Birria, boba and BBQ: 9 new SLO County food spots we were talking about in March

March was a seriously delicious month across SLO County.

From a secret-menu birria bowl in Paso Robles to a Michelin-star chef’s cowboy bar, gourmet boba with imported Taiwanese ingredients and Santa Maria-style BBQ served through a coffee drive-through, the local dining scene kept us eating (and writing) nonstop.

Here’s every new and incoming restaurant and food spot we covered last month.

dirty. — Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market

If you haven’t grabbed a dirty soda at the Thursday night farmers market, you’re missing out.

Cal Poly roommates Delainee Fernandes and Madison Andrade launched their pop-up business in early November after noticing no one in SLO was selling the trendy nonalcoholic drinks that mix mainstream sodas with coconut cream, coffee creamers and fruit-flavored syrups.

They’ve been pouring at the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market since Jan. 8, selling more than 100 sodas every Thursday night. First-timer? Andrade recommends the Pink Wave — Fresca mixed with peach and raspberry syrups along with coconut and sweet and creamy creamers. Fernandes’ pick is the Dirty Float, a riff on the classic root beer float with vanilla syrup and vanilla cream. Each drink runs $6 to $7.50.

Find them on Higuera Street from 6 to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday.

Al Chile! — Paso Robles

This Mexican restaurant at 834 11th St. had us at “birria family recipe.” Owner Claudia Villalobos’ mom’s birria is the biggest seller — and her mom goes in to make sure it tastes right. “It’s like the cliché everybody says, ‘I want to open a restaurant because my mom cooks so well,’ but it’s been our biggest selling ticket item, so that proves that my mom’s birria is very good,” Villalobos told The Tribune.

Beyond the birria and nine taco options, there are enchiladas, quesadillas, tortas and ceviche. The insider move? Ask for the secret menu item: a vegetarian burrito bowl with asada.

“The veggies are amazing, and then you add the asada to it, it’s just an amazing plate,” Villalobos said.

Open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 11 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cattlemen’s Bar — Paso Robles

Michelin-star chef Charlie Palmer brought serious star power when he opened Cattlemen’s Bar at the Paso Robles Inn. The revamped cowboy bar pays homage to the original Cattlemen’s Lounge, founded at the inn in 1942. The menu reads like a rancher’s dream: a stockman burger with dry-aged beef, La Panza pie, cattlemen’s chili, classic steaks and fan favorites like the hot honey chicken biscuit and chocolate peanut butter pie.

For drinks, expect classic cocktails “with a rowdy twist” — hibiscus margarita, Gold Rush with ginger liqueur and the Ranch Hand with tequila and pomegranate. No cowboy boots? No problem. The restaurant partnered with Tecovas to offer a boot bar where guests can borrow a pair.

Open Sunday through Thursday 4 to 10 p.m. and Friday to Saturday 4 to 11 p.m. at 1103 Spring St. Palmer also has two more spots coming: Salina Rooftop in May and The Pass by Charlie Palmer this summer.

Moss Lane Ranch BBQ — Atascadero

Here’s a combo you didn’t see coming: Santa Maria-style BBQ served through a coffee drive-through.

Moss Lane Ranch BBQ launched at the Human Bean at 7835 El Camino Real, with wood-fired tri-tip and chicken slow-cooked on an outdoor red oak pit grill. The homemade dry rub marinates overnight, and everything is made from scratch — garlic bread, pinquito beans, rubs and sauces.

“In the whole town of Atascadero, there’s virtually very little barbecue,” owner Pat Mitchell said. Tri-tip plates with beans, salad and garlic bread cost $16.95 and three sliders run $11.95. Chicken options are a dollar less.

Open Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., or until they sell out.

Wendy White’s Bakery — Atascadero

This home-bakery-turned-brick-and-mortar at 5804 Traffic Way started as a home operation in Paso Robles in 2024.

Co-owners Mercedes and Kyle White are now selling muffins, cinnamon rolls, cookies, cupcakes, lemon bars and cake pops. Need a last-minute birthday cake? They’ve got a display fridge with cakes ready to pick up and personalize on the spot. The bakery is named after their tortoiseshell cat, Wendy, who’s featured in a painting behind the counter — chef’s hat and all.

Its regular hours are Wednesdays to Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bobar Gourmet Bubble Tea — Paso Robles

If you love boba, this gourmet shop is worth a trip to Paso. Co-owners Sharon and Marcus Link spent three years remodeling the former Headhunters Barber Service space at 1220 Spring St., importing ingredients directly from Taiwan and sourcing local produce from Sharon’s family farm.

“I was able to visit manufacturers that produce the tea and the raw ingredients to get the most authentic, best-tasting teas and toppings,” Sharon said.

The menu spans over 21 drinks — organic herbal teas like shiso and lemonbalm, fruit teas like passion fruit and osmanthus jasmine, sparkling refreshers, classic milk teas and signatures like the taro ube fresh milk and matcha strawberry milk.

Open daily 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Morro Liquor — Atascadero

This boutique bottle shop at 8120 Morro Road stocks everything from chilled wines and imports from France, Italy, Lebanon, Spain and Chile to $1,000 bottles of whiskey. Owner George Ghazaly says they’re taking customer requests for high-end beers, vodka and spirits.

A-Town Deli and Grill is coming inside the space in about a month — Ghazaly is asking locals what they want, whether that’s classic deli sandwiches, burgers or burritos. Grand opening is planned for the end of April or start of May.

Currently open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Coming soon:

Slodega by Linnaea’s — San Luis Obispo

One of SLO’s most beloved coffee shops is opening a bodega stand in the newly renovated Mission Plaza.

Linnaea’s Coffee owners Alex and Rusty Quirk are building out Slodega with grab-and-go options like deli items, seasonal salads, macaroni and tuna salads and “girl dinner” offerings like cheese and crackers and tin fish. They’ll also serve a signature bacon, egg and cheese on biscuits baked in-house. Coffee will feature “drinks that are inspired by the local area,” including a honey orange blossom latte variation.

The Quirks also launched sporadic pop-ups at their new Villain Bakery at 722 Marsh St.

Gus’s Deli — San Luis Obispo

The beloved corner of Osos and Leff streets is coming back to life. New owners Anna and Nick Brannen secured the lease in October and are reviving the former Gus’s Grocery as Gus’s Deli with plans to open in summer.

Expect the familiar sandwich shop vibe with more options for diners with food sensitivities and allergies, including partnerships with vendors like Salty Bagel for gluten-free bagels.

“We are really looking forward to bringing the positive energy and the happiness back into that space and adding to the happiness in SLO,” Anna Brannen said. “We want to again, bring happy back to SLO, and we look forward to benefiting our community, because we love everybody here.”

This story was originally published April 4, 2026 at 5:00 AM.