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The specialties at this casual, family-oriented restaurant in Ventura Harbor Village are fresh fish-and-chips and homemade clam chowder. After placing your order at the counter, you can sit outside on the patio and enjoy the view of the harbor and marina.
1449 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura, California, 93001, USA
Known For
- Harbor views
- Plates with locally caught grilled fish
- Wide-ranging menu of salads, burgers, chicken, and sides
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Locals flock to this two-story restaurant and sushi bar—famed for its wildly creative combination rolls and other delectables. Fans of authentic Japanese food sometimes disagree about the quality of the seafood, but all dishes are fresh and artfully presented.
1225 State St., Santa Barbara, California, 93101, USA
Known For
- Innovative creations
- Lively atmosphere
- Patio and second-floor balcony seating
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Spanish flavors and seafood combine with coastal California flair at this trendy downtown eatery. Menu items change with the season, but perennial favorites include dry-aged branzino, paella, or saffron buns with Santa Barbara sea urchin butter. For a special-occasion treat, order the chef’s five-course tasting menu for two ($185).
2375 Alamo Pintado Ave., Los Olivos, California, 93441, USA
Known For
- Small-farm oysters
- Scallop crudo
- Fried-chicken sandwich
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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Determined to push the boundaries of farm-to-table, Barbareño combines Santa Barbara and Central Coast history and traditions with fresh local ingredients to create inventive dishes, for example, uni caesar salad, acorn tagliatelle, local black cod in a pinquito miso sauce with wild onion and blackberries, and crispy Brussels sprouts in a sauce infused with Bragg vinegar and Ojai honey. It churns its own butter; bakes its own breads; makes condiments from scratch; and forages mushrooms, eucalyptus leaves, and other ingredients from the wild.
205 W. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara, California, 93101, USA
Known For
- Youthful, sophisticated vibe
- Extensive wine list focused on local, natural wines
- Seasonal menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch
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Family-friendly Big Sky turns local and organically grown ingredients into global dishes, starting with breakfast. Just pick your continent—braised Brazilian lamb shanks, Southeast Asian noodle bowls and crispy tempura cauliflower, Middle Eastern shakshuka, Spanish paella, Nashville fried chicken sandwich.
1121 Broad St., San Luis Obispo, California, 93401, USA
Known For
- Artsy, creative vibe
- Ample choices for vegetarians
- House-cured Reuben sandwich
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Owner-chef Laurent Grangien's handsome, welcoming French bistro occupies an 1890s brick building across from City Park. He focuses on traditional dishes such as duck confit, rack of lamb, and onion soup, but always prepares a few au courant daily specials as well.
1202 Pine St., Paso Robles, California, 93446, USA
Known For
- Classic French dishes
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Good selection of local and international wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Sun.
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Edging a ranch, citrus groves, and a seasonal garden that provides produce for menu items, the modest but cheery Boccali's attracts many loyal fans. When it's warm, you can dine alfresco in the oak-shaded patio and lawn area and sometimes listen to live music.
3277 Ojai Ave., Ojai, California, 93023, USA
Known For
- Family-run operation
- Hand-rolled pizzas and home-style pastas
- Seasonal strawberry shortcake
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon. and Tues.
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The outdoor tables at this casual harborside restaurant have perfect views of the marina and mountains. Staffers serve enormous, exceptionally fresh fish dishes, and if you walk in without a reservation, which are very limited, they will text you when your table's ready so you can stroll along the breakwater and explore the harbor while you wait.
119 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, California, 93109, USA
Known For
- Seafood salad and chowder
- Stellar clam bar
- Waitlist for walk-ins
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The Ventura outpost of the wildly popular Santa Barbara restaurant provides the same fresh seafood-oriented meals in a spacious second-story setting overlooking the harbor. Feast on everything from fish-and-chips and crab cakes to chowder and delectable fish—often straight from the boats moored below.
1559 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura, California, 93001, USA
Known For
- Lively atmosphere
- Harbor views
- Killer clam bar
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The fresh bounty of the Central Coast takes center stage at this hyperlocal eatery in a Victorian-era home in Cambria’s Old Village. Soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and small plates to share predominate here, but you can also order large comfort-food meals (roast chicken, eggplant cassoulet, Wagyu rib eye) for two persons.
4286 Bridge St., Cambria, California, 93428, USA
Known For
- Almost everything can be made gluten-free and dairy-free (just ask!)
- Tiny spicy meatballs, salt cod brandade
- Patio seating available
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
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At this Railroad Square restaurant you can enjoy authentic northern Italian cuisine in the warmly lit dining room or out on the covered patio. Menu favorites include ricotta-filled squash blossoms, and beef tenderloin glistening with porcini butter and a Pinot Noir reduction.
1020 Railroad Ave., San Luis Obispo, California, 93401, USA
Known For
- Classic Italian dining room and bar
- Well-selected international wine list with more than 200 choices
- Attentive service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch. No dinner Sun.
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Feast on ocean views and farm-fresh food at this casual café on a terrace atop three redwood water tanks and an art gallery. Lunch options include pizzas, vegan bowls, salads, mix-and-match dips, breads, and snacks—all made from organic, locally and ethnically sourced ingredients. The shop here is a good place to pick up picnic provisions.
49901 Hwy. 1, Big Sur, California, 93920, USA
Known For
- Savory seed and oat bread and other baked goods
- Organic soft-serve ice cream
- On-site shop for picnic provisions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No dinner
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Born from the hankerings for food from the owner’s childhood haunts—the streets, markets, home–in Guadalajara, Mexico, this casual eatery (order from the counter) in the Arts District serves authentic south-of-the-border soul food, much of it derived from longtime family recipes and made with fresh local ingredients. Feast on everything from huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and churro French toast for breakfast to tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and pozole for lunch and dinner.
29 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, California, 93101, USA
Known For
- Excellent service
- House-made salsas
- Specialty ice creams and other desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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This traditional New England–style crab shack imports fresh seafood daily from Australia, Alaska, and the East Coast. Fish is line-caught, much of the produce is organic, and everything is made from scratch.
751 Price St., Pismo Beach, California, 93449, USA
Known For
- Shellfish meals in a bucket, dumped on the table
- Casual setting
- Daily specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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This restaurant overlooking the harbor has satisfied local appetites since 1942 and serves straight-ahead dishes such as cod or shrimp fish-and-chips or calamari tubes sautéed in butter and wine.
801 Market Ave., Morro Bay, California, 93442, USA
Known For
- Sweeping views of Morro Rock and the bay
- Fresh local seafood
- Friendly, efficient service
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Chef-owner Joy Reinhart opened this locals-favorite restaurant to honor her deceased mom, Ellie, a colorful, full-of-life character who enjoyed life to the max. The intimate, clublike dining room and deck invite socialization, and the seasonal, farm-to-fork menu is filled with Ellie’s favorites, including liver pâté, crab cake atop creamy, sweet-potato-bacon-spinach hash, and slow-cooked beef short ribs.
3640 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, California, 93460, USA
Known For
- Extensive local and international wine list
- Partnerships with local purveyors
- Tuesday Asian food night with ‘80s music, daily happy hour
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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An organic farmer and his chef-wife run this funky café/bakery/market in Meiners Oaks, just a few miles west of downtown Ojai. Order a wood-fired pizza, bento box, sandwich, or a daily special, and then grab a table indoors or out on the patio.
339 W. El Roblar, Ojai, California, 93023, USA
Known For
- Many veggie, vegan, and gluten-free options
- Grab-and-go meals
- Mexican-focused menu
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The classic flavors of southern Italy are highlighted at this lively downtown spot. Most recipes originate from Bari, a seaport on the Adriatic; the menu includes breads and pizzas baked in the wood-burning oven, hearty dishes such as dry-aged steak and rack of lamb, and homemade pastas.
891 Price St., Pismo Beach, California, 93449, USA
Known For
- Lively family-style atmosphere
- Daily specials
- Most fruits and veggies come from owner's 12-acre farm
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays, Reservations not accepted
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Waterfront views (from beside the Channel Islands National Park Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center), hearty, cooked-to-order meals, and boxed picnic lunches make this casual dockside eatery a popular spot for island travelers and beachgoers. Fill up on a breakfast burrito before boarding the boat; take a boxed deli-sandwich along; and refuel posttrip with a hefty Angus burger, chowder, or fish-and-chips.
1867 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura, California, 93001, USA
Known For
- Hearty breakfasts
- Harbor views
- Seafood tacos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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One of two Paso establishments owned by chef Santos MacDonal and his wife, Carole, this Italian restaurant entices diners with complex flavors and a contemporary space featuring art deco overtones. Consistent crowd-pleasers often on the menu include the beef carpaccio with white truffle cream sauce and shaved black truffles and the pappardelle with wild boar ragù.
608 12th St., Paso Robles, California, 93446, USA
Known For
- House-made pastas
- Excellent wine pairings
- Ingredients from chef's garden
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch