Riverside is 81.5 square miles of a suburban and rural landscape with hundreds of feet of elevation separating Downtown from the neighborhoods on the city’s south side. There is a lot to see and do. While the walking mall is unique and offers so much to visitors, some real treasures may fly under the radar unless you go and find them.
Downtown
Just off the Main Street Mall at 3948 Mission Inn is Tios Tacos. As much as a museum as a restaurant, MartÃn Sanchez has created an urban oasis of collected object art installations that rival and even surpass more famous urban installations like Watts Towers. Try the Aguas Frescas and stroll around the grounds. Allow more time than you think you need; you may get lost back there.
Mission Grove/ Canyon CrestÂ
Just as Alessandro turns toward Moreno Valley, in an unassuming strip mall, The Rustik Fork rewards people for the trek out of Downtown with a high-end, farm-to-table, casual dining experience. Their permanent selection is accentuated with seasonal dining and craft cocktails. From appetizers and burgers to a proper Wagyu Surf and Turf, Rustik Fork impresses with great food and excellent service.
Ramona/Central RiversideÂ
The Riverside Airport Cafe is the local hidden gem every city boasts for breakfast and lunch. The Airport Cafe offers outdoor patio dining just feet away from an operating small aircraft runway, and the bussing airplanes add to the experience. Leimamo and the crew cook up a straightforward diner fare that never misses. Chorizo Biscuits and Gravy with a Michelada is an incredible brunch combo, but everything is great, including the service.
The EastsideÂ
New to the city is the Buenos Dias Cafe. Right in the heart of the neighborhood on 14th near Park is the small brunch cafe with a distinctly Mexican twist. A concise menu is usually a good sign, and Buenos Dias Cafe offers only a few items, including an incredible breakfast burrito and chilaquiles. Their coffee selection also reflects Mexican culture. The Morenita is espresso poured over piloncillo, and then milk and ice are added for a deep brown-sugar/molasses-flavored iced latte. Try the burrito with huevos con weenie for a truly authentic home-style Mexican breakfast treat.
Auto CenterÂ
On Indiana, just on the other side of Madison from the Auto Center, the European Deli Market offers some of the most unique sandwiches in a town with many great sandwiches. This is a takeout-only spot offering imported continental deli meats and cheeses. You can also find imported snacks, treats, and beverages from Europe. The storefront is inconspicuous, but the European Deli Market has gained a cult following among Riversiders and attracts pilgrims from neighboring towns that just can’t get the flavors at home anywhere else nearby.Â
La SierraÂ
If we’re going all the way out to La Sierra, we will give you two unique spots. ANCHOS is an old-school Tex-Mex cantina with a full bar, a machine that makes warm flour tortillas by the hundreds in the dining room, and you can track the scent you smell by following the trail of fajita steam from the kitchen to the table. Anchos is a long-time favorite of Riversiders, and its large, heavily themed dining area is popular with the after-church and looking for a place to celebrate crowds.Â
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Honorable mention: The Oasis Vegetarian Cafe is next to the La Sierra University campus. It is the place to go if you have a vegetarian with you or are looking for a place to get something a little healthier. I’m not giving bonus points for plant-based, either. Oasis is also the place I would recommend for the best pupusas in town. The Cafe is connected to the La Sierra Market, which offers meat alternatives and health-conscious groceries.
