Paso Food Recs (esp breakfast)

Travel, Wine Tourism, and Restaurants Forum
1

Tomorrow I head to Paso Robles for four days and was wondering if there were some good food recs: grocery stores, restaurants, breakfast joints etc.

I saw in another recent thread that Il Cortile and Artisan are recommended. We will have a vacation rental so will probably eat at our place some nights, but I was especially interested in breakfast places to hit before a day of tasting.

k.

2

You should hit up Villa Creek, if not for dinner, then at least for a drink. Buona Tavola is pretty good as is Bistro Laurent. Artisan is excellent and perhaps my favorite place. Haven’t been to Il Cortile. Can’t help on b-fast. If you like beer, I’d recommend the Firestone tap room in Paso.

3

Thanks for the recs. And after a day of tasting wine, a beer always tastes good to me.

k.

4

Thomas Hill Organics for lunch or dinner. Local home cooking breakfast- Joe’s Place (Paso and Templeton locations).
Grocery stores are just the usual suspects, and there is a Trader Joe’s in Templeton.

5

Thanks Linda. Joe’s place will definitely see some action.

I usually travel with my own knives and mostly cook, but this time I am leaving my knives behind. Though one guy is bringing a sharpening stone to help out the crappy knives at these vacation rentals.

k.

6

I almost forgot- if you want awesome meat (with a lot of grass-fed locally raised options and home made sausages), go to J & R Meats- in Paso, and also in Templeton in the same shopping center as TJ’s. There is also a fish market next door to the Templeton location.

7

Sausages. That is our first night’s meal. Super thanks.

Btw, my dream sausage is rabbit with grappa-soaked raisins and minced orange rind. I have to get that meat grinder sooner rather than later.

k.

8

Can’t guarantee rabbit sausages, but they do make lamb, buffalo, duck (with blueberries if I remember correctly?). Awesome stuff. I miss them. [cry.gif]

9

IIRC, there is a place called Vic’s on the town square that serves good breakfast. I’ll use Google maps streetview later to confirm (when I’m not on my cell)

10

Yes. It’s on 13th st.

11

Just did Google maps streetview, and I’m glad I did! Although I have been to Vic’s (I thought it was decent), it is Chico’s Cafe that I was trying to recall. On 11th street. I remember that our eggs were done properly, the orange juice was fresh, the service was cheerful (but not overbearing for the morning hours), the portions were substantial, and the prices were cheap.

12

I’m just on the plane back to MN and had a great time in Paso. It was a bit difficult to get reservations at restaurants with the festival and having six people, but we were able to get some bar space at both Villa Creek and Artisan for dinner. Both were excellent, and I could have stuffed my face with that Artisan cornbread all night long.

J&R meats was also fabulous. They had some of the best bacon I have ever had and that chili was crazy good. We also bought a ton of steaks and ended up bringing a spread to Herman Story winery to hang with Russell From and crew while they processed their grapes. The next morning wasn’t quite as fun though.

Joe’s for breakfast hit the spot too. I wish I had had more mornings to make it there again.

Anyhow, thanks for the recs everyone.

k.

13

Glad you liked the recs.

I miss J&R’s. [cry.gif]