The 15 Best Old Town Temecula Restaurants You'll Love! | Global Munchkins (2024)

Author:Amber Mamian| Updated 10/28/2023

Temecula is our hometown, and I have a lot of love for this place! One of my favorite things is that, even among our 100,000 residents, you can still feel those small-town vibes.The incredible Old Town Temecula Restaurants are a major part of this for me. Many of them are quaint, family-owned, and pour love into their delicious food. Below I will dive into our 15 favorite Old Town Temecula restaurants so that you can experience some of that magic!

15 Best Old Town Temecula Restaurants

When I first moved to Temecula about 15 years ago the most popular restaurants were chain restaurants, and boy was I disappointed. Nowadays along with the winery and brewery rapid expansion, a foodie revolution has emerged! I think you will come to agree as you work your way through this list.

Goat and Vine – My Favorite Restaurant in all of Old Town!

Price Range: $$

This Old Town Temecula restaurant is a frequent stomping ground for our family. We took my husband there with friends for his 40th birthday (you can rent out a small room there) and everything was incredible including the dining experience.

I love this restaurant, they offer delicious salads and pizzas and a great selection of local craft beer. They pride themselves on using the freshest ingredients, and it definitely pays off.

The jalapeno carnitas pizza is a house favorite but I am more of a Thai pizza girl myself.

Located at:

41923 2nd Street #102,

Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951) 695-5600

**Pro Tip –Download the No Wait App to see how long the wait time is for the restaurant and put your name in while you are on the way to the restaurant.

Public House – Best Date Night Spot

Price Range: $$

Public House is what some locals call the O.G. of the foodie restaurants to arrive in Old Town Temecula. They offer an incredible variety of farm-to-table food with their ever-rotating seasonal menus.

Their most popular offer is the Backyard Burger, a grilled 100% Grass-fed ground wagyu beef burger served with grilled onions and a jalapeno dijonaise. They also have a really good fish selection, my husband loves the mac and cheese and also their meatloaf.

*Pro Tip – I highly recommend reservations for Public House. It gets packed on the weekend.

Located at:

41971 Main St Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)491-1772

Havana Kitchen – Best for a Quick Bite

Price Range: $$

If you love Cuban food, this is the spot for you. Havana Kitchen has some incredible authentic Cuban Dishes right here in the Temecula Valley.

Their Ropa Vieja is to die for and the Sal Latte (pictured above) is an incredible drink to enjoy. Also, if you are looking for catering their menu is super affordable and incredibly delicious.

Located at:

41955 5th St Ste 101 Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)699-7300

Small Barn Old Town – A Spot with Ambiance

Price Range: $$

Small Barn is the newest addition to the Old Town Temecula Restaurant scene and it is an absolute delight. Their menu items include an amazing charcuterie board, a delicious barn burger, and the Seared Faroe Island Salmon (which is the best salmon I have ever had…..ever)!

You’ll love the atmosphere of this renovated historic building. Make sure to book a reservation as this place does get quite busy.

Located at:

28535 Old Town Front St.
Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)225-2820

1909– Best for Brunch

Price Range: $$

1909 is a family-owned restaurant in Old Town Temecula that makes all its food from scratch and specializes in craft co*cktails. The menu varies from bison burgers to crab & shrimp empanadas to beef pot pie, however, there’s no wrong choice.

The menu rotates seasonally so there is always something new and delicious on the menu.

My personal favorite is their Sunday brunch which has delicious items on the menu including the 1909 French Toast (pictured above) and the Banana Kahlua French Toast.

I also recently visited for dinner and OH MY GOODNESS- YUMMY!!! I definitely recommend trying one of their hand-crafted co*cktails, and the ceviche should not be missed either.

Located at:

28656 Old Town Front St, Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)619-1909

Devilicious – Best Casual Restaurant

Price Range: $$

You can’t go wrong mixing hometown comforts with modern twists. Their grilled cheese with caramelized red onions on buttered sourdough is one of the best you’ll find.

I also really love their Bahn Mi sandwich, the BBBT sandwich and their short rib melt….(I have been to Devilicious a lot).

They also have a really great craft beer selection and a delicious Sunday brunch, We’re lucky Devilicious settled down from their food truck days across San Diego and opened up an Old Town Temecula restaurant.

Located at:

28693 Old Town Front St, #104,

Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)506-4024

*Pro Tip* –Inside Devilicious is a little speakeasy called the Apparition Room, check it out, It’s pretty awesome.

Espadin – A Fun Lunch Spot

Price Range: $$

Espadin is undoubtedly the best Mexican restaurant in all of Old Town. The chips and salsa are top notch and their Margaritas are fantastic. Check out their shrimp enchiladas a definite must-have item.

The menu is seasonal which I love, so that you know everything is made with fresh ingredients.

Espadin is located at:

28544 Old Town Front St,

Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)216-7311

The Gambling Cowboy – Amazing Wine Selection

Price Range: $$$

The Gambling Cowboy is located right in the heart of Old Town Temecula and offers some amazing views looking over Old Town. They offer a classic steak and seafood menu as well as an impressive wine list from many local wineries in Temecula!

Enjoy the relaxed but romantic ambiance of this Old Town Temecula restaurant! You might also want to check out their amazing brunch menu and start your day off here prior to visiting and enjoying the rest of what Temecula has to offer.

Located at:

42072 5th St,

Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)699-2895

Crush & Brew – Great for Happy Hour

Price Range: $$

Another amazing local favorite in Old Town Temecula is Crush & Brew, located right in the center of Old Town Temecula! This restaurant offers the best of Southern California’s locally-produced beer and wine as well as live music on the weekends!

Make sure you check out their happy hour, which is every Monday through Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Located at:

28544 Front Street

Temecula, CA United States 92590

Call for Reservations: (951)693-4567

Other Notable Old Town Temecula Restaurants Mentions

• Be Good Restaurant & Bar
• Blackbird Tavern
• Garage Brewing Co.
• Luke’s on Front St.
• E.A.T. Marketplace
• Soro’s Mediterranean Grill

Best Restaurants in Temecula (Outside of Old Town Temecula)

There are some other great restaurants to explore outside of old town Temecula. Here is a quick list of some of our favorites

• Cork Fire Kitchen at Temecula Creek Inn
• Gourmet Italia
• Bushfire Kitchen
• Toast
• Spicy Noodle

Map of Old Town Temecula Restaurants

Which Old Town Restaurant is your Favorite? Let us know in the comments or by reaching out on Instagram!

Frequently Asked Questions about Old Town Temecula Restaurants

Pin-it for later: Best Old Town Temecula Restaurants

If you enjoyed reading about Old Town Temecula Restaurants, you might also enjoy:

The Best Hotels in Temecula Wine Country- including hotels near Pechanga

The Hottest New Temecula Wineries You Won’t Want To Miss!

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE BEST BREAKFAST IN TEMECULA