Corkfire Kitchen at Temecula Creek Inn is the kind of place that feels instantly like vacation. Tucked quietly between Temecula’s foothills and golf course fairways just south of Old Town, the restaurant has a relaxed, country club feel. You enter through a wood-paneled bar with impressive floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the golf course. The restaurant sits on top of the golf club, so you’ll see golf carts zipping in and out and geese enjoying the water features as you brunch. The view of the rolling green shifts as the light changes with the seasons.
The restaurant is known for its seasonal menu of California cuisine. Every few months, the menu flips to highlight what’s fresh from their local vendors and on-site chef’s garden. You’ll see starters like cast iron Brussels sprouts in a sriracha aioli, or a hand-pulled burrata plated with heirloom tomatoes and California balsamic. In the fall, there might be wild mushroom ravioli with pancetta. In the summer, grilled peaches with whipped ricotta.
One of Corkfire’s staples is the not-so-ordinary Signature Angus Burger. It’s a slow cooked, short rib double patty with triple cream cheddar Swiss and caramelized onions. The fish & chips also get an upgrade. They’re served with torched lemon and malt vinegar house-made chips. There are also more formal entrees like locally sourced rack of lamb, chicken coq au vin, and fish and seafood specials like the scallops pictured below. Brunch can get decadent with Cinnamon Toast Crunch Fresh Toast and Chicken & Waffles, but if you lean lighter, there are excellent salad options, too. Each one blended with herbs from the chef’s garden and greens from local farms.
Inside, the vibe depends on where you sit. The dining room is generally more subdued (unless there are small groups celebrating) and slightly romantic with generously sized booths, tables, and dramatic floor to ceiling windows. In the bar, you get a completely different energy. There’s a large square leather-upholstered bar, high-back booths, and big TVs always tuned to whatever golf tournament or major sporting moment is live that weekend. It’s one of those bars where you can dress up or walk in straight from 18 holes and still feel welcome. There’s also a dog-friendly outdoor patio and balcony seating off the bar.
The cocktail menu is always a fun read. Creatively-named concoctions dreamed up by their team of skilled bartenders fill the back page of the dinner menu. The Garden Party is a favorite. It’s a refreshing blend of gin, triple sec, rosemary, basil, lemon. The Cherrywood is their take on an Old Fashioned, with bourbon, maraschino liqueur, turbinado, cocoa bitters, and smoke created table side by your server with a torch. But if none on the menu tempt your palate, they have a full bar with top shelf liquor and can make whatever you like.
For the vinophiles, they have a have a number of local selections by the glass, from Doffo, Peltzer, and Robert Renzoni, plus a few from nearby Fallbrook and Paso Robles on the Central Coast. The bottle list offers more international options, with selections from Burgundy, Alsace, Rioja, Mosel, and Rhone regions.
The restaurant serves brunch, happy hour, and dinner. Reservations are recommended for weekend dining. If you’re in town for a holiday, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Valentine’s day, they have special set menus, and reservations are probably best made a few weeks ahead of time.
