Experience Butcher-to-Table Dining at This New River Street Marketplace Destination
Step into The Market by The Meat Cellar, and it’s clear—this is more than just a restaurant. It’s a culinary destination, a gathering place and a love letter to quality food and community. Now open at San Juan Capistrano’s River Street Marketplace, this hybrid steakhouse, butcher counter, and retail space is the second concept from husband-and-wife duo Anthony and Sara Villegas, who first brought their butcher-driven vision to life in Claremont in 2016.
“The goal was always to create a home away from home,” says Anthony. And with its welcoming atmosphere, next-level food and community-driven ethos, The Market by The Meat Cellar does just that.
At its core, The Market by The Meat Cellar is an experience—one that starts the moment you walk through the doors. Natural light floods the entryway of this new restaurant in Orange County, illuminating a curated selection of boutique homewares, fine wines and pantry staples arranged on farmhouse-style shelves. Then there’s the butcher counter, a stunning display of humanely raised meats, fresh seafood and gourmet cheeses. Whether you’re picking up Japanese Kagoshima Wagyu Ribeye for a home-cooked meal or letting the pros handle the searing with a chef-prepared Butcher Board, every cut is top-tier and hand-selected.
But the real magic happens in the main dining room, where the scratch kitchen delivers on every level. The menu at this San Juan Capistrano restaurant is chef-driven and downright indulgent, with standouts like the Fancy Burger (house-ground Wagyu, caramelized onion, bacon jam and Gruyère on a brioche bun) and cherrywood-smoked Sapphire salmon, plated alongside celery root purée, farro and apple slaw. And let’s talk about the steak: cooked to perfection, seasoned with the signature ‘TMC’ blend, and finished with bone marrow butter for that next-level flavor.
Of course, no meal is complete without the right pour. The Market’s craft cocktail menu holds its own, offering unique sips like the Cynar Julep (grapefruit, mint and cynar) and the Barrel Aged Mezcal Negroni, where agave meets chocolate and orange bitters. And soon, brunch lovers will have even more to love. Think crème brûlée French toast, eggs Benedict, and Dungeness crab Louie cups, served alongside house-made Scarlett Beet Hummus and lemon curd-topped rustic toast.
For the Villegas, this space is personal. It’s a place for friends and family to gather, learn, and connect—whether that means discovering a new cooking technique from the butcher, picking up a unique kitchen gadget, or simply lingering over a meal with loved ones. Every detail at this San Juan Capistrano restaurant tells a story, from the custom mural featuring the family’s boat and the town’s iconic swallows to the 1860s French baking table that survived a Texas flood. Even the retro “Cocktail” sign—which once hung on the Venice Boardwalk in the 1950s—carries a piece of history, making this new River Street Marketplace destination a must-visit.
The Market by The Meat Cellar
31864 Paseo Adelanto, Ste 105
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
949.503.1548
@themarketbythemeatcellar
