Paso Robles: California’s Next Culinary Capital
With 300 wineries and 5 MICHELIN-Recommended Restaurants, Paso Robles has fast become California’s culinary capital. At the center of the Central Coast’s dining scene, Paso currently boasts three MICHELIN Stars, including one star each for Six Test Kitchen and The Restaurant at Justin Winery. For its environmental achievements, The Restaurant at Justin has also been awarded a Sustainability Star, one of only 11 in the United States. MICHELIN has deemed three other Paso Robles restaurants as must-tries: In Bloom, Les Petite Canailles and The Hatch. Join us at the table, a community of cowboys and innovators, where world-class food, wine and art meet small-town charm.
Michelin Star Restaurants
Six Test Kitchen
Six Test Kitchen was among 22 new restaurants in California to receive the coveted one star awarded by MICHELIN Guide in 2021. In 2022, Six Test maintained its one star ranking for a second year.
"Chef Ricky Orbert's multi-course tasting menu is on the books, evolving with and inspired by the seasons of the Central Coast. Fridays and Saturdays feature an expanded menu, with dishes that highlight the chef's unique style and creative vision."
— MICHELIN Guide
The Restaurant at JUSTIN
The Restaurant at JUSTIN was among 18 restaurants that reached for the Stars in the 2022 edition of the MICHELIN Guide California and earned a new MICHELIN Star distinction. The Restaurant was awarded a traditional one star rating, while the restaurant's head chef, Chef Rachel Haggstrom earned her own individual green star for excellence in sustainability.
Make your way through winding roads to land upon the lush retreat, nestled within the JUSTIN Winery. This restaurant champions local product, sourced nearby and from the property’s own 150-tree orchard, edible flower fields, vegetable and herb gardens and apiary. Chef Rachel Haggstrom and her team flex their creative skills on a single tasting menu. Imagine asparagus with a soft quail egg, blood orange and duck prosciutto or artichoke tortellini with truffle and peas. As expected, theirs is an impressive wine list, replete with their own labels among other unique selections.
— MICHELIN Guide
Michelin Recognized Restaurants
The Hatch
The Hatch was one of three local Paso Robles restaurants recognized as MICHELIN's New Additions to the California Guide. These new culinary gems are now officially recognized and in the running for future Bib Gourmands or Stars.
It's all hail to the bird at The Hatch. This downtown Paso Robles restaurant reveres the rotisserie and roasted chicken is indeed the must order. Brined and smoky, the half Mary's organic chicken is sided by a vanilla-maple slaw, buttermilk dip and Hatch hot sauce, and its perfectly salty skin coupled with flavorful meat gives an expensive steak a run for its money. The skillet cornbread, finished with brown butter, flaky salt and honey, is a worthy sidekick. With down-home style cooking, it may come as no surprise that cream pies are the focus come dessert. Order the chocolate cream pie, an individually-sized treat served in a metal pie tin. How could you ever go wrong with chocolate pudding and salted caramel in a coconut graham crust?
— MICHELIN Guide
In Bloom
Executive Chef Kenny Seliger and Executive Sous Chef Ron Frazier take the now-classic Californian menu and give it a clever update (sweet parsnip cannoli, anyone?) at In Bloom. Their cooking is confident and their dishes really come alive. Suspend any decision-making by opting for the six-course tasting menu, offering the menu's best dishes in modified portions, or order a la carte. The perfectly executed branzino is a stunner, but it's ratcheted up further thanks to a brown butter sunchoke puree, kumquat slices, purple radish and a chili crisp sauce. Then, smoked chocolate mousse layered with raspberry jam, honey wafer and house made, torched marshmallow fluff is presented for a take on s'mores that will have you ditching the campfire in no time.
— MICHELIN Guide
Les Petites Canailles
Courtney and Julien Asseo have named this Paso Robles restaurant in honor of their three children (the name Les Petites Canailles translates to "the little rascals") but this welcoming spot with a spot-on kitchen is more head of the class than detention bound. Set smack in the heart of downtown, the space's pressed concrete floors, simple furnishings and Edison lights read contemporary. Meals begin with a warm gougère before moving on to a selection of hearty appetizers. The menu features several entrées, though most eyes land on the perfectly cooked steaks. Leeks à la plancha, served on an oversized platter, are grilled, covered with an herb vinaigrette and finished with flaky salt, Espelette pepper and toasted pine nuts for a simple, yet refined dish.
— MICHELIN Guide
