Save Room for a Cannoli at Piccola Trattoria

Find your new favorite Italian eatery in the SCV at Piccola Trattoria. Quaint by appearance on the exterior of the restaurant, Piccola Trattoria dresses to impress on the inside. A full bar sits on one wall, with shelves of wine lining another. From the main dining area to the covered patio, you'll find the atmosphere pleasant and perfect for date night or a quick lunch.

As for the food, Piccola Trattoria has everything you could possibly want, from lasagna to cannoli. If you're there for lunch, you certainly can't go wrong with a caprese sandwich. Fresh mozzarella mixed with tomato, basil, and italian dressing sits atop Piccola Trattoria's homemade Italian roll. For dinner, the lasagna is the house favorite and comes highly reviewed at a modest price. Vegetarians will love the risotto ai funghi with its creamy carnaroli rice and mixed wild mushrooms.

Piccola Trattoria takes reservations, so plan ahead for large groups. They are open 7 days a week with just dinner hours on Sundays.

Piccola Trattoria
18302 Sierra Hwy
Santa Clarita, CA 91351
(661) 299-6952
www.piccolatrattoria.com

Fish Tail Grill: A Taste of The Aloha State in Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita has no shortage of Asian fusion eateries, so what makes the Fish Tail Grill
so beloved among locals? Perhaps it’s this restaurant's focus on house-made sauces, its innovative craft-beer-infused tempura, or the soups prepared from scratch each day. Perhaps it’s the casual, friendly atmosphere and reasonable prices. More likely, though, it's that there’s something special about Hawaiian cuisine!

The Fish Tail Grill in Santa Clarita doesn’t exclusively serve Hawaiian food, but the 50th state’s influence is pronounced, from the many plate lunches to the Hawaiian ahi poke bowls. For the uninitiated, the plate lunch is a quintessential Hawaiian meal traditionally consisting of an entree (often Japanese fried katsu or Hawaiian lau lau), a side of white rice, and an additional side (often macaroni salad). Lunch plates reflect the intermixing and combination of cultures in Hawaii, including those brought to the island by immigrants from the east and west.

Fish Tail Grill
28104 Newhall Ranch Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
(661) 295-3474
www.fishtailgrill.com
www.yelp.com/biz/fish-tail-grill-santa-clarita-2

Craving Curry? Find Authentic Indian Cuisine at Royal Tandoor in Santa Clarita

Whether you love tikka masala or you’re more of a spicy vindaloo type, you’ll find all of your favorite Indian dishes at Royal Tandoor. This friendly Indian fare eatery in Santa Clarita serves a menu of curries, samosas, and tandoori specialties in an elegant setting complete with bright red tablecloths covering every table and flatscreen televisions throughout the dining room. The restaurant itself is also located in a convenient shopping plaza, which makes it a great choice when you’re on your way home from work or out running errands in Santa Clarita.

There are a number of dishes made with chicken, lamb, and goat, while vegetarians will enjoy various daals and eggplant-based dishes. Everything is also served with hot naan bread and fragrant rice on the side. Stop in for dinner or try out the lunch buffet at this local favorite for Indian fare!

Royal Tandoor
26532 Bouquet Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
(661) 263-7100
www.royaltandooronline.com

Add Some Salsa to Your Usual Workday Lunch at Welik Mexican Cuisine

Just about everyone loves Mexican fare, so if you’re looking for some of the freshest in the Santa Clarita area, visit Welik Mexican Cuisine. Its strip mall location is conveniently located near Provence at Valencia, and its bright, modern decor makes it a great place to have a relaxing lunch with friends or coworkers.

Inside, Welik Mexican Cuisine is furnished with spacious dining tables and colorful artwork on the walls, but it’s the restaurant’s vibrant Mexican dishes that add the most festive flair. Arroz Con Pollo is topped with fresh guacamole and orange slices, while fiesta chicken salads, various styles of tacos, and sauce-covered enchiladas are made true to Mexican tradition. Sweet crepes and deep fried ice cream make delicious desserts, while the flan really takes the cake!

For lunch, dinner or takeout, Welik Mexican Cuisine is always a delicious choice.

Welik Mexican Cuisine
26238 Bouquet Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
(661) 505-6022
www.yelp.com/biz/welik-mexican-cuisine-santa-clarita

Rose & Crown Pub: A Classic Pub in Santa Clarita

Family-run, fun and friendly, Rose & Crown Pub is where you can get a pint of ale and a plate of Bangers & Mash without having to hop on a plane to London. Don’t let the plain-Jane exterior fool you, the warm, inviting ambiance more than makes up for it.

Fans of the place say it’s perfect for relaxing with a pint of beer and a bite to eat. The menu features typical British pub fare, along with a few Americanized options. Pasties are traditional British fare consisting of pastry shells stuffed with fillings like diced beef, potatoes, onions & carrots. Other menu options include Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, Steak & Mushroom Pie, Bangers & Mash – sausage with mashed potatoes, peas & gravy, and Scotch Egg – hardboiled egg wrapped in sausage & bread crumbs.

Rose & Crown is open Tuesdays through Sundays.

Rose & Crown Pub
24246 Lyons Avenue
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
(661) 255-504
www.facebook.com/pages/Rose-and-Crown-British-Restaurant-SCV/111187015580763
www.yelp.com/biz/rose-and-crown-pub-santa-clarita

Sister House Thai Fusion: Thai Fare in Santa Clarita

Ditch your regular dining routine and head out for Thai food with a trip to Sister House Thai Fusion in Santa Clarita, California! Pan-Asian food with a focus on the fragrant flavors of Thai cuisine is what’s on the menu.

Chicken or Beef Satay Skewers with peanut sauce, Gyoza – deep fried chicken dumplings, Soft Shell Crab, Cream Cheese Wontons, and Korean-Style BBQ Ribs are on this Santa Clarita restaurant's appetizer menu. Tom Yum Soup – with lemongrass, mushrooms, chilies & cilantro and Tom Kha Soup – coconut soup with lemongrass & chilies, are both tasty Thai food options. The list of entrees includes Spicy Basil Noodle, Pad Thai, Salmon Teriyaki, Chow Mein, Panang Curry, Roast Duck Curry, and Spicy Basil Fried Rice.

Sister House Thai Fusion is open every day for lunch and dinner.

Sister House Thai Fusion
26879 Bouquet Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
(661) 263-9911
http://www.sisterhousethai.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sister-house-thai-fusion-santa-clarita

Persia Restaurant: A Taste Of The Mediterranean

This fantastic Middle Eastern restaurant has been winning raves from locals since it opened for its delicious meat dishes, perfectly-cooked rice and more. Diners rave about the basmati rice, cooked with a unique process to make it tender and flavorful, and served with amazingly delicious charbroiled tomatoes—it’s almost a meal in itself. But don’t stop there; the kebabs are some of the best in the area, with perfectly-seared chicken, beef, and lamb tantalizing the palate. In an unusual move, they also offer salmon kebabs, which might be even better—the tender, flaky fish is spectacularly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Get a side of delicious, savory hummus and soak it up with freshly-baked pita bread. Diners on a budget stop in for the $9.99 lunch buffet, which offers some of Persia’s most popular dishes in a serve-yourself format.

Persia Restaurant
26877 Bouquet Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
(661) 513-0077
www.persia-restaurant.com

Piccola Trattoria: Santa Clarita Italian Cuisine

Locals have been raving for fifteen years about the high quality, affordable Italian food knocked out by this lunch and dinner fave. Owner Angie Caruso keeps everything in the family—each and every one of her kids works there in some capacity, which carries through into the welcoming service and fantastic southern Italian food. They specialize in the bold cuisine of Sicily, and are especially proud of their seafood selections, with tons of fresh fish flown in daily for a wide variety of specials. Pasta is made fresh in-house daily, and it’s spectacular in consistency and flavor. Fresh focaccia is also served at every table as a starter, and it’s great. The wine cellar is well stocked with both Italian and California vintages, and the servers are excellent at recommending pairings for your meal. On nice days, eat outside on the covered patio and make sure to finish off with a panna cotta for dessert.

Piccola Trattoria
18302 Sierra Highway
Santa Clarita, CA 91351
(661) 299-6952
www.piccolatrattoria.com

Rattler’s BBQ: The Best Cue in Santa Clarita

Don’t let the name fool you—there are no venomous beasts at Rattler’s BBQ. For twenty years, this homestyle restaurant has been serving up the best barbecue and casual dining experience in Santa Clarita. Using a unique two-step cooking process that sees meats slow-cooked overnight and then seared over a mesquite grill, the kitchen knocks out spectacular meals all day long. If you’re a fan of tender, savory meat, the baby back ribs can’t be missed here—the delicate meat virtually falls off the bone and the house sauce complements it perfectly. For beef fans, the tri-tip is cooked to pure perfection, and the broiled chicken is good as well—among the moistest you’ve ever eaten. Sides are also good, with the garlic mashed potatoes winning special praise. For a few more dollars, you can opt for the well-stocked, fresh salad bar, which is probably a good way to balance out your carnivorous consumption.

Rattler’s BBQ
26495 Golden Valley Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
(661) 251-4195
www.rattlersbbq.com

Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co.: A Perfect Marriage of Pizza And Sports

John and George Hadjis got into the pizza biz in 1991 with the opening of the first Oggi’s. As they built their business into a chain, they quickly realized that they could offer more to their employees than just pies. First off, they diversified into a sports bar concept, showing the hottest games from all over the country on wall-mounted TVs. And then, in 1995, they established themselves as a microbrewery and things just got better from there. In Italian, “Oggi” means “today,” referring to the fresh-made dough and other ingredients the chain uses in their 17 branches. Regulars praise the consistency of the pizza and the awesome Mug Club—for an annual fee, you get your own mug on the wall; upon visiting Oggi’s you just walk in, give your mug number and get served a frosty pint. Now that’s service.

Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co.
18810 Soledad Canyon Road
Canyon Country, CA 91351
(661) 252-7883
www.oggis.com