Rancho Capistrano Winery (RCW) boasts the largest winery in Orange County. They are located in the heart of San Juan Capistrano. SJC is a cute little city with boutiques, coffee shops, a small petting zoo for the young ones and the famous Mission San Juan Capistrano. It makes for a great day trip on the train (Metrolink OR Amtrak). Keep an eye on the schedule though, you may find yourself spending the night in San Juan.
RCW has two locations. The other in San Clemente according to their website (I’ve not been to that one). Today, I’m writing about the San Juan location which includes a great restaurant. With a large patio in the back, there are great menu options and live music during the week. This Austin native LOVES live music. The atmosphere is super laid back. They even welcome your four legged family members too.
The menu is super yummy. We’ve been a few times and had several different dishes. I’ll name a few of my faves!
- Big Cheese Plate $22- Selected cheeses, dried seasonal fruit, meats, nuts and crackers. Gluten Free. Super Yummy! My other half isn’t a small eater. I would say this is great for a pair to share or four girlfriends preoccupied with the wine! : )
- Strawberry Bruschetta $14- A MUST HAVE!! It’s on the Happy Hour menu as well. Super delicious. You’ll find yourself fighting with your friends for the last bite!
- Hummus with Gluten Free Warm Pita Bread and Veggies $9- Also on the Happy Hour menu sans the gluten free pita bread. It’s worth any extra expense. I eat gluten free and it’s really hard to find a good bread. Love this!
- Chimichurri Shrimp Salad $18- I must admit, I am pretty frugal. So, to pay nearly $20 for a salad is a little painful. This one, totally worth it! The flavors blend so well and the shrimp moist and flavorful.
- Zucchini Cannelloni $18- It’s described, “Grilled Zucchini rolled with goat cheese and mushrooms. Baked with marinara and cheese.” OMG! So rich and amazing! My mouth watered just reading the ingredients. It’s worth every bite!
- Finally, Whiskey Bundt Cake $10- It’s so much better than I initially thought it would be. A friend of ours ordered it and insisted I try some. So glad I did! Warm, rich, buttery and creamy. Great for sharing!
All in all, it’s a great experience. We are members of the wine club. Each month they host a wine pick up party for members with tastings, a free glass of wine and appetizers. What’s great about their wine club is that any time you stop in, you get a free glass of wine for you and your guest. It’s a great deal. If you decide to join, tell them ocfoodiemama sent you and send me an email. I’ll be sure you get something special. ocfoodiemama@gmail.com
5 Stars! I like the detail you put into it. The pictures are mouth-watering. Keep up the great work!