The Best Of The Best Of Food In The Ranch
by Terryl Gavre photography by Vincent Knakal

Looking for some incredible edibles? Would you like to find some fabulous cheese or a special bottle of wine? Look no further than the Ranch; there’s plenty to nosh, nibble on, or down-right over-do it with right here in Rancho Santa Fe.

Best Place To Put Together A Picnic
Village Market
16950 Via De Santa Fe
858/756-3726
Sure, this is the only grocery store for the locals, but unlike your run-of-the-mill Von’s or Ralph’s, Village Market carries some pretty outrageous delicacies, even for those with persnickety palates. In the wine and spirits department, there are your everyday wines of course, but if you happen to be entertaining and need a big gun there’s always the Louis XIII Champagne Cognac for a mere $1,499.99. Otherwise, for your picnic there are many chilled bottles of wine and champagne available, as well as a wonderful red wine selection.

At Village Market you can fill your basket with a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers, artisan cheeses like a mellow St. Pat from Cowgirl Creamery, or an imported creamy Saint Andre, along with some gourmet crackers. The deli department has lovely ready-to-eat salads and entrees — or why not a tin of duck foie gras from Petrossian? The Village Market offers two sizes of Petrossian Caviar for those of you with a hankering for one of the finest flavors there is; a 4 3/8-ounce jar of Osetra sells for $39.99 and for a 1 1/6-ounce jar of Sevruga, the asking price is $89.99. Finish off your moveable feast with a baked item like a real Julian Apple Pie or an item from the Village Market bakery.

Best Dining Room Remodel
Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
5951 Linea Del Cielo
858/756-1131

Gone is the dark, clubby, law library-like atmosphere of yesterday. The new lighter, brighter colors and open spaces of the dining room at Inn at Rancho Santa Fe perfectly suit the lighter, brighter, cleaner style of fare offered by new executive chef A. J. Voytko. The chef shops locally for fruits and veggies (nearby Chino Farm is a regular haunt), so look for menu items that celebrate Southern California products like the Duck Breast with Dried Cherry Risotto Cake, Chino Farms Parsnips, and Tuscan cabbage, or Be Wise Ranch Organic Tomato Salad with Grapes, Jicama, and Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Best Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
Ranch Deli
16236 San Dieguito Road
858/756-4308
The best Philly cheese steak sandwich in all of San Diego is at Ranch Deli. No, really. Although the menu is huge, offering everything from spaghetti, pizza, and chicken Parmesan to Rueben and pastrami sandwiches, the big winner here is the Philly cheese steak. Thin sliced, perfectly seasoned roast beef is loaded into a soft-on-the-outside, crunchy-on-the-inside French roll and slathered with grilled onions and peppers and melted provolone cheese. This thing is authentic East Coast good.

Brad and Lori Auerbach took over the deli in 1999 and have made it a big success. Brad spent 16 years as a fishmonger in Boston and also cooked at Ristorante Toscano before moving back to the Ranch. The lines start getting long near noon so go early. Ranch Deli is open Monday through Saturday night until 8pm; closed on Sunday.

Best Place For A Casual Lunch Or Fresh Baked Sweets
Thyme in the Ranch
16905 Avenida De Acacias
858/759-0747
The baked goods and ready-made entrees at this much-talked-about eatery would make even Martha Stewart’s jaw drop. Opened nine years ago by Dawn and Shane Purcell (he’s the chef and baker), the former Los Angelinos operated cafes at Fred Segal on Melrose and Santa Monica for years before moving to the Ranch and opening Thyme in the Ranch. This recently expanded little gem now offers plenty (well, at least more) inside seating as well as seating on a front porch-style deck that looks out onto the lawned front elevation of the Inn at Rancho Fe.

A nice breakfast menu is rounded out by a selection of scrambleds, lighter fare to accompany cereals, and a stellar selection of baked goods. Homemade muffins, Bundt cakes, sweet breads, and crisps are baked daily and, for those of you apple pie aficionados (and I know you’re out there), the best darn pies and tarts around. Another big favorite in the sweets department is the Monte Carlo Cake, three layers of light sponge cake ensconced in a creamy vanilla frosting with a cushion of strawberries and peaches between the layers.

For in-house or take out dining, the deli cases are loaded with huge Idaho halves of twice baked potatoes, ready-to-eat turkey meatloaf, flatbread pizzas, and platters of scrumptious salads, including variations of tuna, potato, and pasta.

The lunch menu is composed of well-designed sandwiches, salads, small plates, and some very popular soups. Oh, and if you’re like me and forget to save much room for dessert, just have one of Shane’s wicked little oatmeal, chocolate chip, or coconut butter cookies.

Best Place For Lunch On The Patio
Mille Fleurs
6009 Paseo Delicias
858/756-3085
This shady hideaway offers one of the best patios in the Ranch. Terracotta tile, bountiful flowers, and a bubbling European-style fountain make this a favorite for long, romantic lunches. Start with a glass of champagne and Peconic Bay Littleneck clams on the half shell with fresh horseradish. Move on to a nice Sancerre from the Loire Valley and the tomato and eggplant salad with Manchego, sweet onions, and olive oil dressing. Finish with the pan-roasted troll King salmon served over a coulis of white corn and yellow bell peppers and a glass of Pinot Noir.

You may even run into the glamorous host Bertrand, as he’s known to spend lunch hour there.

Best Place For Specialty Wines
Caveau De Vins
6009 Paseo Delicias # B
858/756-4811
This tiny specialty shop run by Kelise Ward offers some of the finest, rarest, most collectable, and to be quite frank, expensive wines available anywhere. Specializing in anniversary and birth-year wines, Jeroboams, Methuselahs, and extraordinarily impressive bottles, this “cave of wines” is a fun place to browse even if you’re not in the market to splurge.

Quite the contradiction, don’t be surprised if Ward is wearing beachwear when you stop in, since she is also a partner in a surfing school in Del Mar. Ward is available for private wine tastings, parties, and special events — and if you’re looking for a special bottle for your New Year’s party this year, she has a Methuselah of 1990 Cristal for a cool $15K.