Restaurants in Hemet

For The Gourmet Pizza Shoppe owners Bill, Don, and Scott, the standard assortment of pizza toppings isn't enough. Though pepperoni, sausage, and black olives are certainly part of its repertoire, the trio also stocks exotic ingredients such as mashed potatoes, peanut butter, and crabmeat—making a total of more than 120 toppings. Strewn across dough made fresh each day, these morsels form custom build-your-own pies or dozens of specialty pizzas, ranging from classic eggplant parmesan to the out-there Mini Pearl, loaded with country gravy, mashed potatoes, and fried chicken.

At both locations, taps pour out more than 20 regional microbrews, including several from the Hangar 24 Craft Brewery in Redlands. After meals, customers can request six types of dessert pizzas to adorn the tables' green-gingham tablecloths or their imaginary pet dragons' green-gingham tongues.

If its bright-orange accent wall and abundant sunlight don't adequately awaken visitors, Berrybean Café's staff will—the knowledgeable baristas and cooks take pride in their ability to recommend the espresso drink, fresh salad, or made-to-order panini a guest is unwittingly craving. Baristas concoct a full menu of iced, blended, and hot beverages with Lavazza coffee, as well as create new caffeine cocktails on the fly for adventurous customers. To put coffee vigor to good use, the shop also invites guests to mouth-trumpet Sousa tunes on open-mic nights.

Sandwiches rarely outlive football teams. But consider The Sub Station an exception, as it was founded in 1972, when UCR's football team was still charging the field and shipping its players off to the pros. Founded by Richard Munio right after he returned from service in Vietnam, the 40-year old eatery boasts a long, proud tradition as a collegiate staple that has endured alongside the shop's chairs, benches, and patio, which were all handcrafted by the owner and his carpenter dad, and remain in the eatery to this very day.

Tradition plays a big role in the menu as well, as the years have overseen generations of "subbers" stuffing bread with capicola, salami, and ham, lining the creations with slices of provolone cheese and topping them all off with their secret Italian-style sauce. Alongside hot and cold subs, vegetarian sandwiches pair marinated cucumbers with avocados and melted cheeses, and salads and soups hover at the periphery of the menu, keeping company with sides such as garlic cheese bread. As diners feast in the original furnishings or gather on the outdoor patio, they can toast bottled and tap beers to the eatery's storied history or ponder a new menu of coffee drinks, available with or without cheese.

At La Riviera Family Pizza, chefs slather homemade sourdough crust with marinara, artichoke, or pesto sauce before piling on toppings such as whole-milk mozzarella cheese, salami, and sundried tomatoes. Gourmet toppings also fill calzones, which ooze with a blend of melted mozzarella, provolone, and ricotta cheeses. Other Italian specialties include homemade pasta dishes such as lasagna and ravioli and sandwiches such as meatball subs and roast beef au jus.

It's almost a tradition now: seasoned staff members of Krony's Pizza love the business so much that they open their own location. After three decades, this rite of passage has brought Krony's third location from its home in upstate New York to the West coast. Amid bright orange walls and checkered floors, homemade pizzas depart the oven steaming in white, pink, or red sauce beside hot subs, hearty wraps, and fresh salads. The eatery's free WiFi allows easy access to email or pointers on protecting the roof of one's mouth from impatient chomping on too-hot pizza.

The Sesma family has permeated the colorful dining area of Guacamoles with the tempting fragrances of fresh and authentic Mexican fare for more than 20 years, and along the way has won the admiration of reporters from Eye on the Desert. Drawing from decades of Mexican cooking and restaurant experience, Tony and Artemisa Sesma curate an eclectic menu that catalogs a selection of tacos, burritos, and traditional dishes. Several vegetarian and low-calorie items create culinary diversity, and a fresh salsa bar showcases seven choices of red and green salsas, the two colors most frequently mentioned in lawsuits involving Santa Claus. The bright blue tables that accouter indoor and outdoor patio seating areas encourage conversational lunchtime lingering, and the restaurant radiates a warm, communal atmosphere with a family staff, vibrant artwork, and an absence of conversationally challenged stone gargoyles.