All parents know that every so often you must to take some time to recharge. I’m fortunate enough to have a large group of friends that can occasionally get out and have some fun; If we have kid-free time, you can bet we’re headed out to brunch. If you’re due for some girl time, need some day date inspiration, or need to plan a family outing in Temecula, check out the places below.
Saturdays & Sundays 10am-2pm
Bottomless Mimosas $14
A relatively recent addition to Old Town’s lineup, Espadín offers a sleek take on Mexican food. During brunch hours, the regular menu is also available, which is great since the brunch menu is quite small; the Mexican Cinnamon Toast looks especially promising. From the regular menu, I’ve found that the enchiladas are very good and extremely plentiful (3 come with the dish). I’ve also found the fajitas to be a bit underdone for my taste and the corn tortillas to be hard despite still being warm. Very nice ambiance, great location, very sleek branding. Margaritas are very good and can be upgraded from tequila to mezcal, the specialty of the house.
Sunday 10am-3pm
Wine Club Member $37.76/46.76
Non-Member $43.95/53.95
Time goes by very quickly at Wilson Creek’s Sunday buffet. As one of the most popular brunches in wine country, walk-ins are not usually accommodated. Instead, make your reservation 2 weeks ahead online. Children are welcome — there’s plenty of space to run around this brunch. If you or your brunch partner are a member of the wine club they will usually extend the wine club pricing to your entire party. Food is varied and includes waffles, prime rib, plentiful seafood, salads and more. Sparkling wine can be included in the pricing and traditional wines can be served by the glass. If you’re feeling like a mimosa, you can request orange juice to go with your sparkling wine. This is definitely a place to see and be seen.
Saturdays & Sundays 8am-3pm
EAT Marketplace is a small collection of different food and beverage stations that fills up with hipsters and families very quickly. Their weekend brunch is especially popular on Saturdays, since it is next to the Old Town Farmer’s Market. As if to illustrate this connection, food and drinks are locally sourced and utilize seasonal produce. Prices are very high (particularly the children’s selections which run just under $9.00 each), though many different diets can be accommodated. Read the fine print before you plan a large group: gratuity will be added to groups larger than 5.
Daily 6am-3pm
Specialty Coffee $4.95+, Mimosas $7
Toast is a recently opened brunch spot that is proving to be extremely popular. The location is quite small but very stylish. The staff are very friendly and accommodating and managed to get our order correct both times we’ve visited. The Honey Brown Sugar Latte is as sweet as the name implies, and the very good house coffee is served with an adorable funfetti biscotti. Toast is not an ideal place for a large group but children are easily accommodated. My daughter is a breakfast aficionado and finishes her entire plate here! The Creme Brûlée French Toast is good but I’m personally turned off by the curd-like texture of the brûlée topping. Toast does not take reservations but you can call 15 minutes ahead to get your name on the waiting list.
Daily 7am-9pm
Specialty Coffee $4+
Intazza is located in a nondescript part of Murrieta that’s mostly filled with warehouses and large churches; Intazza is a luxurious addition. The inside has a large coffee roasting area, an upper level for seating, and a generous mix of tables, booths, and counter seating. The two drawbacks of the place are the lack of electrical outlets and the level of noise that comes from the extremely loud roasting machine (though I will say that the coffee makes it worth it). The food selection is also top notch: the “Hot Mess” and the Avo Toast are huge hits with our morning-coffee-mommy-and-kid crew. Intazza also has a large selection of teas on draft and can easily accommodate children in the booths or on the patio. Prices are very reasonable compared to major coffee chains and other local coffee purveyors.
Where is your favorite brunch in Temecula? Are there any hidden gems? Let me know in the comments!
