Small Barn
Small Barn feels like the home of a wine-country family who happens to cook beautifully — and in a sense, that is exactly what it is. The bistro occupies a historic Old Town homestead and is run by owners with deep roots in Temecula’s farms and vineyards.
The Knott homestead
The building’s history reaches back more than a century. Al Knott bought the Temecula Iron Works site in 1912, and the Knott family operated businesses there for nearly fifty years. Visit Temecula Valley notes that the Knott House at Old Town Front and Fifth Streets dates to 1913. The Gibson family purchased the property in 2018 and transformed it into Small Barn, preserving the homestead’s character while giving it a new life as a bistro.
The owners say they have made Temecula home for more than twenty-five years as greenhouse growers, vineyard owners, vintners and neighbors, and Small Barn Winery has produced wine from their vineyard since 2009.
What to eat
Small Barn describes its food as globally inspired wine-country fare: classic, elegant and rustic, with an emphasis on locally sourced products. Expect seasonal dishes designed to pair with wine, drawing on the produce and flavors of Southern California. With the owners’ own wines on hand, it is one of the few Old Town restaurants where you can drink from the same family’s vineyard that is behind the kitchen.
The setting
The wraparound porch is one of the loveliest places to eat in Old Town, especially on a warm evening, and the fireside lounge offers a cozy alternative on cooler nights. The combination of historic architecture, outdoor seating and an intimate interior makes Small Barn a natural choice for date nights and special occasions.
Tips for visiting
- Reserve — Small Barn accepts reservations, and porch tables are popular.
- Try the house wines from Small Barn Winery.
- Choose the fireside lounge on winter evenings.
- Explore the building — it is one of Old Town’s historic homes.
Who will love Small Barn
Couples, food lovers, history enthusiasts and anyone who wants an elegant but relaxed dinner in Old Town will love Small Barn. It is a lovely end to a chauffeured wine-country day — finish your tastings, watch the sunset from the back seat of the 1969 Cadillac, and arrive at a historic homestead for dinner on the porch.
For anniversaries, proposals and intimate celebrations, the setting does a lot of the work: a century-old home, a fire on a cool night and wine from the family’s own vineyard. Let us know your reservation time, and we will plan the drive so you arrive relaxed and on schedule.
Because it sits on Front Street, Small Barn also pairs easily with a pre-dinner stroll through Old Town or an after-dinner nightcap at a nearby wine bar.
Planning your visit
Temecula’s dining scene is busiest on Friday and Saturday evenings and during event weekends such as the Rod Run, Barrel Tasting and the holidays, so reserve ahead whenever a restaurant takes bookings. Many Old Town kitchens open their patios on warm evenings, and a table outside on Front Street is one of the best ways to people-watch. If you are pairing dinner with wine country, plan the tastings for the afternoon and dinner after sunset, and let a driver handle the gap between the two. Groups celebrating a birthday, bachelorette or rehearsal dinner should call ahead to ask about large-party seating, set menus and corkage if you are bringing a bottle from a winery visited that day. Parking in Old Town fills quickly on weekend nights, which is one more reason a chauffeured arrival is the relaxed option.
Best time to go
Weekday lunches and early dinners are the easiest times to get a table; Friday and Saturday evenings, holiday weekends and event days in Old Town are the busiest, so reserve ahead when you can.
Make a day of it
A sample Temecula day built around Small Barn:
- Late morning — chauffeured pickup at your hotel and a slow cruise up Rancho California Road.
- Afternoon — two winery tastings with a lunch stop in wine country.
- Golden hour — drop-off on Old Town Front Street for photos with the car.
- Evening — Small Barn, then a ride back to your hotel with the top down.
Small Barn at a glance
| Category | Modern bistro |
|---|---|
| Address | 28535 Old Town Front Street, Temecula, CA 92590 |
| Area | Old Town Temecula |
| Good to know | Wraparound porch; fireside lounge; reservations available |
| Website | smallbarn.com |
Getting to Small Barn in a 1969 Cadillac
Old Town Temecula is compact and walkable, but parking on Front Street fills quickly on weekends and during events. Arriving by chauffeured 1969 Cadillac solves that neatly: your driver drops you at the door, waits or circles back, and collects you when you are ready — and a red convertible on Front Street’s Western boardwalks makes for the most photographed arrival in town.
Chauffeured hire is $325 per hour with a three-hour minimum, booked and protected through DriveShare. Tell us where you want to go and we will build the route — Small Barn plus a winery or two, a sunset stop and a ride home.
Book the '69 Cadillac on DriveShare
More things to do nearby
- 1909 — restaurants
- Baily's Old Town Temecula — restaurants
- Luke's On Front — restaurants
- East Coffee — cafes & sweets
- Le Coffee Shop — cafes & sweets
All things to do in Temecula → · Month-by-month events calendar → · Temecula wineries →
Frequently asked questions
Where is Small Barn?
Small Barn is at 28535 Old Town Front Street, Temecula, CA 92590, in Old Town Temecula.
What is Small Barn known for?
Small Barn is known for globally inspired wine-country fare in a historic Old Town homestead once owned by the Knott family, with locally sourced ingredients, a wraparound porch, a fireside lounge, and its own Small Barn Winery wines.
Can I arrive at Small Barn in a classic car?
Yes. 1969 Caddy offers a chauffeured red 1969 Cadillac DeVille convertible from $325 per hour (three-hour minimum), booked on DriveShare. We plan the drop-off and pickup around Small Barn and can add nearby wineries to the same booking.
Arrive at Small Barn in style.
A chauffeured 1969 Cadillac convertible for your Temecula day — booked on DriveShare.