Laid-back pace, stunning Central Coast vistas, and outstanding culinary options make Paso Robles the perfect road trip destination for Bay Area food and wine lovers

Paso Robles translates to “Pass of the Oaks.” Towering oak trees line the vines at Halter Ranch.

My husband and I live in Berkeley, California and often take day trips to Napa and Sonoma. But to celebrate our anniversary, we wanted to explore a wine region we’d never been before. So we booked four nights in Paso Robles. We fell in love with its rustic yet refined style and wines.

As I planned the trip, the first thing I did - as always - was research where to eat. Next: where to wine taste. Along with recommendations from our friends, Food & Wine Magazine provided a great list we used to make our selections. The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance also has a fantastic site for planning a visit. Advance research is important to form a loose itinerary, but I often change plans midstream to prioritize recommendations from locals or self-discoveries along the way.

Day One: After driving a few hours south, we checked into our accommodations at Refugio - a lovely spot owned by the Paso Wine Man and his wife, prolific cookbook author Brigit Binns. We stayed in the Barn Suite but plan to return again soon to rent the whole house (with one additional suite) to gain use of Refugio’s open gourmet kitchen where Brigit occasionally hosts cooking classes. After a cat nap, we drove a few minutes to downtown Paso Robles for dinner at Artisan. The restaurant features locally sourced, sustainable, and organic products and offers tasty craft cocktails and a wonderful wine list featuring many local vintners. It was a great introduction to the local wines to start our exploration.

Day Two: With a long day of wine tasting ahead, we fueled up on a hearty breakfast at Kitchenette in Templeton where we devoured Hash Brown Croquettes, Mushroom and Parmesan Polenta, and San Luis Obispo’s Whalebird Kombucha, served on tap. Kitchenette is the kind of place you wish you had in your neighborhood with its warm staff, cool aesthetic, and soul-satisfying food.

After breakfast, we hit the road for an ambitious day of wine tasting, visiting each of these spots:

Wild Horse Winery - We loved their Pinot Noir and adorable (yet standoffish) llamas behind the tasting room. Upon request, the staff will give you carrots to win the llamas’ affection.
Turley - The knowledgeable staff and luscious Zinfandels made Turley our favorite of the day.
L’Aventure - Rhone style wines and beautiful vistas abound at this winery of modern design.
Niner - We treated ourselves to the tasting menu at Niner’s award-winning restaurant overlooking Heart Hill Vineyard along with the wine pairings - a most civilized way to explore the wines. The Grilled Romaine Salad paired with the 2014 Chardonnay was my favorite course, but we also loved the earthy Beet Risotto paired with a 2013 Sangiovese, and the Niner Barrel-Aged Coffee produced in collaboration with Joebella Coffee Roasters.
Grey Wolf Cellars - A part of Barton Family Wines producing numerous varietals served in a hip tasting room with shaded, outdoor seating to take in the views. On another visit, we’ll lunch there from Barton’s Kitchen Window behind the tasting room where you can enjoy comfort food options like a tri-tip sandwich or quesadillas.

Looking at Heart Hill Vineyard through a glass of Chardonnay during lunch at Niner

We pushed back our dinner reservation to ensure ample time to rehydrate and rest before our celebratory anniversary dinner at Thomas Hill Organics in downtown Paso Robles. We chose Thomas Hill Organics because it began as an organic CSA (community supported agriculture) that developed into a restaurant featuring their own organic produce and like-minded purveyors from the Central Coast. As you enter the restaurant and walk through the bar to an open-air courtyard, you pass a massive wall of wine signaling a key focus of the menu. With the assistance of our knowledgeable server, we selected a bottle of Thacher Working Holiday Pinot Noir to accompany our dinner; it paired nicely with our Pan Seared Scallops served on puréed cauliflower with duck bacon lardons, finger limes and basil oil and the entrees of Charred Black Cod and Niman Ranch Pork Chops.

Day Three: After a day of indulgence, we needed a nature break with a smattering of physical activity - planning only to drink in the Central Coast’s natural beauty before our scheduled tour at Hearst Castle late that afternoon. We started off with a short hike along the Estero Bluffs State Park, making several stops for photo ops. The bluffs jut out into the Pacific Ocean like arms extending a welcome home embrace to the sea as it meets the shore. Simply stunning.

My husband, Eric, perched atop Estero Bluffs at the center of a panoramic shot

Then, of course, there was lunch. On the recommendation of friends, we went to Sebastian’s, where you order your meal at the counter, saunter over to the adjacent Hearst Ranch Winery tasting room for a glass of wine or a local beer, and then eat outside on picnic tables. It was the perfect roadside comfort food we needed and conveniently located across the street from the Hearst Castle entrance. Eric opted for the Hearst Ranch Burger, while I chose the BBQ’d Pulled Pork sandwich. Both were delicious as were the onion rings. The portions are huge, so consider sharing when you visit!

The BBQ’d Pulled Pork Sandwich from Sebastian’s

Then we drove across the street to Hearst Castle for our Designing the Dream tour, which focuses on some of the architectural details of the estate - designed by Julia Morgan over the course of a three decade long collaboration with William Randolph Hearst. Some of my favorite features were the expansive views of the Central Coast from the Enchanted Hill and the beautiful tile work.

A view of the Roman Pool from the rear at the end of the Designing the Dream tour

After the tour we drove a few minutes down the coast to Moonstone Beach in Cambria to set up a blanket and watch the sunset. It was a spectacular show and tickets were free.

Yours truly taking in the view on Moonstone Beach, preparing for sunset. Photo credit: Eric. C. Lacy

Day Four: We hit the wine trail again after a quick stop at Kreuzberg Coffee on our way to Halter Ranch Vineyard. I cannot say enough good things about Halter Ranch and the 3-hour Excursion Tour we took with our guide, Ray. The tour - awarded Best Winery Tour by Sunset Magazine in 2015 - takes guests all around the property in a restored 1984 Land Rover Defender 110, providing wine and property education and tasting along the way. Halter Ranch uses sustainable farming practices and produces wonderful Bordeaux and Rhone style wines. Don’t miss a visit to this winery.

Granache Blanc grapes bursting on the vines at Halter Ranch

The first tasting of our Excursion Tour with a sweeping view of the Halter Ranch Vineyards

Luscious Ancestor Estate Reserve and the Ancestor Oak tree - one of the largest Coast Live Oaks

Lunch consisted of fish tacos and margaritas at Fish Gaucho back in Paso. Then a cave tasting at Eberle Winery before resting and working up our appetites again.

We stumbled upon a recently opened restaurant on a tip from a local while shopping in downtown Paso. The Hatch is a convivial rotisserie and bar with really incredible food in a casual atmosphere. The Grilled Caesar Salad with chicken fat croutons was outrageously good, as were the Fire Roasted Mushrooms, and craft cocktails. My favorite cocktail was the Harvest Moon with Bourbon, Cynar, Sweet Vermouth and Fig. A great find that will become a staple on future visits.

The Grilled Caesar with chicken fat croutons at The Hatch

We made a few other food discoveries over the course of our trip:

Pasolivo - An olive oil purveyor we discovered in its downtown Paso Robles tasting room next door to Thomas Hill Organics. On our next visit we plan to take a tour on their beautiful ranch. The Pasolivo Basil Olive Oil is delicious drizzled over heirloom tomatoes with a pinch of their Roasted Tomato Salt, and the Blackberry Balsalmic Vinegar is fantastic in a salad dressing to toss over winter greens, toasted pecans and a fresh chèvre.
Brown Butter Cookie Company - Don’t get me started. These cookies are insanely good. Stop into their store in Paso or Cayucos to sample the many varieties of cookies or just order them on line. They are perfect with a cup of coffee or espresso. So very decadent.

We covered a lot of ground on our first visit to Paso Robles, but there are so many other places on my list to try. To ensure a return visit soon, we joined Halter Ranch Winery and look forward to exploring more wineries in the Adelaida appellation such as Daou, Adelaida, and Tablas Creek Vineyard. Also on my list: a tour and tasting of cheese at Stepladder Creamery. If you have any other recommendations, please leave them in the comments section below.