America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants 2019
The food and wine at this rustic bistro are hot, and not just because they’re in high demand: A wood-fired oven cranks out eclectic, Italian-inflected dishes, while beverage offerings are largely sourced from the Central Coast.
From The Sommelier: “We are fortunate to have quite a few industry pioneers who’ve gotten established along the Central Coast and elevated the wine scene here over the years, who frequent the restaurant: John Alban, Bob Lindquist, Jim Clendenen and Kenneth Volk, just to name a few. And then we have the younger generation of winemakers who are doing really interesting things and continuing to raise the bar, and they all support each other—we see it when they come dine with us and not only pair their own wines with our food, but also pick some really fun imported international wines off our list. And they always share—winemakers are incredibly generous in that way!” —Brian Collins, Ember
Dish We Loved: Pan-fried Cayucos abalone steak, pork belly confit, pickled ginger, cilantro, and hollandaise
