This special dining experience is a new destination in Paso Robles, with a multi-course tasting menu featuring seasonal ingredients from the Central Coast. The avant-garde-style plating aims to make this Michelin-starred restaurant one of the state’s most ambitious fine-dining restaurants.

This cash-only, no-reservations seafood institution is old-school in all the good ways. Folks line up before Sea Chest opens at 5:30 p.m. so they can dig into classics like oysters Rockefeller, clams casino topped with thick chunks of bacon, and a surprisingly tender breaded and fried calamari steak (one of the house specialties). Plus, the restaurant is perched right on the Pacific, so the sunset views are nothing short of spectacular.

Hearty (and gluten-free) waffles in a sunny garden? The answer here is yes, always. This cozy gem, tucked just off of one of the main drags in Cambria, serves substantial blue-corn waffles with toppings ranging from simple (grass-fed butter and maple syrup) to ambitious (avocado, free-range fried egg, everything bagel seasoning, Tajin chili salt, and house sauce). Add a superfood smoothie and you’re ready to tackle a hike at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve.

This casual coffee shop in the heart of downtown SLO is the best place to start the day with a strong cup of joe and a breakfast burrito that could be filled with anything from hamsteak to sausage to avocado.

Brunch lovers, beachgoers, and longtime locals all crowd into The Spoon Trade. The Grover Beach mainstay matches its sunny ambiance with its airy made-from-scratch menu and homey service.

Jocko’s is a famous Central Coast institution known for its seriously fresh beef, whether done up as a steak or in one of the best burgers you’ll find anywhere. The colorful cast of characters inside only adds to the charm, as does the long lineage of single-family ownership behind the decades-old restaurant.

This classic cowboy-style steakhouse in Orcutt is like a time portal to the Old West, with large, nicely grilled steaks at reasonable prices. The artwork in the dining room is a nice bonus to the experience.

Full of Life Flatbread continues to shine as a Central Coast institution known for their inventive flatbread pizzas made hot and fast thanks some wood-fired dome ovens. Their home base location is still the anchor to the brand, and comes complete with an awesome bar in the front.

What’s old is new again at the iconic Mattei’s, which reopened in 2023 as part of the glamorous new Auberge Resorts Collection hotel property in Los Olivos. The vibe in the dining room is wine country chic, with long, black leather banquettes, rustic chandeliers, and vaulted ceilings. At the tavern, chef Rhoda Magbitang serves an upscale menu that showcases produce from the resort’s garden, and features wood-fired dishes like a whole fish with romanesco and squid-ink rice with piquillo peppers.

The Bell’s team has another hit on their hands with this stylish sustainable seafood destination, which opened in the summer of 2021 and sources local sea urchin, crab, and the like. Chef Brad Mathews has already created some signature items in dishes like peel-and-eat shrimp; Spanish octopus with fingerling potatoes, frisée and saffron aioli; and little neck clams with house-made chorizo. The wine list here is something special, too.

A star by any measure, owner Bob Oswaks puts out some of the Central Coast’s best breads and pastries from two small storefronts, including this newer one in Ballard (the original is in Los Alamos). The place has become a weekend hang for in-the-know tourists and wine country enthusiasts but is also exceedingly popular with locals in the area who know where to sniff out a great morning meal.

Cold Spring Tavern is a living Santa Barbara legend, pushed into the hillsides above the Central Coast city. Loaded with roadhouse favorites like tri-tip, chili, and steaks, this 130-plus year getaway is still as popular with travelers as ever before.

Ojai’s dining scene has expanded in recent years, thanks in part to this Rustic Canyon Group-owned restaurant that combines Kelsey Brito’s baked goods with chef Saw Naing’s all-day offerings. Drop by in the morning for Brito’s outstanding pastries and dishes like a croque madame with smoked ham and poached eggs. Come dinnertime, don’t miss Naing’s Burmese-inspired dishes like the show-stopping seasonal fried fish, served with a tea leaf salad, chickpea curry, jasmine rice, lentils, chili paste, and house-made naan.

Perhaps the most iconic restaurant on this list, La Super-Rica has been providing Santa Barbara — and endless tourists — with quality Mexican food for more than a generation. Famously loved by Julia Child, the restaurant still serves up all manner of fresh Mexican food, complete with hand-pressed tortillas.

Stupendous blistered, wood-fired pizzas topped with house-made pork sausage, seasonal vegetables, and the like are just one of the reasons to visit this Montecito gem. Don’t sleep on little bites like nduja-stuffed dates and a baby gem salad dressed with zippy homemade ranch. Spritzes and negronis are a must too at this cozy neighborhood restaurant that feels like a visit to Italy.

Oyster lovers consider this no-frills Ventura Beach seafood truck the ideal place to pull up, order a bunch of local seafood, and hang out all day at the breezy picnic tables right by the ocean. The grilled oysters with habanero butter are a nonnegotiable; just know that it’s BYOB, so pack some beer and wine if it suits.