Fiery sunset over the vineyard at Hill Top Winery in Valley Center, California

Valley Center · California

Stone, fire & wine
music as the sun sets.

Chef Pablo Ranea cooks Argentina over open flame. Empanadas, asado, and wine by the glass, on a hilltop of vines above Valley Center.

Reserve a table → Live music
4.5★ on Google Open Thursday – Sunday 30801 Valley Center Rd

Meet the chef

Chef Pablo Ranea holding a glass of red wine at Hill Top Winery
Head Chef
Pablo Ranea
Mendoza, Argentina

Argentine cuisine

Argentine fire, on the Hill Top.

Asado, empanadas & dulce de leche. Refined.

Pablo Ranea carries Mendoza with him: a chef who cooks with smoke and embers, then plates with a quiet, exacting hand. Salsa criolla and llajua, grilled octopus, handmade orecchiette, Uruguayan skirt steak. Argentine soul, Valley Center roots.

Live-fire asado Handmade empanadas Dulce de leche Sunday brunch
Reserve a table Follow @pabloranea

From the chef · @pabloranea

See the feed →
Pablo Ranea, a Michelin moment
Sambayón dessert by Pablo Ranea
Dulce de leche
Grilled mollejas over fire
Golden-hour plating
A Pablo Ranea pop-up in New York
Chirimoya fruit
Cooking in California
From Pablo Ranea's kitchen

Guest reviews

Five stars, again and again.

4.5 ★★★★★★★★★★ Read on Google →

★★★★★

Lovely winery with a fantastic view and an impressive gastropub menu. Very unstuffy staff and service. We loved the empanadas, and the seasoned butter served with the bread was fantastic. The pairing with such an amazing sunset view reminds you that some outings are about the experience. Beautiful building, heaters and blankets on the patio, and dog friendly.

Shannon Lee Blas-Blair · Google

★★★★★

Had dinner at Hill Top tonight. Great outdoor space, live music, sample wines. The chef came out, explained the dishes and even offered samples of homemade ice cream. The sisters who own the winery were there to meet, greet and join you on the dance floor.

Cindy Peters · Google

★★★★★

We came for the first time for Valentine's Day. The food was delicious and the wine, we have no words other than extraordinary. My husband doesn't normally like white wine, and we ended up taking a bottle home. It was unlike any white we've ever had. We can't wait to come back!

Iris Mendez · Google

★★★★★

Had such an amazing time at this winery. The food was incredible. Those Argentine empanadas (beef, chorizo and veggie) were out of this world, and the Uruguayan skirt steak was unreal. Can't wait to go back and try more from the menu.

Alejandro Cohen · Google

★★★★★

Went to enjoy some wine and food with the family and Hill Top did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend going back and trying a flight. The charcuterie board and hummus were great.

Paul Fornaciari · Google

★★★★★

Gorgeous, and such a unique view of Valley Center. I did not get a chance to try the menu this evening, but that gives me a perfect excuse to come back.

Maira Resendiz · Google

Wine & tasting

The perfect pairing with your meal.

Made in Valley Center: reds with sun in them, whites with air. Sit for a flight beside the fire, or take a bottle home.

Reserve a tasting →
A flight of Hill Top wine against the vineyard sunset
A flight, as the sun sets
Hill Top Winery bottles

Reds

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Merlot
  • Ranch House Red Signature blend
  • Sangiovese
  • Syrah
  • Tempranillo
  • Zinfandel

Whites & Rosés

  • Chardonnay
  • Viognier
  • Pinot Gris
  • Grenache Rosé
  • Tempranillo Rosé
Oak barrels in the Hill Top cellar
Aged in oak
Grapes on the vine
From the vine
Hill Top tasting glasses at golden hour
Poured at golden hour
The Hill Top cellar, barrels and tanks
In the cellar

Meet the winemaker

Steve Michaliszyn, winemaker at Hill Top Winery, tasting a glass in the cellar
Winemaker
Steve Michaliszyn
Hill Top Winery

Grape to glass

A lifetime with the vine.

French roots, California barrels.

Steve Michaliszyn has spent his life around wine, from walking French vineyards with his father as a boy to making it his craft and running his own California label. At Hill Top he is hands-on from crush to bottle, blending and barrel-aging with a practiced eye to draw the most out of Valley Center fruit. Steve also leads the winery tours, walking guests out to the barrels and tanks where every bottle begins.

Winery tours Cellar to glass Hands-on winemaking
Reserve a tasting Follow @smichaliszyn

Wine club

Join the cellar.

Two ways in: one bottle a month, or a quarterly case with the keys to everything. Skip, pause, or cancel anytime.

Most popular
Black Estate Wine Club
$220/ quarter

Four bottles a quarter, and the keys to everything.

  • ◆ 4 bottles per quarter
  • ◆ 20% off everything
  • ◆ Access to signature & limited bottlings
  • ◆ 2 complimentary tastings or 2 glasses monthly
  • ◆ Free shipping up to $20
  • ◆ Invitations to winemaker dinners, concerts & private events
Join the Black Estate
Hill Top Social Club
$50/ month

One bottle of your choice, every month.

  • ◆ 1 bottle of your choice monthly
  • ◆ 10% off all wine & food
  • ◆ Winery pickup
  • ◆ Skip, pause, or cancel anytime
Join the Social Club

Live music

Music as the sun sets.

As the light turns amber, a band sets up on the Hill Top. Pour a glass, hold your table, and stay for the whole set.

♪ Sunset sets · 4:30 – 7:30 PM

The patio at Hill Top Winery, where live music plays

Coming up

Next show announcing soon

Live music on the patio as the sun sets. The next lineup drops here first.

Hill Top Patio

A couple at their Hill Top Winery wedding in the vineyard
A wedding reception under string lights at dusk on the Hill Top patio
A vineyard wedding ceremony at Hill Top Winery

Private events & weddings

Your night, by firelight.

Vineyard rows, open flame, and a band as the sky goes amber. We host weddings, milestone celebrations, and private gatherings built around fire, wine, and music at sunset.

◆ Hill Top vineyard setting, ceremony to last pour

◆ Hill Top wines and live-fire asado catering

◆ Live music and firelight as the sun sets

Plan your event →

Special events

One-night-only on the Hill Top.

Movie nights, comedy, and seasonal one-offs. A rotating calendar of reasons to come back to the Hill Top. Here's what's coming up.

The patio at Hill Top Winery Announcing soon

Coming up

Next event announcing soon

Movie nights, comedy and seasonal one-offs on the Hill Top. Dates drop here first.

◆ Check back soon

Succulent Pumpkin Workshop flyer by Bellani Floral and Events at Hill Top Winery
hilltop.winery Join us for a Succulent Pumpkin Workshop by Bellani Floral & Events! Create your own succulent pumpkin while enjoying two glasses of wine.
Poached egg on avocado toast from Sunday brunch at Hill Top
hilltop.winery Sunday brunch, the Hill Top way. Good food, good wine, and a table worth lingering around.
Movie night tickets for Guardians of the Galaxy at Hill Top
hilltop.winery A movie night, the Hill Top way. Golden skies, a glass of wine, and dinner under the stars.
Two glasses of red wine raised in a toast at Hill Top
hilltop.winery Wine, food, music & sunset. Everything you need for a perfect weekend at Hill Top Winery.
The Hill Top Winery building on the hill in Valley Center
hilltop.winery This is Hill Top Experience, at Valley Center, CA. You are welcome to enjoy with us.
Sunset over the vineyard hills at Hill Top
hilltop.winery Your weekend plans are up here. Three days, three ways to enjoy Hill Top.
Argentine empanadas and bread served at Hill Top
hilltop.winery Thursday is coming back. Argentine food, great wine, and golden hour views.
Popcorn, candy and a bottle of wine for movie night under the stars
hilltop.winery Friday nights are for movies under the stars.

Visit

Find us on the Hill Top.

Hours
Thursday11 AM – 8 PM
Friday11 AM – 8 PM
Saturday11 AM – 8 PM
Sunday10 AM – 6 PM · Brunch from open
Mon – WedClosed

Kitchen closes 7:30 PM Thu–Sat, 5:30 PM Sun.

Address
30801 Valley Center Road
Valley Center, CA 92082
Call
(760) 913-1013  ·  reservations
Reserve a table Get directions

Good to know

Frequently asked.

Where is Hill Top Winery?

Hill Top Winery sits on a vineyard hilltop at 30801 Valley Center Road, Valley Center, CA 92082, in North County San Diego, about 45 minutes from downtown San Diego and a short drive from Escondido.

What kind of food does Hill Top serve?

Live-fire Argentine cooking by Chef Pablo Ranea of Mendoza: handmade empanadas, provoleta, grilled octopus, Uruguayan skirt steak, Argentinian ribeye, and dulce de leche, with chimichurri and salsa criolla on the table.

When is the live music?

Live music plays on the patio as the sun sets, 4:30 to 7:30 PM. See the live music schedule for upcoming dates.

Do you take reservations?

Yes. You can reserve a table online, or call us at (760) 913-1013.

Are you open for brunch?

Yes, Hill Top serves brunch on Sundays. The winery and kitchen are open Thursday through Sunday.

Can I host a wedding or private event?

Yes. Hill Top hosts weddings, private parties, and occasional pop-up dinners on the vineyard. Plan yours through the events page or by calling the winery.