8 Best Restaurants in Rancho Santa Fe

When you want someone else to handle the cooking, Rancho Santa Fe has plenty of options to tempt your tastebuds. Whether looking for farm-to-table fare, a special occasion dinner, or a casual bite, you’ll want to learn about the eight best restaurants in Rancho Santa Fe.

If you enjoy the variety of a seasonally rotating menu, Morada will indeed become your favorite among restaurants in Rancho Santa Fe. Having undergone a recent remodel, brunch options include a mighty berry smoothie, Belgian style waffle, lox bagel, and street tacos. The limited lunch menu has included options like truffle fries, avocado chimichurri crostini, and a gourmet burger. The dinner menu includes lobster risotto, beef bourguignon, and oven-roasted branzino.

Snag a Nick & G's Restaurant reservation when planning the perfect special occasion. The restaurant offers live music Tuesday - Thursday evenings, which makes for a fun midweek date night. Start with soft pretzel bites, steamed black mussels, or meatballs. The chicken parmesan, hazelnut-crusted scallops, maple leaf duck breast & leg confit, and the butternut squash risotto are popular for the main dish. End your evening on a sweet note with the butterscotch bread pudding, affogato, or caramel carrot cake.

The Pony Room at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa is popular with resort guests and Rancho Santa Fe residents. Stop by any time of the day for a great meal. You can enjoy options like lemon soufflé pancakes, açai breakfast bowl, and huevos rancheros at breakfast. For lunch, start with the housemade guacamole or the Brandt beef sliders, followed by an entree selection like the spicy crispy chicken sandwich, lobster tacos, or turkey club sandwich. At dinner, choices include lobster nachos, bacon-wrapped dates, chicken enchiladas, and miso-crusted sea bass.

When you are ready to indulge in happy hour with colleagues or friends, head to Dolce to enjoy $5 off wine by the glass and cocktails or $3 off beer, along with wagyu beef sliders, a tasty cheese plate, or personal flatbread. The specialty cocktail menu features options like the 19th Hole and High Wind Advisory. Classic drinks include the B.S Rita, Dirty Ranch Water, and The Ilene.

When you wish to enjoy a meal along the Champs-Élysées with your partner but don't want to catch a flight to Paris, a reservation at Mille Fleurs is the next best thing. For your dinner date, start with a shared appetizer of calamari or feta-stuffed dates with bacon. Entree selections include maple leaf farm duck breast, maple glazed salmon, chicken cordon bleu, or A5 wagyu ribeye from the Kagoshima farm in Japan. Pair your meal with a side like duck fat fries or roasted assorted mushrooms. Traditional tart tartin, chocolate profiteroles, and crème brûlée are popular choices for dessert.

If you want to spend a night watching your favorite sports team, plan a visit to Leucadia Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant. Customize your pie by choosing your preferred pizza toppings, crust type, and size. Sauce options range from classic tomato and bbq to brandy cream and butter garlic toppings. Standard choices include pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, bacon, pineapple, green onions, and bell peppers. Specialty toppings range from eggplant to pine nuts.

If you find the abundance of sauce and topping options overwhelming, select from the standard list of specialty pizzas instead, like the ricotta spinach eggplant, pear gorgonzola arugula, five cheese, or Thai chicken. The menu also offers appetizers like calamari, parmesan french fries, and lobster mac & cheese. If you'd prefer pasta for your entree, try the Santa Fe chicken pasta or the Mediterranean pasta. Try a slice of the "Best Carrot Cake –– Ever" or the Italian tiramisu for dessert.

Goli is another popular local pizzeria among restaurants in Rancho Santa Fe. With a blend of over eight cheese varieties on the freshly baked dough, this spot offers a unique twist on classic Italian fare. Start with the potato wedges, the jumbo chicken wings in your choice of sauce, or one of the other appetizer options. If you don't want pizza, other entree options include plates of German sausage, Porterhouse steak, or salmon. But if you are craving a pie, you can build your own from the list of ingredients, or you can try one of the specialty options like the Carnivore for meat lovers or the shrimp pesto for a more adventurous selection. End your meal with a slice of cheesecake or an ice cream sundae.

Rancho Santa Fe Bistro is perfect for hosting a company-wide Sunday brunch, lunch with friends or colleagues, or dinner with family. They allow for large reservations, making it an ideal place for events and parties.

As for lunch, start with the baked brie with honey and grapes or the traditional escargot. For your entree, locals particularly enjoy the tuna melt, steak sandwich, chicken kabob, and shrimp pasta primavera. If you bring the kids along to lunch or dinner, they can enjoy a pasta bowl with parmesan cheese and butter, flatbread cheese pizza, or chicken strips. At dinner, start with eggplant parmesan, crab cake, or one of the flatbreads. Locals also enjoy the duck breast, grass-fed filet mignon, and grilled Norwegian salmon for the main dish.

Craving a cozy rendezvous with your partner or planning the ultimate business brunch to impress? No worries, Rancho Santa Fe has got you covered! Be prepared to drool over savory dishes, from classic pizzas to duck breast and tantalizing kabobs. For extra insider tips or to begin your search for Rancho Santa Fe homes for sale, don't hesitate to reach out to the Gillian Gillies and Prentiss Van Den Berg team. As industry experts, they can help you with whatever you need, whether it’s learning more about the area or embarking on your next real estate venture.