Where to Dine
Paso Robles is a region described as bountiful beyond grapes. Often inspired by the incredible Rhône and Bordeaux varietals grown in the area, these restaurants will truly showcase every touch point of harvest from field to fork to glass.
One of the most sought-after dining experiences in Paso, Thomas Hill Organics, specializes in serving creative, organic cuisine and unique local wines. Featuring an evolving menu, this mainstay right in Downtown Paso Robles is perfect for brunch and a start to your day. After wine tasting at L’Aventure, stop at Les Petites Canailles, where the winemaker’s son and the butcher’s daughter have created a most inspired restaurant featuring an elevated and eclectic menu perfect for the most curious eater looking for a surprise. With a menu developed through a French lens with an affinity toward specialty butcher-cut steaks, Les Petites Canailles will impress even the most adventurous diner.
A casual Baja and Sonora style Mexican menu featuring wood-grilled seafood and carne asada, Finca is located in the historic farmhouse of the Old Hometown Nursery and anchors the Paso Robles Market Walk. If you’re looking for an elevated experience in Mexican flavors, try the oak-grilled octopus, ceviche, and a smooth finish to your meal with the moon milk flan.
Wine tasting all day, and ready to kick it into high gear? Perhaps a dinner at In Bloom is in order, where the shared plates, ever-changing seasonal menu and new seasonal cocktail menu was designed just for this season’s harvest! Bonus – each cocktail pays tribute to great songs – a perfect inspiration for creating your own harvest playlist.
Paso Robles’ harvest season marks the perfect blend of warm California sunny days with the cool evenings, and after a long day of touring and winding around the vineyards, a steak is just what the doctor ordered. One of Paso’s newest restaurants is Parchetto, a California bistro, celebrating fresh local ingredients and classic cocktails. Order from an assortment of timeless libations and their ribeye as your main course.
Inspire
In between days of wine tasting, check out some local activity calendars to see what’s happening while you’re in town. The Vina Robles outdoor amphitheater features big-name acts as well as singer-songwriters, perfect for a personal concert experience set in the heart of wine country. Tantalizing all the senses, the Sensorio experience provides a destination to explore the intersection of art, technology and nature. Sensorio’s one-of-a-kind space is perfect for the whole family to revel in a magical field of light! Available most evenings, this experience is the latest must do while visiting Paso. Paso Robles’ Downtown Park is the perfect casual place to picnic, enjoy the local farmers market or just enjoy a rest after shopping and exploring the shops along the quaint streets of downtown. Check the calendar of local events and plan your itinerary with local music, wine tasting or other special activities.
Experience
While many visit the Paso Robles area for the casual luxury, dining and wine tasting, there is an opportunity to get your hands dirty, too. Check out FARMstead ED's Farm Trail where you can go behind the scenes of local farms through unique tours and experiences. As winemakers harvest the grapes in the field, many wineries also host Winery Events specific to this time of year and offer wine enthusiasts unique experiences not available throughout the rest of the year, including grape crush, VIP dinners and behind-the-scenes tours of the vineyard and winery. The entire month of October is Harvest Wine Month. Wineries host individual events throughout the month. Look for specialty tours, winemaker dinners, grape stomps, music events, and more. October traditionally has exceptional weather, when days are warm and nights are cool, a staple for Paso Robles Wine Country and a perfect time to take in the incredible colors, sights, and aromas of harvest. Check in with your favorite winery in advance to book experiences.
Touring In Style
If you’re looking to add a little adventure into your vineyard tours, check out Third Wheel Tours, perfect for exploring the back roads on a tandem motorcycle sidecar. Creating an unforgettable experience, and perfect “instagrammable” moments, Sidecar Tours book the winery stops and handle all the logistics, so you don’t have to… and that means more time for sightseeing.
You can also take to the air, in your own private helicopter for an unforgettable wine tasting experience. Paso Air Tours will whisk you from Paso Robles Airport to a host of Paso’s top wineries, including Calcareous and Halter Ranch, among others.
Cocktails
Harvest time is not all about wine, and these spirit-focused establishments feature seasonal farm-to-bar ingredients local to the Paso Robles region. The Alchemists' Garden offers an inventive cocktail menu, complete with a zodiac-inspired veggie-heavy dinner menu.
A long-standing tradition in Paso Robles, Pine Street Saloon is the oldest building in downtown Paso Robles and perfect for a cold beer while experiencing California history. Featuring karaoke and open mic nights, Pine Street is a fun hang for visitors and locals alike. Calwise Spirits Co. is one of the best micro distilleries on California’s Central Coast, crafting gins, rums and liqueurs with flavors that range from orange brandy to a Big Sur Gin featuring wild botanicals from the region.
Breweries
The iconic phrase: it takes a lot of beer to make wine, was borne during harvest. Many winemakers will stock up on local beer for the cellar during harvest from local breweries right in Paso. Most notably, Firestone Walker is one of the largest brewing companies in California, with custom craft beers ranging from an Oktoberfest harvest beer to vintage flights and lighter tropical flavors. The Paso Robles Taproom features an indoor dining hall and outdoor courtyard and offers a full gastropub menu. Silva Brewing is a small batch micro brewery producing vibrant hop-centric IPAs along with clean traditional brews and specialty farmhouse and barrel aged beers. Some offerings infuse locally grown ingredients, embracing all that California’s Central Coast has to offer. New to the region is KiloKilo Brewing, located outside of Tin City, the Taproom of the Garden are perfect to enjoy a bite to eat and one of their irreverent ales, including a favorite – the Milkshake Ale. The Backyard is a family (and dog) friendly outdoor German-style wine and beer garden located right in the beautiful downtown Paso Robles. With 24 rotating craft beers and ciders, it’s the perfect stop while enjoying the downtown area.
Stay
Paso Robles offers an array of lodging options, whether you’re looking for luxury or casual comfort. Family owned and operated, the Adelaide Inn is one of the regions best-kept secrets. The charming hotel offers a perfect location to stay during a busy winetasting schedule, complete with a pool to cool off during the warm days. The Allegretto Vineyard Resort provides a taste of Tuscany. A vineyard resort complete with a full-service spa and exquisite accommodations offers wine tasting, art tours, morning yoga, vineyard tours and other excursions on site. If you’re looking for an intimate experience, The Piccolo offers a 24-room boutique hotel right in the heart of downtown. Known for its popular Tetto Rooftop Bar, the Piccolo is perfect walking distance to Paso’s bustling downtown city square. Hotel Cheval combines luxury style with boutique intimacy with its 16-room capacity. Also located right downtown, Hotel Cheval is walking distance to Paso’s downtown shopping and restaurant community, also offering live music on select evenings. If Air BnB is more your style don’t miss the Lofts at the Paso Market Walk to find your home away from home.
Take a Sneak Peek at Harvest
