We like to think of it as a New Year’s gift for foodies: January is SLO CAL Restaurant Month!
Every January, a selection of SLO CAL’s top eateries offer multi-course prix fixe meals or general discounts for irresistibly affordable dining. The event runs throughout the month, offering diners the opportunity to try new places, dishes, and cuisines without breaking the bank. It also supports restaurants during the low season — a huge benefit to an industry already hit hard by the pandemic.
SLO CAL Restaurant Month 2022 will be a January to remember, with over 40 restaurants participating across the county. In the mood for tacos? Gotcha covered. Seafood? That too. Vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free? Yes, yes, and yes.
To get the most out of this Restaurant Month, do a little homework ahead of time to decide where you’d like to dine, as restaurants run the gamut of styles, offerings, and locations. To help you with your (delicious) research, we’ve provided a mini-guide below. Just remember that most restaurants don’t split plates or allow for substitutions. Also, be patient: many eateries are understaffed and under COVID-related pressures. Prepare to relax, take your time, and enjoy the pleasures of dining out in SLO CAL.
Lunch, Dinner, and Desserts
Back to Top of ListLunch, dinner, and just desserts
Photo credit: Leo Leo Gelato
Most eateries serve their Restaurant Month menus for dinner only, but some serve lunch or even just dessert.
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Head to Cass Winery Cafe in Paso Robles for a three-course lunch at $55 per person, or visit Park 1039 in San Luis Obispo for a three-course lunch at $35 per person.
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Other sweet spots offer dessert flights and discounts, like SeaBreeze Cupcakes & Sweet Treats in San Luis Obispo, Just Baked Cake Studio and Leo Leo Gelato in Paso Robles, and Grandma’s Frozen Yogurt & Waffle Shop in Morro Bay.
Learn more at SLOCAL.com/restaurantmonth
Dietary Restrictions
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Accommodating dietary restrictions
There’s something for everyone during Restaurant Month, whether you’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan. At Novo in San Luis Obispo, $39 covers three globally-inspired courses per person, including gluten-free, gluten-free-option, vegan and vegan-option dishes. And for an additional $8, you can order one of three gluten-free desserts or a vegan dessert. Also in San Luis Obispo, Luna Red provides gf, gf-option, vegan and vegan-option dishes, like house-made soyrizo tacos with kale and potatoes, or gf/vegan-option tortilla soup. In Avila Beach, Blue Moon Over Avila includes a nice selection of gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options at $47 for three courses. Gardens of Avila in Avila Beach and Cass Winery Cafe in Paso Robles also list several vegetarian dishes on their menus.
Learn more at SLOCAL.com/restaurantmonth
By Occasion
Back to Top of ListWhat’s the occasion?
Take advantage of the many moods of Restaurant Month with our recommendations for where to go when you’re solo, on a date, or with the family.
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For solo diners, nothing beats a seat at the bar, where you can watch mixologists at work and sit elbow-to-elbow with fellow foodies. Enjoy the best seat in the house at a number of SLO CAL Restaurant Month establishments, including San Luis Obispo’s Big Sky Cafe and Granada Bistro; Paso Robles’s Cello Ristorante & Bar at Allegretto Vineyard Resort and Fish Gaucho; Marisol at the Cliffs and Spyglass Inn Restaurant in Shell Beach; and The Spoon Trade in Grover Beach.
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For a romantic dinner, head to Blue Moon Over Avila, Windows on the Water in Morro Bay, or the SeaVenture in Pismo Beach for sunset ocean views, or to Ox & Anchor or Brasserie SLO in San Luis Obispo for a cozy candlelit table for two.
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Bringing the kids? They’ll love the killer mac and cheese and award-winning ribs at Rib Line in Grover Beach and SLO or smash burgers and fries at the Pig Iron in Templeton, or even mac and cheese balls from Sunsets at Pismo on the Pismo Pier.
Learn more at SLOCAL.com/restaurantmonth
Drinks
Back to Top of ListDon’t forget the drinks
Photo credit: Allegretto Wines
Several SLO CAL Restaurant Month participants take the opportunity to pair wines with each course or showcase their wine list at a reduced price point. At Robin’s in Cambria, three courses will cost you just $39, with the option to pair three thoughtfully-chosen local wines to each dish for an additional $22 per person. At Novo in SLO, your three-course meal for $39 includes suggestions for pairing each course with glasses from the restaurant’s Wine Spectator Award-winning wine list. And at the Madonna Inn Gold Rush Steakhouse in SLO, $40 gets you a three-course steak dinner with the option to pair Madonna Inn’s sparkling wine, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon with the meal for an additional $10 per person.
Learn more at SLOCAL.com/restaurantmonth
Bang for Your Buck
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Photo credit: Giovanni's Fish Market
Bang for your buck
All participating SLO CAL Restaurant Month restaurants offer screaming deals on their cuisine.
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Some spots give an easy 20 percent off their regular menu. These include Central Coast Distillery, Mint + Craft in SLO, Villa San-Juliette Vineyard & Winery in San Miguel, The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier and La Bodega Tapas in Pismo Beach.
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Some offer three-course prix fixe menus for $40 and under, including The Spoon Trade in Grover Beach, Robin’s Restaurant, Luna Red, Novo, Park 1039 ($35 lunch), Fish Gaucho, Lido at Dolphin Bay Resort in Shell Beach, Union & Vine and LaDonna’s in Atascadero.
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For prix fixe menus under $50 per person, options include Piadina in SLO, Nautical Cowboy at the Carlton in Atascadero, the Gardens of Avila at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort in Avila Beach, and Oak & Copper Bistro at Oxford Suites in Paso Robles
Learn more at SLOCAL.com/restaurantmonth
By Destination
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Photo Credit: Visit Morro Bay
Restaurants by destination
Whether you’re visiting San Luis Obispo, seaside towns, or the vineyard-covered communities near Paso Robles, a participating SLO CAL Restaurant Month eatery is always close by. Bonus: Several Restaurant Month establishments lie on-site as part of hotels and inns. Want to avoid getting in the car? Asterisks (*) indicate restaurants on lodging properties.
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San Luis Obispo
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Seaside towns
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Avila Beach
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Cambria
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Grover Beach
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Morro Bay
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Grandma's Frozen Yogurt & Waffle Shop
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Pismo Beach/Shell Beach
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The Rooftop at Inn at the Pier*
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Somerset Grill*
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Wine Country and North SLO County
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Atascadero
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Nautical Cowboy at the Carlton*
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LaDonna's
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Paso Robles
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Templeton
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San Miguel
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