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Named for the Japanese women free divers who collected seafood for their villages, AMA (tucked in a courtyard at the Rosewood Miramar Resort) offers two fine-dining experiences—omakase at the 13-seat sushi bar (a two-hour feast—you must arrive promptly or risk missing a course or two) or prix-fixe (three or four courses total). You can combine meals with sake pairings for an additional fee; alternatively, the Japanese-inspired cocktails are especially popular.
1759 S. Jameson La., Montecito, California, 93108, USA
Known For
- Japanese-style interiors with furnishings that honor the AMA heritage
- Outdoor dining in the lush, lantern-lit patio garden by the koi pond
- Extensive sake list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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A local favorite for anniversaries and other celebrations, Zack's serves classic European dishes in an intimate, two-room 1930s cottage adorned with local art. Entrées of note include seafood specials (depending on the local catch), slow-roasted boar shank, and filet mignon, the latter typically crusted in peppercorns or topped with porcini mushrooms.
1095 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura, California, 93001, USA
Known For
- Personal service
- House-made desserts
- Excellent California wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
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A special-occasion destination and treat for multiple senses, Caruso’s combines exceptional views (perched on the sand at Rosewood Miramar Beach resort), sophisticated design (the ocean-inspired decor is as high-end as Santa Barbara gets), and romantic ambience (soft lighting, soft music) with Michelin-starred, Italian-California coastal cuisine. Options include three- and four-course prix-fixe menus (there’s a vegan one, too) and a chef’s tasting menu, which you can augment with wine pairings for an additional fee. The menu changes constantly, depending on the season and chef’s whims, but choices might include yellowtail crudo with tangerine and pickled kumquats; Santa Barbara sea urchin with tomato confit, yuzu butter, and caviar; hibachi grilled tenderloin with truffle bordelaise sauce; and, for dessert, tiramisu.
1759 S. Jameson La., Montecito, California, 93108, USA
Known For
- Inventive handcrafted cocktails
- Michelin star and Green Star in 2022, James Beard Foundation SmartCatch designation in 2023
- Deck dining at one of the region's only restaurants on the beach
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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The candle-lighted, creaky-floor restaurant in the main house at the historic inn of the same name is a Big Sur institution. It serves spicy seafood paella, grass-fed filet mignon, and rack of lamb for dinner and flavorful eggs Benedict for breakfast.
48865 Hwy. 1, Big Sur, California, 93920, USA
Known For
- Rustic, romantic setting
- Ingredients from sustainable purveyors
- Stellar daily breakfast
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. and Thurs. No lunch
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A barn-style restaurant with high ceilings and an open kitchen, Ember enjoys a red-hot reputation for Italian-inflected dishes prepared in an authentic Tuscan fireplace or a wood-burning oven. Chef-owner Brian Collins, a native of Arroyo Grande, the town bordering Pismo Beach, honed his culinary skills at Berkeley's legendary Chez Panisse Restaurant.
1200 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, California, 93420, USA
Known For
- Seasonal menu changes monthly
- Wood-fired flatbread pizzas
- Craft cocktails, local wines, local craft beer on tap
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch, Reservations not accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Savor the chef's carefully curated tasting menu with five different groups of eclectic California-French dishes paired with local wines at this elegant farm-to-table restaurant inside the Mirabelle Inn. The seasonal menu changes constantly, but regular dishes include smoked sweet-and-spicy duck wings, truffle-roasted cauliflower, local spot prawns, short rib bourguignonne, and pears poached in red wine from the sommelier-owner's organic Coceliquot Estate Vineyard.
409 1st St., Solvang, California, 93463, USA
Known For
- Intimate fine-dining setting
- Sommelier-owner selected wine list
- Complex dishes and presentation
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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The younger sibling of the hugely popular Guiseppe's restaurant in Pismo Beach, this lively downtown eatery serves up authentic southern Italian fare in the historic Sinsheimer Bros. building, constructed in 1884. Dine in the spacious main restaurant amid high ceilings, fireplaces, and the bar or in the courtyard beneath strings of twinkling lights.
849 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, California, 93401, USA
Known For
- Bread, sauce, pasta, and gelato and other desserts made in-house
- Organic ingredients from the owner's 12-acre farm or local purveyors
- Historic ambience
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Dine on stellar French-American delights at a romantic, candlit table in this tiny restaurant within a tasting room and wineshop in Cambria's West Village. The menu changes seasonally, but you might start with diver scallops or stuffed quail, move on to Louisiana seafood gumbo or Long Island duck breast, and then finish with bananas foster or crème brûlée.
788 Main St., Cambria, California, 93428, USA
Known For
- Lamb osso buco, octopus, and other unusual dishes
- Excellent selection of local wines
- House-made desserts
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Housed in a renovated 1886 building, erected during the stagecoach era, Mattei's encompasses several sophisticated, light-filled dining rooms with leather seats and benches, exposed brick walls, and high ceilings with wooden beams. The seasonal menu features California ranch–inspired dishes, many of which are cooked over a wood fire in the open kitchen and all of which use local and regional ingredients. You might start with Central Coast abalone and greens from local farms, then feast on squid ink rice with grilled octopus or pork belly and clams, and finish with a dark chocolate soufflé.
2350 Railway Ave., Los Olivos, California, 93441, USA
Known For
- Stellar service
- Historic saloon-style bar and lounge
- Extensive list of local wines, flavor-packed cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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The coastal views are utterly spectacular from Nepenthe, named for an opiate mentioned in Greek literature that would induce a state of "no sorrow." For the best vistas, settle on the terraced deck in the late afternoon, order a glass from the extensive wine list, and watch the sun slip into the Pacific Ocean.
48510 Hwy. 1, Big Sur, California, 93920, USA
Known For
- Ambrosia burger, fresh fish, hormone-free steaks
- Multiple view decks
- Brunch and lunch at casual outdoor Café Kevah
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Authentic northern Italian dishes with a California twist, a cozy fireplace dining room in a century-old Craftsman-style house, and a covered patio amid the oaks draw locals and visitors alike to this popular eatery, owned by an Italian chef and his American wife (the family lives upstairs). The menu changes seasonally, but regular stars include seared sea scallops with Parmesan fondue and truffle shavings, homemade pastas made with organic egg yolks, and tagliatelle with grass-fed Wagyu beef.
314 El Paseo Rd., Ojai, California, 93023, USA
Known For
- Great wild fish and game
- Moment Pink signature cocktail
- Six-course tasting menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. No lunch
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Cambria's best place for seafood fills up soon after it opens at 5:30 (no reservations taken, but you can put your name on a waitlist at 5:30). Those in the know grab seats at the oyster bar and take in spectacular sunsets while watching the chefs broil fresh halibut, steam garlicky clams, and fry crispy calamari steaks; if you arrive to a wait, play cribbage or checkers in the game room.
6216 Moonstone Beach Dr., Cambria, California, 93428, USA
Known For
- New England chowder house vibe
- Savory cioppino
- Waiting areas in wine bar, game room, and patio with firepit
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. mid-Sept.–May. No lunch, Reservations not accepted
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At cliff's edge 1,200 feet above the Pacific at the ultrachic Post Ranch Inn, Sierra Mar serves cutting-edge American cuisine made from mostly organic, seasonal ingredients, some from the on-site chef's garden. The four-course prix-fixe option always shines.
47900 Hwy. 1, Big Sur, California, 93920, USA
Known For
- Stunning ocean panoramas
- One of the nation's most extensive wine lists
- Iconic Big Sur farm-to-table experience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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Tucked in a tiny space in the heart of Tin City, this Michelin-starred restaurant offers an intimate gastronomical experience nonpareil in SLO County—12 guests sit at a wooden counter that wraps around an open kitchen and dine on small plates, followed by a seasonal 12-course chef’s tasting menu (two seatings per night).
3075 Blue Rock Rd., Paso Robles, California, 93446, USA
Known For
- Ingredient-driven dishes that showcase Central Coast bounty
- Does not welcome kids under 12
- No accommodations for special dietary needs
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Reservations required; book online weeks, and even months in advance
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Shared dining—small plates and larger—and a seasonal menu showcasing local ingredients are the focus at this urban-chic restaurant named for an overnight all-Pullman train that chugged into the nearby railroad station for six decades. Sit at the 24-seat communal table set atop vintage radiators or at tables and booths crafted from antique Spanish church pews and other repurposed or recycled materials.
131 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, California, 93101, USA
Known For
- Social environment
- Wines curated by a master sommelier
- Handcrafted locavore cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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The elegant Stonehouse—consistently lauded as one of the nation's top restaurants—is inside a century-old granite former farmhouse at the San Ysidro Ranch resort. The menu changes constantly but might include pan-seared abalone or classic steak Diane flambéed table-side, and the Plow & Angel pub downstairs serves casual bistro fare.
900 San Ysidro La., Montecito, California, 93108, USA
Known For
- Ingredients from on-site garden
- Heated ocean-view deck with fireplace
- Elegant dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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The Alila Ventana Big Sur's restaurant sits high on a ridge, and magnificent terraces offer stunning ocean views and a full-service outdoor bar. Regional and international wines on a comprehensive list pair well with the California-inspired dishes, many of whose ingredients are sourced from local purveyors, and the bar serves seasonal specialty cocktails and California craft beers.
48123 Hwy. 1, Big Sur, California, 93920, USA
Known For
- Stunning views
- Pacific-sourced seafood and local free-range meats and produce
- Excellent wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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The Central Coast's abundance of organic and sustainably sourced bounty—veggies, seafood, meats, and breads—are creatively woven into innovative dishes at this brick-walled downtown favorite. The wine list celebrates local wines; with many by the half-glass, you can sample a good cross-section.
1313 Park St., at 13th St., Paso Robles, California, 93446, USA
Known For
- Organic sustainable menu
- Local-centric wine list
- Regional locavore pioneer
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Captain Mark Tognazzini catches seasonal seafood and delivers the bounty to his family's collection of down-home, no-frills, harborside enterprises—a fish market with patio dining and up-close views of Morro Rock (Dockside Too) and the original Dockside restaurant. Local musicians play live music nearly every day at the outdoor patio at Dockside Too.
1245 Embarcadero, Morro Bay, California, 93442, USA
Known For
- Fresh-as-it-gets seafood
- Live music nearly every day
- Front-row seats to Morro Rock views
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Seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and softly lit muted-yellow walls evoke the flavors and charms of Tuscany and the Mediterranean at this rustic-romantic restaurant across from the harbor and West Beach. Ahi sashimi tucked in a crisp sesame cone is a popular appetizer, after which you can proceed, perhaps, to rock-shrimp gnocchi.
324 W. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara, California, 93101, USA
Known For
- House-made pastas and gnocchi
- Wines from Italy and California's Central Coast
- Romantic waterfront setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch