4 Best Restaurants in The Central Valley, California

Special-occasion dinners often take place in the distinguished rooms of this former residence behind, and part of, the Wine & Roses hotel. Painted in rich, textured hues offset by wide white molding, the rooms exude a subtle sophistication matched by seasonal dishes that might include halibut, lamb or pork chops, or a house-made pasta plate.

Mexican-American families, farmworkers, and farmers all eat here, polishing off traditional Mexican dishes such as posole, menudo, enchiladas, and tacos. The Fiesta Special—for two or more—includes generous portions of grilled pork tenderloin, beef top sirloin, chorizo, chicken breast, quesadillas, onions, and deep-fried jalapeños.

A Wine Country–style establishment that sources ingredients from the on-site gardens and surrounding farms and orchards, this popular restaurant occupies a redbrick 1921 schoolhouse in the town of Sanger. Chef Ryan Jackson, who grew up on local fruit farms, creates seasonal menus from the bounty of familiar backyards, mostly filled with classic American dishes with a contemporary twist.

A good downtown stop especially for lunch, the Dancing Fox also has a tasting room for its eponymous wines. The restaurant, whose decor shimmers with fairy-tale whimsy, serves sandwiches, salads, pizzas, burgers, and wraps and has more than a dozen beers on tap.