With its chic modern aesthetic wine country goes next-level luxe at BOTTAIA. While there’s a seated tasting of five premium estate-grown wines (there are 12 single-varietal wines and eight blends total) and accompanying charcuterie board in the Tasting Rooms, with its vineyard views the pool area might be the real star of the show here. Reserve a chaise lounge or cabine for all-day access to The Pool Café + Bar whose menu covers Italian-inspired small plates and entrées.

Instagram gold Spanish Mission-style architecture, the photogenic Ponte Vineyard Inn also boasts multiple dining options. In addition to the Poolside Bar & Café, Cellar Lounge, and upscale eatery, Bouquet, the property is also home to The Restaurant At Ponte. Open for lunch daily, as well as dinner on Fridays and Saturdays; the menu has a modern Mediterranean-inspired focus: think knock-out plates of pasta, salads, and pizzas made with fresh ingredients, wild-caught, and sustainable seafood, and hormone-free meat. The vineyard and garden setting are hard to beat, and, should the mood (or wine intake) strike, the Four Diamond rated AAA property has 90 guest rooms for an overnight stay.

Specializing in Mediterranean style cuisine this spectacular hilltop restaurant at Falkner Winery is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Helmed by executive chef Jason Barradas, who trained at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in San Francisco, small plates include herb-encrusted Hokkaido scallops and a California shrimp Caprese, while entrées range from a grilled Spanish octopus to seafood Portofino. It’s worth noting that Falkner’s 2018 Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier both make for easy afternoon drinking. 

With its hilltop location and lovely panoramic views, weekend brunch vibes are strong at this charming and farm-to-table focused bistro inside Miramonte Winery. Served every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. dish options range from a steak and eggs Benedict, dubbed Friends with Bennies, and a YOLO Avo toast to the poached egg and corned beef Hash. Sheesh. Lighter fare, including a fruit bowl with yogurt, also features, as do the obligatory bottomless mimosas. 

A well-regarded local fine dining favorite, The Restaurant at Leoness Cellars has been voted number one Winery Restaurant by USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice and Best Restaurant of the Inland Empire for four consecutive years. Led by chef Daragh Matheson, a seasoned professional with over thirty years culinary experience under his belt who has worked in kitchens around the world, from his hometown in Dublin, Ireland to Sydney, Australia, the seasonal menus here have a definitive French focus. Start with oysters and Champagne, followed by the venison and white bean puree and chimichurri; next a lemon sorbet and glass of the 2016 Lana Lisa Late Harvest dessert wine to finish.

Founder/president of Slow Food Temecula Valley, chef and owner Leah Di Bernardo’s chic artisan cafe has been a local mainstay since 2011. Called the “Alice Waters of Riverside County” she sources much of her fare from local and regional farms, including Sage Mountain in Anza – think hueveos rancheros with farm eggs and mighty bowls for breakfast, avocado toast served all day, to rustic soups, sandwiches, and a farmhouse chop for lunch. Open daily from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. the slow-bar coffee station serves everything from pour overs and paleo bullet to French press too – pair with one of EAT’s infamous donuts whose flavors range from pumpkin spice to lavender earl grey.

The jalapeño lime carnitas pizza with slow roasted pork shoulder and secret recipe Mother’s Meatballs with house marinara, are two fan favorites at this Old Town gem. Specializing in elevated comfort fare, salads, and hot sandwiches all breads, doughs, sauces, and dressings are made from scratch daily. Open until 9 p.m. weekdays and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday the drinks list covers seasonal sangrias, bubbles, wines, and assorted beers. There’s a cute outdoor patio but alcohol can only be served in the dining room.

Expect an extensive roster of small-batch mezcals, tequila-infused cocktails and regional Mexican cuisine at this buzzy, upscale cocina. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Espadín’s scratch-made comfort classics range from street tacos and empanadas to chicken mole with fried squash blossoms, and pescado Veracruz with mussels. On Taco Tuesday enjoy $3 street tacos, $3 Tecate cans, and $2 off Cadillac and Mezcal Margaritas.

Expect everything from rustic pasta plates to wood-fired pizzas at this modern Italian in Old Town. With its delicate shavings of Italian cured ham served alongside a generous dollop of whole grain mustard, the san Daniele prosciutto appetizer is a menu standout. During the daily happy hour (4:30 t0 6:30 p.m.) select classic cocktails and wines by the glass – local, New, and Old World varietals all feature in the vault – are just $8 alongside small bites, pizzas, salads, and signature items, plus half a dozen cold-water oysters for $9.

Access to this intimate and handsome bar – complete with spiffily waistcoat clad bartenders – can be found via a discreet passageway in next door’s Devilicious Eatery. Opened in 2017 by father and son team Bob and Kenneth Danko, Temecula Valley’s first speakeasy specializes in Prohibition-style cocktails with a top-notch list that currently offers both classic versions and new takes on storied drinks, including a French 75, Negroni, SideCar and Sazerac. The Campfire Sour made with house whiskey blend and pineapple syrup, and Mai Tai riff Dead Man’s Chest, are consistent bestsellers while launching this month ‘Sunday Rum Days’ will serve as a showcase for all-things tiki from 2 to 6 p.m.

When not being sourced from the Temecula Creek Inn garden or nearby farms, executive sous chef Sterling King (a San Diego Culinary School graduate) forages ingredients locally for dishes across his rustic-American menus. Open for brunch, lunch, and dinner – the bar menu offers a cheese board with local honey, plus smaller versions of the poutine, and carnitas nachos, while standouts from dinner include the burrata with peach and sorrel pistou, a crab salad, and local halibut with chorizo broth. A good selection of local and regional California wines are available on tap or ‘by the stem,’ and there’s a great signature cocktail list too – try the gin-based blackberry bramble.