6 Best Restaurants in The Inland Empire, California

At this shop, bar, and restaurant inside a former orange-packing house, you can purchase wines from around the world and enjoy them on-site. Throughout the day, pair your selection with seasonal small plates and specialty cheeses and, for dinner, entrées like poke tostadas with sushi-grade ahi tuna and an organic beef burger with smoked bacon, aged cheddar, and spicy tomato aioli.

Filling pizzas, pastas, and steak and fish dishes make this clubby-looking restaurant a fine choice after a long day of skiing in winter or hiking in summer. Start with the signature New England clam chowder (bacon bits add a smoky touch), and follow it up with a salad with the zesty house Peppercorn Ranch dressing before moving on to a flat-iron steak. Other top selections include rack of lamb, surf n' turf, and pasta with shrimp and pasta. 

A low-key gastropub inside a restored 1950s home, this Old Town spot with a sunlit patio hosts live music on weekends. A roasted 16-ounce New York steak over mashed potatoes satisfies carnivores; and the mixed arugula and quinoa with roasted red beet and goat cheese is a hit with those seeking more healthful fare. Craft beers by innovative Southern California breweries Lost Abbey and The Bruery are among the selections on tap.

Innovative food and drink menus make this clubby restaurant on the historic Main Street promenade very much shaken, and not stirred. Grab a front-row seat on the patio or head inside for a table overlooking the neon bar to enjoy cocktails such as the But First, Let Me Take a Selfie (arrives with a Polaroid of you) or the Bonnie and Clyde (arrives with a flaming counterfeit $100 bill) and entrées like the short-rib melt or the honey jalapeño–glazed salmon on peanut slaw. Vegans will be pleasantly surprised with a variety of options. It’s one of the few places in Riverside open daily for dinner, with a “last call” way past midnight.

Afghan fusion is the focus at Walter’s, a restaurant still holding its original name since 1973 when owners swapped out burgers and fries for a menu of kebabs, lamb dishes, and lentil salad. The tandoori salmon with peach chutney and basmati rice is moist and flavorful, and for something familiar, you can still grab a pizza or burger. The original dining room domed in stained glass, doubled in size during the pandemic, to now offer courtyard seating and private dining spaces.