From REI to Habit Burger, these SLO County restaurants and shops opened in 2019
San Luis Obispo County welcomed a bunch of new businesses this year, from sandwich shops and supermarkets to fine-dining restaurants and high-end hotels.
Here are some of the stores, eateries and other businesses that have opened in 2019. (This list does not include businesses that moved to new locations.)
Restaurants and food stores
Pismo Beach’s newest seafood restaurant has ties to a local mainstay.
Ada’s Fish House opened at 558 Price St. in July. The restaurant is run by the MacMillan family, which also owns Rosa’s Italian Restaurant, located right across the street.
In March, the burger joint moved into the space left vacant by Beach Burger.
Adams Burger is owned by Saleh Obeid, who owns numerous burger restaurants through the Central Valley.
The restaurant opened at 803 13th St. in February.
Like its sister restaurant, Blast 825 Taproom in San Luis Obispo, Blast & Brew specializes in wood-fired pizzas and craft beers.
Brown Butter Cookie Co., San Luis Obispo
The popular cookie company opened its third Central Coast location at 1003 Osos St. in October.
Brown Butter Cookie Co. also has stores in Cayucos and Paso Robles.
Burger Village, San Luis Obispo
Professional football player Prince Amukamara greeted customers at the July grand opening of this burger joint at 686 Higuera St., a spot formerly occupied by Natural Cafe.
It’s the first location outside of New York for restaurant chain Burger Village, which specializes in exotic burgers including elk, bison and ostrich.
Celia Chocolatier, San Luis Obispo
This company opened in January in a location that’s not open to the public.
Celia Chocolatier offers 18 varieties of European-style chocolates, ranging f from white chocolate mango to dark chocolate pistachio marzipan. Other options include truffles, bars and English-style toffees.
Colony Market and Deli, Atascadero
This shop, which sells sandwiches, salads and more, almost ran out of food when it opened in March.
Colony Market and Deli is located in a converted gas station at 6040 El Camino Real.
San Luis Obispo County’s sole Persian restaurant opened at 967 West Grand Ave. in January.
According to co-owner Jamal Afzali, DarWish Cuisine, which replaced the closed Margarita’s Pizza & Deli, is the only eatery between Los Angeles and San Jose serving up authentic Persian flavors.
Looking for a bargain? Everything at this family-owned Mexican bakery, which opened at 235 West Tefft St. in June, is $2 or less.
Items for sale include bread, sweet rolls and heart-shaped cookies.
Efren’s Mexican Restaurant, San Luis Obispo
The family-owned restaurant chain opened its fourth Central Coast location at 1285 Laurel Lane in March.
Efren’s also has restaurants in Oceano and Santa Maria, and runs a temporary location at the Nipomo swap meet on Sundays.
Farmhouse Corner Market, San Luis Obispo
There’s a new option for grab-and-go meals and counter-service dining near the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.
Farmhouse Corner Market, a field-to-table restaurant and organic market, opened at 1025 Farmhouse Lane in June.
Habit Burger Grill, Atascadero
The fast-casual eatery started serving up burgers, tri-tip and ahi tuna sandwiches at its second San Luis Obispo County spot in July.
Located at 7300 El Camino Real, the burger joint shares a parking lot with Med Post Urgent Care. The buildings replaced an empty Coco’s Bakery Restaurant, which was demolished during construction.
Habit Burger has operated a location in downtown San Luis Obispo since 2011.
Ike’s Love and Sandwiches, San Luis Obispo
The popular sandwich chain celebrated the opening of its first San Luis Obispo location at 1028 Chorro St. in March.
Established in San Francisco in 2007, Ike’s Love and Sandwiches has 56 other locations in California, as well as Reno and Phoenix.
Kraken Coffee Co., Pismo Beach
The popular Avila Beach coffeehouse opened a second location near the Pismo Beach Pier in July.
Located at 172 Pomeroy St., Kraken Coffee Co. is the latest venture for owner James Whitaker, who co-owns Kreuzberg Coffee and Batch Old Fashioned Ice Cream in downtown San Luis Obispo.
This off-shoot of Kuma, a sushi and ramen restaurant in Los Osos, has been permanently parked in front of Sylvester’s Burgers, 6455 El Camino Real in Atascadero, since February.
Both Kuma entitites belong to Brian Englund, who owns all three Sylvester’s locations — in Atascadero, Los Osos and Oceano.
Jamba and Auntie Anne’s, Atascadero
Atascadero welcomed a new Jamba smoothie spot and Auntie Anne’s pretzel stand at 6994 El Camino Real in December.
Although it’s the first San Luis Obispo County location for Auntie Anne’s, Jamba also has locations in Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo.
Les Petites Canailles, Paso Robles
A restaurant serving farm-to-table French cuisine in a “fancy-casual” setting opened in November at 1215 Spring St., previously home to Spring Seafood Bar and Grill.
Owners Courtney and Julien Asseo named the eatery after their children; Les Petites Canailles means “the little rascals” in French. Julien Asseo’s family founded L’Aventure Winery in Paso Robles.
Louie’s at the Beach, Avila Beach
Looking for shoreside snacks? A beach bistro opened blocks from the beach in June.
Louie’s at the Beach, which is named after executive general manager Tom Mendoza’s pet beagle, is located at 468 Front St. in the former Morovino Winery tasting room. It’s the second local restaurant owned by Nanci Bell, who opened neighboring French restaurant Blue Moon Over Avila in 2017.
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Mestiza Bar y Cocina, San Luis Obispo
The fine-dining Mexican restaurant opened in early summer in the former home of Thomas Hill Organic Kitchen.
Located above Williams Sonoma at 858 Monterey St., the restaurant is co-owned by chef Ricardo Ortega and restaurant group Custom House, which shares a parent company with Compass Health and owns seven other restaurants on the Central Coast.
Old San Luis BBQ, San Luis Obispo
There’s now a second spot for fans of the popular barbecue restaurant.
Old San Luis BBQ opened a new location at 3870 Broad St. in August. The original downtown location remains open at 670 Higuera St.
Good news for North County residents: The popular San Luis Obispo doughnut shop known to fans as SLoDoCo opened a second location in Atascadero in March.
The new spot is located at 6917 El Camino Real, Suite E.
Sprouts Farmers Market, San Luis Obispo
Long-awaited grocery store Sprouts Farmers Market opened in the SLO Promenade shopping center in April.
The 30,000-square-foot supermarket, located at 313 Madonna Road, Suite A, moved into the space formerly occupied by clothing store Forever 21.
This restaurant is serving up pizzas, chicken wings and craft beers in a laidback, 1980s-style atmosphere.
Sweet Lew’s opened in August in a second-story space at 1108 Pine St. The eatery has Central Valley ties; owner Tim Lewis also owns The Planing Mill Artisan Pizzeria in Visalia.
After more than two decades in Morro Bay, Taco Temple opened a second location in San Luis Obispo.
The popular California fusion restaurant known for its fish tacos is located at 1575 Calle Joaquin in the former home of Margie’s Diner.
Taqueria Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo
The popular Mexican restaurant opened a second location in San Luis Obispo in April.
The new space is located at 862 E. Foothill Blvd., between Domino’s Pizza and Milk In It.
Other restaurants and food stores that have opened in 2019 include:
- 1865 Craft House & Kitchen, 1865 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo
- Ariana’s Market & Grill, 525 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay
- Asian Bistro, 857 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo
- Bad Beat Jerky, 702 Dolliver St., Pismo Beach
- Beachin’ Biscuits, 783 Price St., Pismo Beach
- Boost Nutrition, 582 California Blvd., San Luis Obispo
- Caliwala Community Food Market & Deli, 2200 El Camino Real, Santa Margarita
- Cape Cod Eatery and Taphouse, 1127 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach
- Central Coast Distillery, 5804 Traffic Way, Atascadero
- Cured and Cultivated, 825 Riverside Ave., No. 5, Paso Robles
- Don Q Restaurant, 7600 El Camino Real, Suite 5, Atascadero
- El Morro Deli, 601 S. 13th St., Grover Beach
- El Pollo Loco, 11982 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo
Five Guys Burgers and Fries, 7693 E. Foothill Blvd., San Luis Obispo
- Halfway Station, 15050 Morro Road, Atascadero
- Honey Girl Cafe, 14 N. Ocean Ave., Suite 122, Cayucos
- House of the Rising Buns, 950 Price St., Pismo Beach
- JC’s Kitchen, 575 S. Main St., Templeton
- Joilene Bakery, 570 Higuera St., Suite 180, San Luis Obispo
- Jocey’s Juices & Deli, 564 Mesa View Drive, Nipoo
- Kin Coffee Bar, 847 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo
- Milk In It, 858 Foothill Blvd., San Luis Obispo
- Mon Amie Creperie Cafe, 107 Court St., San Luis Obispo
- Mo’s Pizza, 840 13th St., Paso Robles
- The Nest Breakfast & Lunch Cafe, 9700 El Camino Real, Suite 104, Atascadero
- Orange Cat Organic Cafe, 2190 Heritage Loop Road, Paso Robles
- Piazza del Pane Italian Cafe, 1144 Pine St., Paso Robles
- Rancho Olivos Artisan Olive Oils, 699 Embarcadero, No. 4, Morro Bay
- Quintessa Coffee Roasters, 1945 Front St., Oceano
- Sidewalk Cafe, 130 W. Branch St., Suite A, Arroyo Grande
- The Steaming Bean, 1651 Shell Beach Road, San Luis Obispo
- Six Test Kitchen, 3075 Blue Road Road, Unit B, Paso Robles
- Sweet Habits Creations, 14 N. Ocean Ave., Suite 133, Cayucos
- Tacos El Viejon, 2780 Main St., Morro Bay
- Tacos El Primo, 609 Creston Road, Paso Robles
- Tacos Valle, 635 28th St., Paso Robles
- Withco Coffee, 570 Higuera St., Suite 190, San Luis Obispo
Bars, breweries, distilleries and wineries
California Coast Beer Co., Paso Robles
You can sip craft beer while sitting on a patio made out of reclaimed wood from the old Pismo Beach Pier at this brewery.
The brewery opened its doors in the old Tozzi’s Automotive building at 1346 Railroad St. in June.
The Paso Robles winery opened its second tasting room at 5036 S El Pomar Road in June, replacing Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery.
Known for its Aesop’s Fables-inspired wines, Fabelist Wine Co. opened a tasting room at 3005A Limestone Way in Paso Robles in 2016. The winery shares a building in the popular Tin City complex with Tin City Cider Co.
Hayseed and Housdon, Paso Robles
The winery opened its first tasting room in August in a former garage at 1122 Railroad St.
Half of the profits from wines sold at Hayseed and Housdon go to local nonprofit groups.
This wine and beer bar offers live music, a vintage lounge vibe and a link to a local brewery.
Tyler and Shannon Clark, the founders and previous co-owners of Libertine Brewing Co., opened the Raconteur Room at 5840 Traffic Way in May. The space was previously home to English Rose Antiques and Collectibles.
Rod & Hammer’s SLO Stills, San Luis Obispo
The distillery opened in August at SLO Brew’s The Rock at 855 Aerovista Place near the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.
Named after co-owners Hamish “Hammer” Marshall and Rodney “Rod” Cegelski, the spot features an “ocean and cowboy” theme.
There Does Not Exist, San Luis Obispo
A former Firestone Walker Brewing Co. brewer operates this craft brewery at 4070 Earthwood Lane, Suite 101, in the industrial area behind Trader Joe’s.
The business opened Labor Day weekend.
Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero
Atascadero’s newest brewpub celebrated its grand opening at 6907 El Camino Real in December.
Co-owner Ryan Fields, master brewer at Beachwood Blendery in Long Beach, told The Tribune in 2018 that Wild Fields Brewhouse would be “extremely family-centric” with an arcade and miniature bowling lanes.
Other bars, brewpubs and winery tasting rooms that opened in 2019 include:
- Broken Earth Winery, 1650 Ramada Drive, Paso Robles
- Colony Tavern, 8451 El Camino Real, Atascadero
- HammerSky Vineyards, 7725 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles
- Iron Oaks Winery, 1346 Railroad St., Building B, Paso Robles
- Riley Wines and Hubba Wines, 1140 Pine St., Paso Robles
- Rhonedonnee Wines, 2323 Tuley Road, Suite 120, Paso Robles
Shops
The women’s athletic wear store opened in August at 879 Higuera St., directly across from Ross Dress for Less.
Athleta fills a vacancy left by The Gap, which closed in January. Both brands are part of Gap Inc., which also owns Banana Republic and Old Navy.
Bargain Boutique, San Luis Obispo
Want to shop and support a good cause at the same time?
This higher-end secondhand store, which opened at 553A Higuera St. in July, is run by Achievement House, a local nonprofit that works with adults with intellectual disabilities. The thrift store sells clothing, furniture, artwork and more.
Coastal Delivery SLO, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo’s first cannabis delivery business opened in December, but the Broad Street isn’t open for retail service.
Coastal Delivery SLO’s parent company, Coastal Dispensary LLC, operates a dispensary in Santa Barbara. It’s currently building a delivery, distribution and manufacturing hub in the city along with a retail dispensary in Lompoc.
The latest addition to the SLO Promenade shopping center held its grand opening in October.
In addition to products for camping, climbing, cycling, hiking and yoga, San Luis Obispo County’s first REI store offers gear rentals and a bike shop for maintenance and repairs.
Ross Dress for Less, San Luis Obispo
The discount store chain opened its second San Luis Obispo location in July, moving into a space at the Madonna Plaza shopping center vacated by Sears. A Michaels craft store is moving next door at 273 Madonna Road.
The Ross Dress for Less store at 868 Higuera St. in downtown San Luis Obispo remains open.
Grover Beach’s third cannabis shop opened at 239 South Third St. in November.
The recreational and medical dispensary advertises itself as a “must-see retail cannabis boutique” selling a variety of flower options, vape cartridges, edibles, tinctures and more.
Wildflower Women and Sandbox Kids, Pismo Beach
The Central Coast-based chain of upscale boutiques opened its latest luxury clothing store at 890 Price St. in February.
Owner Amber Lease started Wildflower Women in Santa Maria in 2009. The company also has locations in Los Olivos and Orcutt.
Other shops and stores that opened in San Luis Obispo County in 2019 include:
- Beauty & Bling, 135 Bridge St., Arroyo Grande
Calico Trading Co., 3165 Broad St., No. 122, San Luis Obispo
- Drift Boutique, 178 Pomeroy Ave., Pismo Beach
- Ebb and Flow, 6100 Moonstone Beach, Cambria
- Intent, 699 Embarcadero, No. 3, Morro Bay
- Megan’s CBD Market, 317 Morro Bay Blvd., Morro Bay
- Orchid Alley at Something Different, 102 W. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
- Re-Create Thrift Store, 1601 Main St., Cambria
- RoCoco Luxe Resale Boutique, 5985 Traffic Way, Atascadero
- Rogers Jewelry Co., 720 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo
- This and That and Then Some, 751 Dolliver St., Pismo Beach
- The Wandering Indian Boutique, 4210 Cloud Way, Paso Robles
- Village Bike Shop, 107 Bridge St., Arroyo Grande
Hotels
The Agrarian Hotel, Arroyo Grande
The boutique hotel celebrated its grand opening at 325 E. Branch St. in June.
In the works since 2016, The Agrarian Hotel features 54 rooms, a heated pool and a hot tub.
La Quinta Inn & Suites San Luis Obispo by Wyndam
Formerly called The Monterey Hotel, La Quinta Inn & Suites opened at 1845 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo in May.
The hotel, developed by Andrew Firestone’s StonePark Capital in partnership with La Quinta, features 102 rooms, a self-serve breakfast room, a fitness room and a rooftop mini-pool and jacuzzi with 360-degree views of the surrounding hills.
Hotel San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo
This high-end hotel known colloquially as Hotel SLO opened at 877 Palm St. in October.
The 78-room complex, which is located next to the Palm Theatre, features two restaurants — Piadina and Ox + Anchor — as well as a rooftop bar, a spa and bocce ball space.
Opened in July, the 101-room hotel at 800 Fourth St. pays tribute to Paso Robles’s historic “Almond Capital of the World” status with its decor.
Oxford Suites has two locations in San Luis Obispo County, including a hotel in Pismo Beach.
The four-story boutique hotel opened at 600 12th St. in October.
Located just off Downtown City Park, The Piccolo has 24 rooms, a rooftop bar and even a Champagne vending machine. The hotel is owned by Martin Resorts, the same company that runs the Paso Robles Inn.
This 124-room hotel opened near the Pismo Beach Pier in October.
Located at 147 Stimson Ave., Vespera on Ocean features a 1,900-square-foot ballroom as well as Somerset Grill restaurant, a pool and an event lawn with fire pits.
Other hotels that opened in 2019 include:
- Hotel Siri, 715 24th St., Paso Robles
- Salty Sister at Morro Rock, 1170 Front St., Morro Bay
Attractions
The Field of Light at Sensorio, Paso Robles
Spread over 15 acres, the glowing installation by artist Bruce Munro opened in May at 4380 Highway 46 East.
Munro brought his lightscape, which features nearly 60,000 fiber optic stemmed lights that slowly change color as visitors walk through the field, as a preview for Sensorio, an interactive garden and art attraction.
Octagon Barn Center, San Luis Obispo
A September grand opening signaled the historic Octagon Barn’s rebirth as a location for weddings and other events. The site off South Higuera Street now includes three buildings and outdoor patio space.
The nonprofit Land Conservancy, which has a 98-year lease on the property, headed up the $7.2 million effort to restore the eight-sided barn.
This story was originally published December 31, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
