Super laid back wine and food bar in Encinitas- highly recommend. Good service and lovely food at appropriate prices

Great food and wine, great service, great atmosphere. We went on a Sunday during happy hour (3:3:0 pm to 5:30 pm daily). The grass-fed burger is a must try. The Prosecco was crisp and light. Kristen was awesome and got our orders in just before happy hour ended. She checked on us frequently and even stopped by when her shift ended to say, "good night" and to wish our birthday celebrant "happy birthday" again. Live music was a plus. Craig and James played a surprising variety of hit songs from the Eagles, Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash, the Cure, and lots more. Our group had so much fun with the staff and the musicians and will definitely be back! read more

It's been about 4 years since I've last been there and it's still a great place. They have a good selection of wines to try. The patatas bravas are still amazing and a pretty good price for their quality. I won't wait another 4 years. read more

Nice place to swing by for a quick appetizer and a wine tasting. Especially if you don't feel like going crazy on a big dinner. There's not too many places in the area with a similar relaxed and upper-scale atmosphere for a wine bar. read more

Solterra is such a magical place! The ambiance, the food, the service are phenomenal. My husband and I came for date night/happy hour and hadn't been in almost 4 years. The food was fantastic and the wines were amazing. we'll definitely be back! We were lucky enough to come on a day where the house band was playing. What a joy! They added to the ambiance and made the experience more enjoyable. The music was laid back and relaxed. read more

I like bring friends from out of town here. It's nice to have a local winery without having to drive super far. Plus, I like a winery near the beach more than in the middle of the mountains. Solterra is a lovely place to gather. There is a quieter area out back. The front area is noisier but great for people watching among the fire pits. The selection of wines pairs well with all the food. Of course, my favorite pairing is the Brussels sprouts with a glass of the white wine. Other faves of mine include the crispy cauliflower and the patatas bravas. The patatas bravas is definitely California style as opposed to Spanish style -- less oily potatoes, but still crispy. Service is consistently friendly. read more

Thos was my first time here, and i came because of the high reviews on yelp. I was impressed that the service was great and wine and food spectacular. Would definitely come back next time I'm in the area. read more

The food here was pretty good. I recommend the asparagus appetizer and the scallops one. I didn't like the fried green tomatoes (even though I'm a southerner) nor the lemon meringue dessert. It was was not pie at all and was essentially strawberries on a plate with lemon syrup poured on top and pieces of a pie shell in small chunks on top... a sour/tart disappointment. The service was very good. The atmosphere was like a semi-fancy restaurant. However, they also allow quite a bit of drinking here and some other people here got pretty drunk/loud/obnoxious. As my friends and I were enjoying dinner, they fell into our table twice and then when we asked them to move back, they started yelling at us. They should have been kicked out of the restaurant and were not. Next to the restaurant is a large room with wine barrels that can be rented out for parties/events. This also contributes to the people here getting pretty drunk as the night goes on. Apparently they have live music on Saturday nights. I called on Friday to ask about it, and they said the music would be going on. Then when we got there, there was an event instead. Thus, multiple issues have brought this down to a 3 for me. I would try it again based on all the positive reviews. Maybe it was just a mishap/bad night. One positive-- they don't take reservations but rarely have a wait. read more

I have tried so hard to like this place, but this last visit was the third strike so here we are. My recent visit was impromptu, early on a Friday evening when the restaurant was at around 75% capacity. We grabbed a two top in the corner of the bar, where we quickly learned had been sorely understaffed. We didn't get addressed until at least 15 minutes after being seated, and it was from one of the men behind the bar to take our drink order while our server made his rounds. We ended up placing our full order with the drinks to avoid further service delays. We ordered a cheese board and the stuffed squash blossom apps and a couple of glasses of wine. The cheese board didn't come until after the wine was delivered and devoured, so we ordered another glass each. The cheese board was absolutely pathetic. Legit costco cheese baby variety pack with 2 slices each of apple and cucumber, & a pile of loose jam. We made due thanks to the second glass of wine, only to be shocked again with the underwhelming ness of the squash blossoms. Stuffed raw, rather than fried as is done traditionally (granted, the menu did not state "fried", but the result was basically a thinly wrapped satchel of goat cheese and some weird goulash looking salad thing on the side that was a weird surprise.) Aside from the two late check ins from our server, he was non existent. Bad service, worse food, on multiple occasions ... unfortunately won't be back again. read more

Solterra Winery & Kitchen - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Food was good and live music/ambiance was nice. Wasn't anything spectacular but I would go back. Our server was great and the wine was also large pours read more

My cousin and I stopped in on our way down the 101. It actually turned out to be the perfect place to stop by, as we wanted to sit outside and have wine and appetizers. We got there about 20 minutes to 6, which was perfect as happy hour went until 6 PM. I was impressed by the happy hour menu, with several choices, and several glasses for $5. We chose a small table close to the firepit. Several people were seated at the firepit, and all the tables have small heaters. I chose the Beacon's Blend red. My cousin chose the happy hour rose. I really liked the Beacon's Blend. The rose however lacked a bit of flavor. Appetizers were all delicious. We chose the cauliflower which was amazing, as was the asparagus and mushroom flatbread. I really liked the cheese plate, as unlike many others, this one was really generous with the cheese. Service was good, and the atmosphere was really comfortable. The inside of the restaurant looked cute, but I just really enjoyed sitting outside. The bathroom candles smell really good...I imagine you can buy them there. Though I did not care for one of the wines, I thought the other was exceptionally good. If I lived closer, I would be there all the time. read more

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My wife and I stopped in for happy hour and were blown away to learn about the wine operation that takes place here. First, their happy hour has very tasty appetizers. Our favorite was the hummus plate that provided grilled veggies and pita. Denisa was our waitress and she was beyond nice. Next, we noticed a huge room with several wine barrels and large machinery. The head chef Joel told us about their wine operations where they make it in house. It was a very impressive setup and it sounds like they have wine clubs events throughout the year. We will definitely visit again. read more

My friend and I wanted to check out this place Saturday night. We arrived in time for Happy Hour. Until Happy Hour ended, the bartender seemed out of sorts and a bit unresponsive. Perhaps he was overwhelmed with people placing last minute orders. He seemed much more relaxed and congenial after Happy Hour. Perhaps the management should provide him some assistance during busier periods. We ordered the crab cakes, Artisanal Cheese plate and Sautéed Cauliflower. These appetizers were delicious and more than sufficient to serve as dinner for us. We also had the wine from the barrel which, while not superb, was a good value for the price. The Chardonnay that I had could have had a more complex nose and did not compare favorably to it's brethren from the Carneros region. It was, as I said, well-priced. The live music was quite good and not so loud as too prohibit conversation. The acoustic guitarist from Texas, I believe his name was Dalton, played well and had us seeing along (I hope not to anyone's chagrin). All in all, I highly recommend this spot as excellent with respect to food, ambience and music. It was a pleasure! read more

If zero was available that is exactly what I would give a restaurant that ignored my family for 45 minutes then tried to give me a bottle of their poor tasting wine for free. Free wine doesn't feed my family. We picked your restaurant for our last night of vacation after a week to try something new and we left at 9:15pm with no one eating and beyond angry. I guess Puesto in La Jolla would have made more sense again. Maybe you should go eat there so you can see what good service looks like. Guess what we will remember from this trip, the restaurant that ignored my family and the waitress said as I left "I completely forgot about them" The good news is the manager was able to flirt with a group of females in the room with wine barrels instead of feeding my family, hopefully he got some phone numbers. STAY AWAY FROM HERE UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO FLIRT. not a family establishment, they literally ignored us. Ruined my night and put a huge negative on our vacation. I will make sure the Four Seasons knows to never refer a client to your restaurant. To make it worse the manager that focuses on flirting with females offered to give me more wine, wine doesn't feed my family, Trader Joe's sells wine better than your crap for $4. Clueless As the manager kept saying to me on the phone over and over "what do you want me to say, we dropped the ball" all I could picture and all I could think about was the fact that my vacation, the only vacation we have had in two years, ended with my children not eating and my wife sitting at a table near the sushi restaurant next door crying. Fire your employee that completely ignored us, she was blonde and had an accent, fire the bus boy that walked by us four times and didn't say anything, fire yourself for walking by us 3x and not saying a word. This will forever be the absolute worst service I have ever received. I guess the motto of this fine establishment should be "if we screw up we will give you free wine" read more

It has been several months since I visited Encinitas and had the opportunity to stop in at Solterra on my first day. It was a rainy late afternoon and Solterra's cozy, intimate confines seemed just the thing. We were warmly greeted by both the manager and our server and shown to a table by the window. We chose to sample a nice flight of their wine offerings. Sadly I don't recall exactly what we had to eat, but I remember a sampling of olives we enjoyed with the wines. Understandably, this is not obviously the comprehensive review I'd normally like to give but suffice it to say that I came away greatly impressed with Solterra and it's staff. The server was fun and engaging, as was the manager. Both ensured we were enjoying ourselves. Solterra was a perfect start to a great visit to Encinitas and the San Diego area. I hope to be back. read more

Solterra Winery & Kitchen - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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To think that we have a winery in Leucadia! I was super shocked to learn this some years back. I became a member and enjoyed wine tasting and discounted bottles and food. Even invites to their bi-annual parties. The wine is very good. My Fav is the Syrah- Sirah. And the food: Lamb Burger! WOW! Get there early it is rather small inside and with the crazy rain we have had you have to sit inside read more

Solterra Winery & Kitchen - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

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My wife and I had our first date here, have been regulars here for 4 years and absolutely love this place. However, I must admit that for a short while the menu was altered too often and we were a little worried. I am glad to say that the new Chef Joel has absolutely restored our faith in this great place. Bravo to him and to the great service we always get from Ian. This is a first class wine and dine spot. read more

We finally got to try this place and we loved it. Great wine, food and service. We went on a Sat and they had HH at the bar. Our server was so wonderful. She explained the wine flight and had a really nice energy about her. read more

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I love Solterra it's neighborhood friendliness especially Andrea.... our maitre' d' Her accent gives a European flair without snobbery. She greets the patron with a welcome that invites you to stay. Andrea is complement to this local/beachy wine bar and grill. Pairing the delicious dishes with an array of wine is the perfect blend for a fun evening with friends you came with or 'flying solo' engaging new friends you meet. Let us not forget they 'make their wine' as well help other label winery get their's 'finished'. Selection is superb. Something for "every nose". Talk with Andrea or one of the knowledgeable servers about the 'wine club.' And they offer live music! read more

Really love this winery! I enjoyed tasting the wine from the cask. Very delicious. The waiter we had was very knowledgeable about the menu and gave us very good recommendations on our drinks and dinner choices. The atmosphere outside was nice. The table had a lit fire and there were space heaters as well. I will definitely come back. read more

Solterra Winery & Kitchen - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

Stopped in last night for some drinks and small plates and had the best time! They were busy but we were sat right away in the back garden area which was a great ambiance. Our waitress Cindy was so incredibly sweet and attentive and the wine was great. They also had draft beers which made the men happy in our group! We will definitely be back again! read more

This is the best local winery in Northern San Diego. Amazing menu and the service from the staff is best in class. Ill give a big shout out to Andrea for being such a great hostess, she's so friendly and kind and every time we visit she genuinely cares about what's gone on since last we visited. So greatful for Soltera, Andrea and team! read more

Oh my goodness ...perfect combination of great food, amazing unique wine & most attentive service.... Ask for Andrea & Kristin read more

Monday all night happy hour. The cask wine for $5 is really good. Cauliflower and salads were good. Flatbread was average, just ok. The ceviche was good and had lots of avocado. They have a good selection. Service was just ok, bordering on too long. It was pretty busy so they may need more servers if they are doing happy hour prices all night. read more

I was recently at Soltera and was impressed on how good my meal was. I had swordfish with a medley of grilled veggies including shishito peppers. The waitress was excellent in understanding my dietary restrictions and shellfish allergy and had the chef alter the dish. It was very creative and great presentation as well as tasty. I would order that again! We had the cauliflower appetizer, also tasty. Wine tasting also very good - had Barbera, Rustic Blend and Syrah and all good. read more

I've been coming here for 5 years. It is a great neighborhood hangout that is equally friendly to visitors. You'll always have a good conversation at the bar whether solo or a group. Staff, particularly Robert, is very knowledgeable about their wines and loves to share tasters as well as educating. It's a great place to eat light with olives and a flatbread or go full throttle with delicious paella or lamb chops. What could be better than a lazy Sunday with a Rustic Red, tasty tapas and cool peeps in Leucadia? read more

The service was amazing, Sean hit it out of the park!he checked on us often but gave us our space and gave great recommendations! The vibe is cool but the vines are cooler. Love this spot !!!!!! read more

I discovered Solterra through Groupon and was immediately sold when I saw wine and cheese half-price deal. After all, what's better than wine and cheese? Getting it for half price, of course! My boyfriend and I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon and snagged a couple seats at the bar. I guess that's the only place that you can do the wine tasting, which is fine for just two people, but may be more difficult to maneuver if you have a bigger group. The Groupon allowed us to sample six wines from a prix fixe menu of reds and whites. I'm typically a sweet white kind of girl with lots of moscatos and rieslings but this tasting allowed me to stretch my limits a bit. The first two wines, the Torrontes and Chardonnay, were white but drier whites than I'm used. Then we transitioned to reds for the last four tastings. The first red, a Grenache, just about scared me away from trying the other reds. It had a very strong and distinct flavor that I suppose some people may like but I could barely get it down and kept making unintentional funny faces as I squirmed. Even my boyfriend, who favors reds, didn't enjoy the Grenache. Thankfully, the next red was much better. In fact, we enjoyed the 2012 Mestizo SM so much that we ended up buying a bottle of it to have on hand for a special celebratory wine that we're planning to open when we buy a house. Furthermore, I even surprised myself by tolerating the Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, which I thought would be too "red" for my "white" taste buds. Also, let me just say, that as a lightweight, I was definitely feeling the buzz after just the six tastings. It's a good thing my boyfriend was there to drive because I definitely would not have been in any condition for that. As for the food that came with the Groupon, the patatas bravas were so, so good! I love potatoes and the aioli and crema that were drizzled across the top were equally amazing. I could happily eat the entire bowl on my own but sadly, I had to share with my boyfriend. We were also served a bowl of olives, and since I only like the black olives from a can, I let my boyfriend dive into the bowl. Finally, we were served two types of cheeses. Both were relatively mild but one was rubbed with a cajun spice that added just a hint of heat. I'll definitely consider returning to Solterra for future wine tastings and definitely will be ordering the patatas! read more

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Awesome winery with indoor and outdoor seating in a great location. Parking might be a little odd or difficult to find along the street, but it's not terrible. They have great happy hour specials. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and great local wines. read more

Great service, amazing food and wine and they allow dogs! Look forward to coming back here again!

Really excellent, and great value. We had the special of paella for two and a bottle of wine ($65). The paella was superb. The wine is great too - all the wine is their own. Service was also very good. I've driven past many times and never stopped before. Well I most certainly will again - we will definitively go back. read more

First time here. We had a great experience!! Our server, Ian, took great care of us with the service and his food recommendations. The ambiance was amazing too, the patio lights and the heaters added a special touch to our experience. Highly recommend! read more

We have been here on and off since they first opened, and Andrea was there the whole time. Good music food and wine makes it a nice night with my wife every time. Thankful to have a legit winery nearby and did I mention the service? They anticipate your needs. I was not thrilled about my wine selection. Without hesitation, Andrea replaced it with a pour she recommended that was well paired to the food and mood. Very satisfied. Keep it going! Larer on, my wife left her sweater there. When we approached, Andrea came running out with it, remembered our names... I mean to say they really pay attention to service. read more

So good. Wines, food, setting, service...great all around. Our waiter Corbin had our group of ten very well taken care of. Would go back for sure read more

Ian and Andrea were fantastic hosts. They both provided great food and wine recommendations while accommodating our dog as we sat on the front patio. We had a great time and will definitely visit again. read more

I already love solterra but didn't realize it was a lunch spot. They have a very lovely happy hour on Friday beginning at noon. Ben will take such good care of you. The lamb sausage is amazing. Snappy casing, rich flavor accompanied by a legit mustard and a red spicy cream sauce. OMG. I also had the beet salad which was a nice contrast but you need the patatas bravas. Potatoes laced with peppers and crack cocaine. You can taste lots of wines before settling on one or going for a flight. So so lovely ;) read more

This place was absolutely amazing! We were looking for a place on our drive back home and found this beautiful place ! There was live music and Andrea was just lovely and made us feel so special on our anniversary date. read more

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We dined here 6-9 months ago and food was delicious. We returned for some paella. There's a new cheap looking menu and no paella. Most of the month watering dishes were gone too. Patatas were bland and not even similar to the ones you get in Spain. My friend ordered the $36 cod fish that came with a ridiculously small piece of fish. The $38 NY strip was chewy and fatty. Don't waste your time and money here. We won't be going back. read more

Had the chicken entree and creme brûlée. Both were fantastic. Highly recommend coming here. read more

Solterra Winery & Kitchen - Chicken. Superb. - Wine Bars Near Me - Encinitas, California

If I could give 10 stars, I would! We hosted my 30th birthday party here and it was absolutely perfect! Alex was the easiest to work with and she made sure all of our expectations were met. Her & Jade were there during the entire event and all our guests were raving about how accommodating they were. As normal, all of the food was delicious and everyone loved the wine selection. Outside of our event, we frequent for our own little family Sunday's and the occasional happy hour and it is the same experience every single time. There are a lot of places that claim to be similar but I have yet to experience anywhere with the same ambiance, service and quality. Highly recommend coming for anything from a simple date night to a private event. read more