors with the jalapeño lime carnitas, or go with a classic like the Margherita pizza.

 

12. Trattoria Toscana

  • Price: $$$
  • Address: 1789 Nicole Ln B1, Temecula, CA
  • Website: ttitalian.com
  • Best for: Upscale Italian dining.

Fancy a good dinner? The upscale Trattoria Toscana is an Italian restaurant that will suit your taste. Look around the dining room, and you’ll likely see couples dressed up and not an empty wine glass in the house. Cheers to fine dining.

Chef Pietro brought recipes from his homeland in Sardinia to Temecula to deliver the best of one of the world’s culinary capitals. Everything is made fresh, from the house-made pasta dishes to the wood-fired pizzas.

Each dish is cooked on the spot for freshness. So, relax with a glass of wine and wait for your culinary masterpiece to arrive at the table.

 

13. The Restaurant at Ponte

  • Price: $$$
  • Address: 35053 Rancho California Rd, Temecula, CA
  • Website: pontewinery.com
  • Best for: Al-fresco dining.

Wine and dine surrounded by 300 acres of lush vineyards at The Restaurant at Ponte. It sits on the Ponte Winery with a charming outdoor garden setting for enjoying your meal.

The Restaurant at Ponte was named one of the Best Outdoor Dining Restaurants in America by OpenTable. The adorable vine-hung pergola provides shade on the open-air patio. Kick off your meal with a decadent charcuterie. The main course menu features fresh seafood, salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes.

 

14. Guadalajara Mexican Grill & Cantina

  • Price: $$
  • Address: 27780 Jefferson Ave, Temecula, CA
  • Website: guadalajaramg.com
  • Best for: Authentic Mexican food.

Located just an hour north of San Diego, you can drive to Mexico in less than two hours. For Mexican tastes closer to home, check out the Guadalajara Mexican Grill.

Here’s a Mexican restaurant that entices you to return every day of the week. Stop by for Taco Tuesday and try their famous crispy tacos. Check out the live mariachi band on Fridays and Saturdays. Indulge in the Unlimited Champagne Brunch every Sunday. And the daily happy hour to try the “best margaritas in Temecula.”

 

15. Aiyara Thai Cuisine

  • Price: $$
  • Address: 41533 Margarita Rd STE M102, Temecula, CA
  • Website: aiyarathaitemecula.com
  • Best for: Authentic Thai food.

The head-turning plates will show you why Aiyana Thai Cuisine is one of the favorite Temecula restaurants specializing in Thai food. Things will start to heat up in the dining room with entrees engulfed in flames, fiery soups, and popular dishes with three levels of spiciness.

These traditional Asian dishes from the ‘Land of Smiles’ will leave you grinning after you eat. Try Thai favorites like mango sticky rice, pad Thai, chicken satay skewers, and food served straight from the wok.

 

Book Your Next Foodie Getaway to Temecula

Book your stay at Oaktree Estate

Prefer to dine in after a long day of wine tasting or walk around Old Town? Guests staying in our luxe Temecula vacation homes have access to full kitchens, well-equipped for cooking at home.

Whether dining out or staying in, Temecula will leave your foodie heart full on your next getaway!