A Divine Experience at DeVINE

Restaurant Review

If you are in the mood for a special dining experience, you should check out the amazing cuisine and atmosphere at DeVINE in Redding, located at the former View 202 location, at 202 Hemsted Drive, overlooking the Sacramento River. My husband and I recently wanted to treat ourselves after having an especially busy week of babysitting, shuttling grandkids to and from their activities, and working late into the night at our computers. We only had time for lunch on a Monday and were trying to figure out what would be open in Redding that day. We were surprised to see that DeVine was open, so we headed over there to check out the new restaurant, which has only been open since February.

DeVINE is the heartfelt creation of Kenny and Megan Elwood, owners of the historic Elwood Ranch — a multi-generational family operation with roots in Northern California dating back to 1862.

For over 150 years, the Elwood family has been careful stewards of the land across Shasta and Siskiyou Counties, raising high-quality Angus cattle and Boer goats with a focus on regenerative practices, superior genetics, and local processing. Kenny and Megan, who lead the ranch today alongside longtime partners like the Harrison family, bring that same commitment to excellence from pasture to plate.

Upon entering DeVINE, you are instantly impressed by the interior's elegance, with new, fashionable chandeliers that create an upscale, refined atmosphere. The floor-to-ceiling windows frame a soul-stirring vista of river, mountains, and lush greenery, reminding us of nature’s grandeur and how it can uplift the heart and inspire the spirit. We were immediately seated at a lovely table and given two menus: a lunch menu and a special of the day menu, so there were plenty of items to choose from. I am gluten intolerant, so I checked with our kind and attentive waiter, John, about what was available for me, and was happy to hear they offered gluten-free pasta. My husband was interested in the mussels as a starter, but they were out of those; however, they did have black clams. A beautiful bowl of focaccia bread was presented with a quite large bowl of olive oil, balsamic, infused with garlic and herbs. My husband was in heaven! I was envious but happy for him at the same time. Oh, how we gluten-intolerants must adapt to life without that fresh, soft, homebaked bread - I even dream about it still on occasion.

My starter was the Soup of the Day - Italian Wedding Soup, which was such a large portion that I couldn't finish it. The broth was absolutely amazing, with those tasty meatballs and kale. I wasn't expecting the shredded chicken in the soup, but it was also tasty. I would have been happier with less chicken and more meatballs!

My husband reported that the steamed clams were cooked to a tender perfection, infused with the flavor of wonderful herbs, butter, and garlic.

Next on the menu was the Italian Hero with crushed oven-roasted potatoes for my husband and the Gluten-Free Pasta with Pesto and Chicken for me. Both were very well prepared and delicious!

You can really appreciate the attention to detail in both the atmosphere, food preparation, presentation, and service. This was truly a 5-star experience, and we both can't wait to return for dinner sometime soon. The Italian flavors were authentic, and the quality of the ingredients was evident. Lunch for the two of us came to around $100 with tip, a bit pricey for lunch, but the quality was outstanding, so well worth it in our opinion!