Visited the Ambyth tasting room located within Nature's Touch on Templeton's Main Street. Cute…read moreappearance from the outside seeing as it's connected to a nursery. Outdoor tasting area consisted of a few picnic tables surrounded by plants and string lights. Not a bad place to drink wine if you're not at the vineyard. Sadly, I quickly realized that biodynmic wines are not for me, nor were they for most of us in the group. A few of us ended up dumping multiple of the tastings. It was a cool idea to try a wine product that was as natural as it was, but there's a reason that sulfates are added into wine and that was learned here. The tasting menu had an orange wine on it which was pretty exciting, but still not enough to warrant a re-visit by me. Cool vibes and service, just not my glass of wine.

Local Serendipitous Take: Great local natural brews, olive oil, in a cute tasting room in a Natural…read moreFood store, run by a nice local family. One fine Saturday, after having finished shopping at the wonderful Templeton Farmers Market just a few blocks away, I decided at random to drive down Main St. to see if anything was interesting. Our eyes where caught by the pop-market & plants in front of this warehouse-like building and we stopped to look. As we literally wandered into the main shop past all the plants outside, I spied this interesting wood paneled nook with a full bar & bottles in the corner. It had a serene look and this nice lady greeted me. It turns out that she was one of the owners. I was curious about at first the olive oil and then when she pointed out their wines & ciders, I was even more interested. I tasted the oil & I think two brews. The Olive Oil was herbaceous & good, but I had already bought three Gold Award winning local EVOO's from local farms and another Templeton winner was at the Farmers Market. One can only use so much EVOO before it gets old. While they had bottled EVOO in a nice bottle with a cork, they also had a big tank of it, to fill your own bottle which I liked. While their brews tend to be on the dry side per the owner, there was one that was to my taste and I bought a bottle. During the conversation, I heard all kinds of nice things about organic, but since alcohol is inherently not that great for you, I only listened causally..until the term Biodynamic came up. I had no clue as to what it was, but it sounded healthy at the time. When I finally came home to look it up at home on Google, I found out that it was kind of a takeoff on pseudo-science, namely, the more well know Homeopathy. As far as I can tell, this was sort of the same thing, but for farming and first thought of in the 1920's, which was in a time when the older pseudoscience, Homeopathy [late 1800's] saw a resurgence in the US. Let us think that in these eras, we did not have a clue about alot of things, especially in medical science. In those days, if your equivalent of a PCP wanted to give you turpentine to drink and you then threw up, I am sure you would possibly latch onto basically magic potion with almost nothing or nothing in it. The placebo effect is naturally so strong that you can have lots of benefit from even blessed water, or even quite a few side effects, like nausea & vomiting. People are terrible test subjects even when the later rigorous formulation of double-blinded Placebo controlled studies became the standard. How do I know? I used to help run some of these studies on some blockbuster medications in Hawaii. Since Hawaii had all kinds of interesting cross-cultural themes, I also found out that the most popular Chemotherapy drug in Japan was sold at doctor's offices [where they made a profit] and it was a placebo....& there was nothing "Homeopathic" about it. It was a culturally specific thing that involved confidence in their doctor, that invoked a placebo response, but ultimately they still typically died from cancer all the same...except for rare spontaneous remissions which do happen regardless of treatment. Oddly enough, I used to buy wine from another vineyard that used crystals to enhance their crops. While I thought it another myth, they still made excellent tasting wine, and I did not have to join a cult to drink it. While the Biodynamic stuff and some other stuff on their website is IMHO rather out there, they do a very nice job of caring for what they do, and creating stuff that has less junk, that one does not need, or can have a reaction to Sulfites. On the other hand, some things can give one pause, like statements like they use natural yeast, and let things sit around for awhile.....or use Clay Amphoras sometimes or Oak Barrels at other times. As someone who is a retired science researcher & has a hobby of making DIY Cider, Probiotic Veges, Natto, and much more, I tend to be really careful with how I make stuff & have had all kinds of run ins with stuff which grows, where I do not want it to. The air contains countless spores or active bacteria, fungus, mold, viruses, etc...and quite a few times they decide to grow where I do not want them. In many cases, the short-term natural preservative is either the rampant growth of your culture or a byproduct like Lactic Acid....or to some degree, the yeast/alcohol mix itself. Longer preservation times involve more complex efforts like canning. In any case, if you want products that have less interventions and still feel comfortable with their techniques, it is worth a try. If you have health conditions that involve the GI or immune system, maybe consult an MD before using such products, since some may contain active cultures for all I know.

There are dinners... and then there are Grand Prize Bling…read moreRing dinners that come with a reputation you've already heard about more than once. McPhee's Grill was part of my winning night from the Lumina Alliance gala -- supporting women and families in our community -- and I couldn't be more pleased. I shared my win with my neighbor (because some things are meant to be celebrated properly), and she immediately said, "That's my favorite steakhouse." From one Mc to another... I'm taking that as very good guidance. There's something special about places that consistently show up -- for their guests and for their community. Supporting Lumina Alliance while being known for a memorable dining experience? That's a combination I respect. I'm very much looking forward to the evening... and already planning to do it right. Scarlett Cougar (AKA Sher McG)

If you are looking for an absolutely incredible meal you need to stop in and eat here! The filet,…read morethe pork chop, the tempura shrimp.........some of the best food we've had! The crème brûlée is absolutely to die for, the best I've ever had! Service was friendly and fast. If you are looking the old saloon feel but slightly more upscale this is it.

Decades is a nice addition to the neighborhood. They have a good selection of beer and wine, plus…read morethey have THE BEST seltzer on tap COLONY MASH PURPLE REIGN! I love that this bar is open early and stays open late. My only request might be to lower the intensity of the lighting as the night goes on.

A chic kickback kinda place that spins vinyl and has cold libations available. The vibe here is…read morehard to beat. Plenty of seating to accommodate just you, or you and several friends. The sound system is phenomenal, and staff can play any vinyl you find in their library. The staff shared that customers are welcome to bring in their own vinyl to be spun and boomed over their state of the art sound system. This is a great spot to stop in for a pint, or hang out and let the vinyl vibes take you away.

Cailin was the best. I was walking around without a specific destination in downtown Paso Robles…read moreand decided to walk into this beautiful tasting room. To make things more fun and educational ( I'm also in the wine business),I asked Caitlin if she would pour me a red and a white and a blind fashion. She went along and I had a great time trying to guess by elimination. Her knowledge of wine helped me learn a few things and I am very grateful for that fun experience! The Merlot from Stillton was a delightful surprise! Thank you so much for the hospitality.

So Vin 13 was a pit stop for us before heading back to our accommodations. What a great stop it…read morewas. I apologize in advance for not getting our server's name as she was simply delightful and knowledgeable. Located in the heart of downtown Paso Robles is this upscale, unassuming and neat cocktail lounge. They our local wines and serve local beers. I chuckled at their charcuterie plate; already made and it appeared to be vacuum sealed until ordered. Regardless, the content was delicious and made the wine and beer taste even better As an afterthought this place should be a stop before your winetasting ventures. Why? Because they have a bunch of the local Paso production... You can get a feel and idea of the wine, then make your decision for where you want to visit. OR, just stop in at Vin 13 for no specific reason or rhyme I can't wait to get back Paso! Keep up the great production

So knowledgeable and a very interesting wine experience with great wines! Definitely a recommended…read morestop in Atascadero. Super yummy food selections, too, which is great because you will stay longer than you planned!

Absolutely loving this quaint little wine bar. Along with the delicious menu of small bites, and…read moreextensive wine list, it was so much fun to meet the locals/regulars, and even had a chance to meet a couple wine makers who were also enjoying this fun spot. Thanks to Michelle and Mike for this little "home away from home." The food items were simply delicious, and paired nicely with the different wines. Only wish I lived closer as they continue to dazzle us with their daily changing menu items (I've got dibs on their Anchovy Croutons, Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas, Turkey Meatloaf & Mash, and Swedish Meatballs).

We walked in to Pony Club hoping to grab a warm tea and beer after walking around in the cold night…read moreair. We were greeted by a friendly server named Sara (hopefully, I recalled her name correctly). Before we were seated, I asked if they had hot herbal tea and she said they definitely did. Although hot tea wasn't part of the bar menu, she went out of her way to accommodate my request. She even had to get the hot water from the hotel. She was so sweet! The bar lounge wasn't overly large but they did their best to accommodate their patrons. Before we finished our drinks. some new patrons walked in and they had to be turned away since the lounge area was already filled. We kept our visit short so they could accommodate more patrons. I'm sure the food they offered would have been delicious but we had already eaten dinner. The sticky toffee pudding sounded like it would have been wonderful! Perhaps we'll be able to stop for dinner or a casual bite to eat next time we're in Paso Robles! I hope others enjoy their visit with Sara and the other staff at Pony Club too!

Fun evening at Pony club bar with our friends from Sculpterra winery. Paul the wine maker…read moreentertained us with accolades of his amazing wines . We enjoyed the vionier, mega focus and reserve Cab that we paired with the chocolate cake. We love his wines and we be enjoying the upcoming winery events.

Last night was date night for my wife and me. As locals, we usually try to make reservations,…read moreespecially on a holiday weekend, but we failed and had to take the very risky chance of not getting a table. Just one of my many first-world problems. We used to go to Wine Merchant for the Grassy Bar oysters as often as we could, so we were very excited to hear about the new spot, Grace and Rose. The newly remodeled farmhouse is nestled away from the busy downtown square, which, for a local, is a plus on some nights. It's not far from downtown, but lucky for us, we know how to drive. We were greeted by the owner, who has always been gracious with us, and let her know we had failed at getting a reservation. She was kind enough to let us sit at the bar so we could be seated right away. This already felt right. Not only was I incredibly happy to be there with my wife -- who looked stunning, by the way -- but I was also impressed with the remodel of the home. The revamping of this old house was done in such a unique way, staying true to the historical architecture while adding modern details and touches that somehow sexified the place in a completely consensual way, of course. Christina, who I believe runs the wine program, was absolutely incredible -- fun, engaging, and genuinely happy to serve us on our date night. She guided us through the menu, made some suggestions, and let the races begin. We started with a half bottle of Taittinger bubbles paired with our favorite Grassy Bar oysters. We ordered the goat cheese stuffed dates drizzled with a hot honey glaze. F me in the goat ass, that shit was fire. I may or may not still be thinking about those little bastards. How I would totally adopt them, raise them as my own, give them my last name, and keep them out of foster care for as long as possible. Say what you want about kale, but this kale and fennel salad had me rethinking my entire existence. Should I just go vegan? Because this shit had me turnt. The acidity of the lemon complemented the delicious Parmesan that hugged the salad like a great auntie who really loves her nieces and nephews. Some delicious bread and whipped butter arrived shortly thereafter. The butter was so easily spreadable and luxurious it could make any dominatrix pay to be whipped instead. We ended up sharing the roasted carrots, which were laid over a delicious tangy base, along with the steak, which was cooked slightly under medium rare -- but honestly, I didn't mind. I was ready to get dirty. The steak fries appeared to be made in-house: perfectly crispy, just soft enough inside, and kissed with exactly the right amount of salt. The evening led us to a glass of rosé followed by a delicious red, all suggestions made by the wonderful and impeccable Christina. The farmhouse was packed, but not in a way that felt loud or overwhelming. We could still carry a conversation. It felt like an actual home filled with people eating family-style food that was elevated and thoughtfully executed. My appreciation for service stems from having worked in the service industry myself. We recognize the hard work owners put into their food, as well as the efficiency, dedication, and commitment their staff brings to customer service. All of those things were achieved last night and then some. The mix of locals and tourists all under one roof, in one family home, eating their own specific dishes and drinking their own specific wines, made this place feel like more than just another crowded restaurant. It felt romantic, intimate, and somehow like a well-attended family gathering all at once. Thank you, Grace and Rose, for continuing to provide a unique space where people can come together to enjoy thoughtfully curated food and good company -- especially for the rest of us heathens who just want to get out of the house and not cook dinner on a Friday night. Cheers.

Beautiful restaurant in a restored farmhouse. It's a bit off the main downtown area so nice and…read morequiet. There are tables outside on the spacious porch, but it was a cool, windy night and we chose to eat indoors. Nice music was playing in the background at the right volume to be non-intrusive. We chose a couple of wines by the glass from the small but well curated wine list. Shared the goat cheese stuffed dates (fabulous), and also the roasted beets salad and whole branzino, both of which were excellent. Service was perfunctory and a bit cold.

My guy and I wanted a place to stop and get a drink. We tried two other locations in town, both of…read morewhich were so badly managed that they had no one to great us or seat us. Thankfully we ended up at Beach Bums where we we treated like a guest should be! Great friendly vibe that was a welcome relief for us.

We always love coming to Beach Bums when we visit Cayucos. Bruce is a really great guy when you get…read moreto know him. The Chicago Dogs are authentic - they're the real deal! So delicious.