Ryan ChartrandWhether its spicy Indian curry or sweet ice cream sundaes, San Luis Obispo offers a plethora of scrumptious meals and snacks on its city streets. Here is the continuation of the ABCs of food in San Luis Obispo:
New – San Luis Obispo is always evolving and gaining new restaurants. Sumo Sushi just came into town a couple of months ago with a clean, comfortable environment and decorated, delicious dishes. After Tortilla Flats moved on out, Doc’s Karaoke Bar & Grill made it’s way in with karaoke, live entertainment, emcees and a menu of burgers, sandwiches, and more.
Organic and natural – The buzz about organic foods is growing, especially in smaller towns like San Luis Obispo. Big Sky Caf‚ is a healthy, organic option with amazing appetizers and delicious entrees from the simple grilled cheese and chipotle sandwich to the ancho chile glazed fresh king salmon. Natural Caf‚ is another choice, a chain relatively new to San Luis Obispo, with all organic dishes and many options from their daily soups to enchiladas to creative veggie platters. As for grocery stores, Trader Joe’s and New Frontiers both offer many healthy cooking options t. The latter also contains a huge self-serve salad bar and deli/pasta counter. (Plus for those of you who love free almond samples at Farmers’ Market, go to New Frontiers where almost every aisle has free samples.)
Pizza – This seems to be the most typical college dining spot and San Luis Obispo does not fall short in this area. Woodstock’s is one of the most popular places with their to-die-for cheesy bread and whole-wheat crust available. Cugini’s offers the most traditional Italian style pizza while Pizza Solo has specialized gourmet pizzas, along with salads and pita sandwiches.
Quick and easy – Sometimes you just want to get in and out and while there are no drive-thrus here in San Luis Obispo, some places offer pretty rapid service. Pasta Bravo busts out a quick Italian dinner with a mix-and-match style menu. For a buffet-style stir fry, Flame Bay downtown lets customers pick what they want from noodles, rice, meat and veggies, give it a quick fry and be on their way.
Rainy day – Delivery service is a must in San Luis Obispo, especially when the weather decides to randomly change from a sunny 75 degrees to a stormy, rainy mess (definitely not unheard of). Restaurants To You joins with many local businesses to bring dine-in food to your couch. Just call 541-FOOD or go to www.541food.com to place your order for delivery service usually within an hour. Restaurants on their list include Tahoe Joe’s, Vieni Vai Trattoria, Chino’s Mexican Bistro, Mama’s Meatball and more.
Sweets – The craving for sweets never simply passes so you must satisfy yourself ASAP. Mission News and Sweets downtown will make you feel like a kid again with their rows and rows of candy bins, powdered sugar machine, ice cream scoops, delectable chocolates and famous kettle corn. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory will draw you in with their window casing of caramel apples and caramel truffles, along with their famous “Bear” – a paw-sized concoction of caramel, roasted nuts and chocolate.
Thai – Personal taste and preference come into play with Thai restaurants in San Luis Obispo. Royal Thai offers fresh, traditional flavors along with comfortable outdoor seating. Thai-riffic holds long lines at lunchtime for its crave-worthy cuisine, and Thai Palace offers cheaper prices while maintaining quality food.
Unique – Jaffa offers Middle Eastern cuisine, along with a small grocery store for at-home cooking ingredients. This is an especially great place for those of you who studied abroad and can’t stop thinking about those delicious kebabs. Mond‚o Pronto literally translates into “world,” and offers a diverse menu of fusion bowls, wraps and salads themed “Americana, East Winds, Mediterraneo” and more.
Valentine’s days – For all those special dates where you have to get out of your jeans and sweatshirts to look decent, San Luis Obispo has some pretty romantic spots to start off the night. 1865 is a classic, family-owned restaurant with an extensive menu, including tender steak, fresh seafood and their famous slow-roasted prime rib. To stay romantic but move a little more causal, Novo specializes in exotic foods with Brazilian, Portuguese, Mediterranean and Asian flavors. The outside dining offers an intimate, natural setting next to the San Luis Creek.
Wine – The Central Coast vineyards give San Luis Obispo a special touch when it comes to wine. Taste downtown is an upscale spot to sample 72 different types of wines. There are also many vineyards to travel to on a wine-tasting trip from Tolosa Winery to Edna Valley Vineyard, both with tasting rooms without appointments.
Xtravagant – These restaurants are worth hitting up when the parents are in town because of their high-quality and high-priced menu items. Mission Grill, right next to Mission de Tolosa, highlights flavorful dinner items like grilled filet mignon and pan roasted halibut. Madonna Inn’s originality extends beyond the uniquely decorated rooms to their menu with New York Steak, Halibut Steak and an $82.95 Filet Mignon and Australian Lobster.
Yogurt – Frozen yogurt is a treat that calls for cravings even when it’s cold outside. Bali’s is the most well known with two convenient locations, cheap prices by the ounce, plentiful buffet-style toppings and numerous flavors. Country Culture Yogurt is nestled downtown in the Mission Mall section with a unique variety of flavors, including low-cal Wow Cow and extra candy toppings.
Z – There are always a couple of letters that ruin A to Z lists and in this case, Z takes the cake so this category is dedicated to those restaurants that fall in their own places. The Art Caf‚, once part-owned by Oprah, makes amazing flavored sandwiches that are definitely brag-worthy, including “Oprah’s favorite,” the chicken curry sandwich. The Shack is also on its own as a sports-oriented hangout spot, known for its big screen TV and free peanuts that you are free to shell onto the ground.