With its cottage-core waterwheel and vine-strewn trellises, Juan Alonso’s Le Chêne has been SCV’s most elegant restaurant for two decades. For a perfect night, take your French onion soup and duck l’orange (Alonso apprenticed in France) on the patio surrounded by centennial oaks, then walk the river-rock pathways with a glass of Agua Dulce wine.

Don’t get confused by the two Wolf Creek locations — head to the restaurant on McBean Parkway for the “famous desserts.” The smartest scenario is to take dinner at the restaurant (country-fried chicken with sun-dried tomato brie sauce never fails), have a quick bite of Meghan’s seasonal banana bread ale cake if it’s available, then pop over to the brewery location for a night of cornhole and locally-made brews.

The post-modern dishes offered at this pan-Mexican kitchen and bar have been local favorites since opening in 2000. The sopa de tortilla comes deconstructed and served like high tea, adding a dose of charm to a beloved standard. Sabor also makes its own delectable margarita mixes, a perfect left-field treat for parties. 

Sandwiched between a laser tag emporium and a yoga studio, Pink Salt might seem inconspicuous to the naked eye but it’s a haven for Filipino food lovers. Dine on the spacious outdoor patio on warm summer days. The oxtail-filled kare kare stew and the chocolate meat dinuguan are particularly special.

When Angie Caruso and her family converted Caruso’s Deli into Piccola Trattoria, Canyon Country residents were alarmed at the loss of a wonderful sandwich spot. However, their concerns were unfounded as Piccola Trattoria emerged as a champion of fine Italian cuisine, with an array of Sicilian signatures and some of the best hand-made pasta in Southern California. Just be prepared to dream about the mezzelune di crostacei for the rest of your days.

A few things make this humble little diner an essential visit for any Angeleno. For starters, it’s the oldest restaurant in LA, having served the likes of John Wayne and Theodore Roosevelt since opening in 1886. It’s also beloved by locals and tourists who make regular pilgrimages to the Railroad Avenue outpost. Breakfast at Saugus Cafe feels like a hug from an old friend. 

This relative newcomer on Newhall’s Western Walk of Stars is flush with good vibes, easy charm, and great food. Everything on the menu is scratch-made, including salad dressings and baked goods. Draconum’s specializes in beer infusions and batters, which is evident in its exceptional Saison cheese and guacamole-loaded “totchos.”

With 101 specialty omelettes on the menu, there is a dish for every taste at this booming vintage eatery on the outskirts of Old Town Newhall. Though the menu includes cafe standards, Egg Plantation’s owners Shannon and Simon Mee embrace a more left-field, genre-busting approach to breakfast. Customer favorites include item #93, a cherry pie dessert omelette; Angelita’s special, a peanut butter-stuffed french toast fried in egg; and for the day-drinkers, the spiciest Bloody Mary in town.

At the forefront of Santa Clarita’s increasingly crowded gastropub scene is this stylish wood-paneled spot on Main Street. Newhall Refinery’s opening in 2013 under Egg Plantation masterminds Shannon and Simon Mee kickstarted a culinary revolution in Old Town Newhall. Now under new ownership and with a redesigned interior, Newhall Refinery is the Valley’s strongest date night spot.