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There was a time — a very long time — when anyone traveling down Highway 101 faced a dearth of dining possibilities. That San Francisco-Santa Barbara trek was fueled by golden arches and Denny’s knockoffs. Now there’s no need to resort to such desperate measures, not when you can pull off the freeway and nosh in style at Paso Robles’ Kitchenette and Arroyo Grande’s Mason Bar & Kitchen. Here’s where to grab a bite, no matter what time you fly through town.
1 San Juan Bautista: Jardines de San Juan
Satisfy your guacamole and taco cravings at this colorful oasis near Mission San Juan Bautista. Grab a seat on the sunny patio and tuck into strawberry lemonade and Chon’s Guacamole, carnitas-filled People’s Choice Burritos or the Baja Tacos with shrimp, avocado salsa and smoky chipotle sauce. A silky flan makes a sweet ending.
The exit: Jardines is 3½ miles off Highway 101. Take Exit 245 toward CA-156 East. Open daily from 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on weekends at 115 Third St., San Juan Bautista; www.jardinesrestaurant.com
More: Need extra fuel for the road? Grab a caffeine fix at Vertigo Coffee Roasters, www.vertigocoffee.com, or a sugar rush at Margot’s Ice Cream Parlor, www.margotsicecreamparlor.com.
2 Salinas: Farm Fresh Deli & Cafe
Set your GPS for downtown Salinas, and pop into this charming eatery for a quick soup and sandwich. You’ll find everything from grilled sammies to wraps, including the filling Farmer’s Club, the decadent Ma’s Famous Spinach and Artichoke Melt and the fried chicken-stuffed Cousin’s Caesar Wrap. Add a smoothie, and you’re good to go.
The exit: Less than a mile from Highway 101. Take Exit 329. Open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, until 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 145 Main St., Salinas; www.farmfreshdelicafe.com.
More: Here for dinner? Try the rustic European-inspired Patria for pork schnitzel and cheesy spaetzle; www.facebook.com/PatriaOldtownSalinas.
3 Soledad: La Fuente Restaurant (CLOSED)
Update: La Fuente, our top pick when this article originally ran in 2017, closed in late 2018, but you’ll find treats in nearby Chualar, too: Pick up delicious asada tortas, cookies and pastries at Alma’s Bakery and Deli at 25482 Payson St. Go for the tacos at Taqueria Hidalgo at 23477 Grant St.
4 King City: Cork & Plough
Farm-to-table, new wave American cuisine and craft cocktails a mile off the freeway? Yes, please! Seattle chef Travis Childers’ two-year-old eatery traffics in tasty lunchtime salads and sandwiches — try the Pork and Cow, a burger topped with pulled pork and Carolina slaw — and heartier dinner entrees, such as Venison Meatloaf and Cajun Shrimp with pork-sausage polenta and a tomato-bell pepper sauce.
The exit: A mile from Highway 101. Take Exit 282B and head for downtown. Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and from noon-8 p.m. Sundays at 200 Broadway St., King City; www.thecorkandplough.com.
5 Paso Robles: Kitchenette
This deli and cafe is technically in Templeton, five miles from sister restaurant Artisan, a dining hot spot for more than a decade (it shuttered in 2018). Kitchenette offers up farm-fresh breakfast and lunch items that pack a flavorful, creative punch, from beer-braised corned beef hash and almond croissant french toast to portobello panini slathered in housemade almond hummus. Salads are divine, too.
The exit: Take Exit 226 at Templeton. Kitchenette is one mile from the freeway. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 105 S. Main St., Suite 100, Templeton; http://kitchenettetempleton.com.
More: Staying overnight in Paso Robles? Get the paella, small plates or stone-fired pizzas just across the square at La Cosecha, http://www.lacosechabr.com. Breezing through town on the late side? The Hatch Rotsserie and Bar is open late (until 10 p.m. on Thursdays, 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays) with killer fried chicken and other tasty fare; www.hatchpasorobles.com.
6 Santa Margarita: The Range
This is range country, so terrific steaks and a jeans-clad crowd are not exactly surprising. What you won’t expect is how incredibly sophisticated the dishes are at this cash-only cowboy bistro. It’s so good, Los Angelenos routinely drive up for the pan-roasted elk medallions with garlic mashed potatoes and cherry bordelaise ($32) and coffee-crusted Angus rib-eye ($33) with a Wild Turkey-peppercorn cream sauce.
The exit: Take Exit 211 from Highway 101 and head into tiny Santa Margarita 1½ miles away. Open from 5-8:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, until 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 22317 El Camino Real, Santa Margarita. No credit cards.
7 San Luis Obispo: Old San Luis Barbecue Company
This super casual, family-friendly spot is known for its Santa Maria-style barbecue grilled over a red oak pit. Get that hand-trimmed, Angus certified tri-tip (or the grilled chicken or pulled pork) as a sandwich on a locally baked bun or via pit plate with a side of apple-cucumber slaw with jalapenos. Salads are great, too, and made using local organic produce. Dine in, on the outdoor patio or get it to-go at the walk-up window. Just don’t forget the chocolate bacon milkshake.
The exit: Take Exit 202B at San Luis Obispo. Old San Luis Barbecue Company is three-quarters of a mile from the freeway. Open daily at 11 a.m. at 670 Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo, http://oldsanluisbbq.com.
More: Staying over in SLO? Head out for light bites and craft cocktails (especially the mezcal and whiskey-based offerings) at Sidecar Cocktail Co. or wake up to their eggs benedicts and bloody marys on Sundays; http://sidecarcocktail.company.
8 Arroyo Grande: Mason Bar & Kitchen
The rustic-chic Mason Bar offers all sorts of delicious lunch and dinner fare, from burgers to lobster corn dogs — and it’s open late, with a tasty bar menu served until 10 p.m. weeknights and midnight Fridays and Saturdays. are fantastic; www.masonbarag.com.
The exit: Take Exit 187A at Arroyo Grande. Mason Bar is half a mile from the freeway. Open weekdays at 11:30 a.m., weekends at 10 a.m. at 307 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande; www.masonbarag.com.
More: On the road early? Grab coffee and morning buns at Sweet Pea Bakery, www.sweetpeabakeryag.com. Doing a stopover in Pismo or Arroyo Grande? Try Ember for a wood-fired rib-eye with avocado chimichurri; www.emberwoodfire.com.
9 Los Alamos: Full of Life Flatbread
Passing through on a weekend? Full of Life Flatbread fires up incredible, crisp, thin-crust pizzas with seasonal toppings — butternut squash and arugula pistou, for example, or short rib and mushroom — for lunch on weekends and dinner Thursday-Sunday. Cozy up indoors or sit out on the porch to enjoy that deliciousness in fine weather.
The exit: Take the Los Alamos Exit 154. Full of Life is 1½ miles away. 225 W. Bell St., Los Alamos; http://fulloflifefoods.com.
More: Pick up fresh-baked bread and croissants at Bob’s Well Bread Bakery; www.bobswellbread.com.
10 Buellton: Industrial Eats
This hip farm-to-table eatery is worth a road trip all on its own. The menu is divided into “Pizza” and “Not Pizza.” Try the succulent porchetta with squash, greens and fried egg, or Indian-inspired spicy cauliflower, spiked with vadouvan curry. On the pizza side, don’t miss the savory Prosciutto, Taleggio, Parmesan and Arugula and spicy Tomato and Fennel Sausage pie. Be sure to grab picnic supplies — artisan cheese and charcuterie — from the butcher shop, too.
The exit: Industrial Eats lies roughly half a mile from Highway 101. Take Exit 140A toward Solvang/Lompoc. Open daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m. at 181 Industrial Way, Buellton; www.industrialeats.com.
More: Solvang is so close! Sample the jelly-filled aebleskivers at Solvang Restaurant; www.solvangrestaurant.com. Pick up pickled veggies and salumi at the Succulent Cafe Wine Charcuterie; www.succulentcafe.com.
As for Santa Barbara proper, check out these five hot spots in the city’s Funk Zone.
