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By Jessyka Heredia
January 23, 2024 (Lemon Grove) – The age-old question always comes up: what do you want for dinner? Look no further than Lemon Grove Bistro located at 3308 Main Street in what used to be the cherished Sonka’s General Store in 1944 and the Lemon Grove Pastry Shop of years past.
The historical building. dating back to 1912, boasts a mural with a timeline of the history of Lemon Grove from indigenous times to today. During the construction and preparation for the opening of the bistro, the Lemon Grove Historical society removed and restored the murals to protect them from damage. Now it’s a new beginning that is already a hit in the neighborhood.
When you walk into this European bistro, you are immediately greeted at the door and taken to your seat. The staff was helpful with explaining the extensive beer and wine menu, as well as what to pair it with. I enjoyed a tall pint of their house brew called Lost Coast IPA and my guest sipped a glass of pinot noir by Old Soul Vinyard.
For your dining experience you can enjoy the indoor dining area, a dog friendly patio on the street side as you watch the trolley move along, or an enclosed patio that is large with shade, heaters, and a very special garden where they harvest fresh ingredients to prepare their dishes. Families will love this patio so the kids can play and be safely enclosed, while enjoying a beautiful day in the city that boasts the “Best Climate on Earth”
garden was a project put together by two community garden groups, the Busy Bee Garden Coop and the Lemon Grove Garden and Nature Club. Together they established a sustainable, edible garden with local native pollinators to encourage awareness and functionality.
One of the best parts about Lemon Grove bistro are the owners Frederik Selchau and Rashid Wahidi. Wahidi is the head chef and is likely in the back preparing your dish. Wahidi will often be spotted checking on the guest to be sure you are happy with his creations. Selchau will greet you at the door most often.
Wahidi was culinary trained in London and brings his travels to four different continents to you.
Selchau was born in Denmark and now resides right here in Lemon Grove. He too has traveled and 
cooked in other countries like the UK, US and Denmark. His attention to detail and a desire to provide a quality dining experience will make you feel like family.
The dishes take you on a culinary tour through Europe, with dishes such as a Spanish Paella Valenciana, Seared Scottish Salmon, French CoQ Au Vin, Italian Chicken Picatta and more.
Have a fussy eater or kids in the group? Not to worry, Lemon Grove Bistro has you covered with wings and several burgers and flatbreads to choose from. They even have a children’s menu.
The bistro has happy hour Tuesday through Friday, from 2:30 p.m. till 5:00 p.m. where you can grab a burger and a beer for only $16. There are also combos with wine and wings and flatbreads to choose from on the happy hour menu.
I ordered the Fisherman’s Stew served with homemade levain bread. You might ask for an extra piece as the broth was so good you will not want to waste a drop. The lovely grilled lemon adds an extra acidity to balance out the wonderful broth and the garlic. This portion was very generous, and I struggled to get that last bite. This stew is jammed packed with large pieces of salmon, shrimp, clams, mussels as well as the catch of the day.
My guest enjoyed the slow braised short ribs with its rich red wine demi-glace, a huge portion of parmesan mashed potatoes and perfectly grilled heirloom carrots. This dish is sure to fulfill the biggest appetite, leaving you with that good warm comfort food feeling.
Little did we know that the star of the show would be dessert. There are plenty of choices from pear- apple cobbler to gelato, crème brulee or chocolate budino. My guest and I opted for of course the Lemon Bar. I have tried many lemon desserts in Lemon Grove, but this was by far the best one yet. A delicious gluten free treat with the perfect blend of lemons and berries and a touch of powdered sugar. You’ll be sure to share this with friends as the slice is big and the tingling in the back of your jaw will have you wanting more.
The Lemon Grove Bistro offers catering and plans to host events and live music in the future. They even kept a spot in the massive kitchen to bring back a portion of the old bakery, so stay tuned for more from the owners.
Lemon Grove Bistro is a community gathering spot where you can sit at the bar and watch the ball game or take in the sights of the downtown area from the front. There is something for the whole family, no matter what they want for dinner. Nyde! (Enjoy in Danish.)
Lemon Grove Bistro located at 3308 Main Street Lemon Grove, Ca. 91945
Visit their website at : https://grovebistro.com/
Hours are 11:30 a.m. till 9:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Mondays.
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