Bringing authentic Spanish flavor to Pine Avenue for the past decade, the vibrant restaurant, bar and nightclub is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month in Long Beach, plus nearly 30 years since the business was first started in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter.
Danielle, Jenn, Rebecca, Casey, Stephen and Taylor are cruising toward the downtown waterfront, their six- person blind date already underfoot. The women are friends with each other, as are the men, but the two non- Valentine-having trios met each other for the first time only about an hour ago.
The first thing you notice about Café Sevilla is its overwhelming ambience. There are lights strung across the Riverside restaurant, star-shaped lanterns hanging from the ceiling and a beautiful floor-to-ceiling mural of a Spanish neighborhood. When our photographer and I arrived around 10 a.m., the whole restaurant was filled with golden SoCal morning light filtering through huge windows. The musician was warming up with his guitar while we settled into the former 1920s tractor showroom that was converted into a beautiful two-story restaurant.
Cafe Sevilla, one of Riverside’s most well known restaurants has a gorgeous new tapas bar! Featuring plush booths that seat up to eight people, with an extended bar and plenty of additional bar seating, Cafe Sevilla is the place to visit with family or friends! Feast on delicious Tapas as you sip Sangria and dance the night away on their new dance floor, or enjoy any number of their new musical acts appearing on their brand-new stage!
When I was younger, I used to be a bouncer in many different areas from Los Angeles to Riverside. So, when I heard I was being sent to Cafe Sevilla in Riverside, many memories come flashing back of the lively nightlife events that went on when bouncing at the Sevilla Nightclub. With a small appetite but hunger to find out what great Spanish fair was being made in the kitchen, I was looking forward to trying authentic tastes.
It’s sunset on Fifth, Friday night. Gaslamp’s rocking. Pedicabs strain by with tourists squeezed three across in the back and reggae music blasting out. The cyclo guy’s calf muscles bulge as he hauls his load up the slope.
Café Sevilla is serving lunch again in hopes of wooing Riverside’s downtown business crowd. After canning its mid-day menu seven years ago, the Spanish restaurant is experimenting with lighter fare with smaller portions, salads ($8 to $15) and sandwiches ($12 to $14), 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. The flatbread ($11) topped with grilled veggies was flat-out terrific.
The hottest night club and restaurant in the Gaslamp just got a lot hotter. It’s the new location of the famous Cafe Sevilla at 353 Fifth Ave. Their three floors of dining and live entertainment have it all including flamenco dancing and the liveliest nightclub in the Gaslamp Quarter. Plus, they have a sensational restaurant featuring delicious tapas and authentic Spanish cuisine.
Whether it’s for an anniversary, Valentine’s Day, or simply a romantic evening out on the town, our list of Inland Empire’s most romantic restaurants will help you sweep your loved one off their feet. Chosen for their ambiance, reputation from locals, dark corners for nuzzling, and of course delicious dishes, you can count on any of these fine dining venues to provide a relaxing and romantic evening.
Taking from its many classic Spanish tapas – or appetizers – and other innovative specialties, Café Sevilla in Riverside has packaged a distinctive lunch menu that includes a choice of five “bites” and a small green salad. The menu not only offers diners a unique meal, but also an introduction to a wide variety of tastes.
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