SLO County gets a huge, new Blast & Brew — with a bar, live music and more. See inside
Blast & Brew celebrated the grand opening of its newest location in Atascadero on Friday.
The restaurant, located in the former Santa Maria Brewing Co. spot off Curbaril, is 24,000 square feet and features a distillery bar, banquet room, restaurant tables, an outdoor patio, full kitchen and even a counter to pick up Me-n-Ed’s pizza.
“We’re very family friendly,” said Dan Harper, a business partner with Central Coast Restaurant Group, which operates other Blast Brewing locations in Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach and Orcutt. “We’re not interested in the late-night bar business. We’re a restaurant first.”
According to Harper, live music will be central to the Atascadero restaurant.
Harper and his team work to book bands to perform while people enjoy the food and drinks Blast & Brew has to offer. The restaurant features a stage, where country music singer John Pemberton played a set at the restaurant’s grand opening.
How Blast & Brew is working to build community in Atascadero
One of the most important aspects of any Blast & Brew location is community, Harper said. That will be no different in Atascadero.
“We’re very thankful for the communities that we’re in,” Harper said. “We always want to help out wherever we can.”
Blast & Brew hosts fundraisers for local sport teams, schools and organizations. For those interested in hosting their own event or fundraiser at Blast & Brew, all they need to do is reach out to the restaurant, Harper said.
With an outdoor patio that seats 90, indoor seating for 300 and a banquet room, the restaurant also has the ability to host larger parties, Harper told The Tribune.
Also in the works, a prohibition-style speakeasy with drinks, food and music that is still under construction and will open in the summer. An unassuming bookcase in the dining room will open up into the hidden space located at the back of the restaurant.
Burgers, brews and more
Blast & Brew has an extensive menu, offering everything from a ribeye steak to sandwiches or pizza, Harper said.
An outdoor barbecue allows all the meat to be grilled on site.
In addition to the variety of burgers and sandwiches on the menu, Blast & Brew also serves various beers on tap, including 11 of the restaurant’s own beers made at the Blast & Brew brewery in Arroyo Grande.
The bar also serves a Margarita flights.
“We have built a great team here,” Harper said. “We are all restaurant guys. We are all hard working and just chasing success.”
More Information
Blast & Brew is located at 7935 San Luis Ave. in Atascadero. For more information, visit blastandbrewatown.com. For other locations and information on Central Coast Restaurant Group visit blastbrewingco.com.
This story was originally published April 10, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
