Central Coast
In Pismo's neighboring Arroyo Grande, Doc’s scoops up fantastical flavors like Merlot raspberry truffle and the ‘Elvis Special’ (peanut butter with banana…
Must-see restaurants in Central Coast
Central Coast
The most stylish of the restaurants along Capitola's oceanfront, Sotola's menu is filled with local produce and cosmopolitan culinary influences. Look…
Big Sur
This modern roadhouse glows with color-splashed artwork and an outdoor fire pit. At riverside tables, fork into upscale California-inspired pub grub like…
Central Coast
Cinnamon rolls are temptation in its purest form, and the gooey goodness of these handcrafted buns has proved irresistible since the 1980s. No matter if…
Central Coast
Stop for lunch at this quirky Mexican restaurant inside a Frida Kahlo–esque art gallery. Spanish and Cuban flavours also feature – try the Prawns Ibiza –…
Central Coast
Seriously addictive cookies are baked in all sorts of flavors including almond, citrus, cocoa, coconut-lime and original butter. Buy a bagful to provide…
Central Coast
Fork into diner-style breakfasts of fruity pancakes, crepes and egg skillets, or turn up later in the day for handcrafted sandwiches and market-fresh…
Central Coast
Devour buckets of crab, mussels, squid, scallops and prawns covered in San Francisco–style cioppino sauce at this warehouse-sized eatery right by the…
Monterey
Sweet and savory, all-American breakfasts and lunches and bottomless pitchers of coffee merrily weigh down outdoor tables at this cafe uphill from the…
Central Coast
A firm local favorite, the bustling Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria has a deli for assembling beach picnics, and plenty of tasty counter food for takeout…
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Rustic French comfort food using seasonal local ingredients and an open kitchen baking wood-fired-oven pizzas packs couples into this bistro. Excellent…
Big Sur
Put together a picnic of freshly made sandwiches from this family-owned deli paired with drinks and chips from the attached store, which also carries…
Central Coast
Pretty Good Advice combines a fun ambience with modern takes on sandwiches and burgers – try the Timo Time with kimchi, a fried egg and crispy potato –…
Santa Cruz
Vegan and organic ingredients all feature, but there's absolutely no trade-off in flavor with Buttercup's cupcakes and desserts. The downtown location is…
Central Coast
A few miles east of Capitola in Aptos, Aptos St BBQ pairs smoked tri-tip beef and pulled pork with 37 different California craft beers on tap and live…
Carmel-by-the-Sea
ROUX combines French and Spanish flavors amid their shaded garden setting. Try the 'Surf & Turf' paella for two people. Reservations are recommended for…
Central Coast
Housed in a heritage building dating from 1874, the Cremer House combines excellent seasonal menus with a diverse list of Californian wines and craft…
Central Coast
With local farmers, food booths and rockin' live music, this outdoor street party takes over downtown’s oceanfront promenade weekly from spring to fall.
Monterey
Rain or shine, head downtown on Tuesdays for farm-fresh fruit and veggies, artisan cheeses, international food stalls and a scrumptious 'baker's alley.'
San Luis Obispo
The Bear & the Wren was a popular SLO foodtruck that's now graduated to a bricks and mortar location serving standout wood-fired pizza.
Santa Cruz
Organic and local produce, natural-foods groceries and deli take-out meals in the middle of downtown Santa Cruz.
Central Coast
About 2 miles north of Morro Bay, this humble 'temple' in a supermarket parking lot is often packed to the rafters with everyone from starving surfers to…
Big Sur
The view-friendly restaurant at Treebones Resort serves up decent burgers and Vietnamese-style sandwiches for lunch before graduating to steak, chicken…
Santa Cruz
Across the street from the beach boardwalk, this locavorian kitchen puts together creative sandwiches such as beet with lemony couscous or 'fancy pants'…
Central Coast
Hand-made furnishings, antiques and decor imported from Mexico fill this Baja-style seafood joint and tequila bar. Smoky, spicy and fruity cocktails wash…
Big Sur
Behind the Shell station, this warmly lit, funky house has seasonally changing menus, on which wood-fired pizzas share space with rustic dishes like…
Big Sur Lodge Restaurant & General Store
Big Sur
Inside Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, pull up a wooden table in the cabin-esque dining room or on an outdoor riverside deck to fill up on wild salmon,…
Santa Cruz
Inside the Reef bar, this kitchen runs on 'island time' as it mixes up your fresh ahi tuna, salmon, shellfish or veggie poke (cubed raw salad) in a bowl…
San Luis Obispo
Big Sky is a big room, and still the wait can be long – its tagline is ‘analog food for a digital world.’ Vegetarians have almost as many options as…
Central Coast
Crowded with locals, this shingled late-19th-century house dishes up comfort food with haute touches, like cinnamon-brioche French toast, grilled eggplant…
Central Coast
In Pismo's next-door town of Grover Beach, this nouveau-Thai restaurant is splashed with tropical colors. Making side trips into Asian fusion, it caters…
Monterey
Watch otters play outside the bay-view windows at this floating seafood kitchen on the wharf. Stick with the classics like creamy clam chowder, grilled…
Central Coast
Over in the East Village, pull up a barstool and order a burger while you watch big-screen sports TVs, or reserve a table in the contemporary-casual…
Big Sur Burrito Bar & General Store
Big Sur
Order a San Francisco–sized burrito or wrap sandwich with a fresh-fruit smoothie from the back of the Big Sur River Inn's well-stocked general store,…
Central Coast
Clam chowder and cioppino are standouts at this seriously old-school seafood restaurant at the tip of Harford Pier. A few tables have see-through glass…
San Luis Obispo
If you can stomach huge lines, long waits for a table, and sports-bar-style service, you’ll get to sink your teeth into an authentic Santa Maria–style tri…
San Luis Obispo
A long saloon-style bar where locals mingle with serious cocktails, and a casual Californian menu – try the lobster and shrimp risotto or the signature…
Central Coast
Off Hwy 101, this authentic Mexican grocery store and butcher's deli makes savory tortas (sandwiches), wet burritos and street-food tacos (the al pastor…
Central Coast
On Main St in the heart of downtown Salinas, this storefront Mexican kitchen gets a spicy stamp of approval for handmade tortillas, smoky chipotle salsa,…
