Best Restaurants in Riverside (2025)

Family-run since 1981, this elegant Northern Italian spot pairs seasonal plates and live jazz with one of the region’s most serious wine lists. Recognized by Wine Spectator and lauded by critics, it’s Riverside fine dining at its most enduring.

Inside the Mission Inn, Duane’s delivers polished service, USDA Prime steaks, and classic seafood in a storied setting. Longtime AAA Four Diamond and Wine Spectator honoree, it’s the city’s special-occasion standard-bearer.

Part taqueria, part folk art wonderland, this family business serves generous Mexican comfort food amid bottle chapels and larger‑than‑life sculptures. Celebrated by LAist and PBS SoCal for its community roots and singular creativity.

Locals flock for mesquite‑grilled fajitas and flour tortillas pressed to order — a Riverside tradition since 1989. A perennial readers’ favorite in local press, it’s pure Southwest comfort with genuine hospitality.

Since 1955, three generations have kept the city’s favorite crusty‑roll grinders baking daily. A beloved institution planning its 70th anniversary festivities, it remains a rite of passage for Riverside sandwich lovers.

A lush garden patio, cash‑and‑carry sandwiches, and house pies make this decades‑old lunch haunt a local ritual. Spotlighted by ABC7 for a pay‑it‑forward program, it’s as community‑minded as it is delicious.

Family‑owned since 1987, Gram’s smokes ribs, brisket, and catfish for a downtown crowd that spans generations. It hosts community events and keeps Southern sides like yams and collards front and center.

Riverside’s most talked‑about all‑you‑can‑eat sushi bar draws lines for fast‑fired rolls, hand cuts, and a lively scene. Beloved by locals for value and variety, it’s the city’s go‑to AYCE fix.

A family‑run Lebanese counter turning out shawarma, kabobs, and fattoush inside the locally focused Food Lab. Eater highlighted it among the Inland Empire’s top affordable bites, and the shawarma fries are a local obsession.

A longtime University Avenue favorite for North Indian standards, tandoori, and a value‑minded lunch buffet, run by a team recognized by community outlets and loved by UCR regulars.