Diners' Choice: Best Food restaurants in California Central Coast

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall cuisine in California Central Coast? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Le Soufflé

4.9

4.9 (432)

$50 and over

French

Carmel

About the restaurant

**LUNCH ONLY MONDAY-FRIDAY STARTING AT 11:30AM- CLOSED SAT/SUN**
We are located in CARMEL, CALIFORNIA, USA. Reservations are only available through OpenTable up to 3 weeks in advance. Intimate indoor dining room can accommodate parties up to 4 guests- Menu changes seasonally- see website for current menu.

Le Soufflé is a fine dining restaurant serving a traditional French soufflé lunch menu. Everything is exclusively prepared by our Executive Chef/Co-Owner creating a very unique and finely crafted dining experience. The wine list offers a selection of wines from exquisite boutique producers in France and are all available by the glass or bottle. Our guests can look forward to an elegant escape when they step into our intimate and luxurious dining room. We are located on Dolores Street, just two blocks off Ocean Avenue in the beautiful village of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Top review

Danovip

Dined 4 days ago

Lunch was fantastic and a very special experience.

Brothers Restaurant at Red Barn

4.9

4.9 (1332)

$31 to $50

American

Santa Ynez Valley

About the restaurant

The Nichols brothers, Matt & Jeff, grew up in Ames, Iowa where their love of cooking, good food and a sense of family and community was nurtured.

The 2013 opening of their second Santa Barbara Wine Country restaurant, Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn in Santa Ynez, allows them to offer visitors and locals alike great food, wine and hospitality. The brothers strive to have legendary service, innovative cuisine, and a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere that causes you to return time and again.

As chefs, the brothers continue to experiment with new dishes and cuisine, but always with that “from scratch”, homemade element. Fresh ingredients from local producers, a wine list that showcases the region’s award-winning wines and a comfortable and historically interesting atmosphere that takes you back to the romance of the old west. They want you to feel at home, and experience all the best of Santa Barbara’s Wine Country.

Top review

Virginia

Dined 1 day ago

Not enough words to describe our server Kat she was super attentive and the food was beyond delicious. Too bad I couldn’t eat it all at once, even leftovers were delicious. Thank you, everyone for making us feel welcome/special.

Secret Bao

4.8

4.8 (631)

$31 to $50

Asian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Modern Asian American Restaurant from Chefs Peter Lee & Felicia Medina.

"Consider the bao. Chinese in origin, it’s most easily described as a steamed bun filled with something savory. Yet, like the American concept of a sandwich, the bao exploded into a flexible format of untold bounds — served at any meal, filled with you-name-it, completely closed or wide open, with endless regional variants from across Asia and far beyond." - Matt Kettmann (SB Independent)

1 Block From State Street, Easy Parking, Public Lot Nearby, Free 75 Minute Parking, Walking Distance, El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, Superior Court, Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Courthouse Gardens, Bell Tower, Bao, Food, Restaurant, Asian, American, New, Modern, Fried, Chicken, Octopus, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paelo, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design

Top review

Judithvip

Dined 3 days ago

This is our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. The menu is interesting and often changing. It is innovative and always delicious. They combine ingredients in a very creative way. And the waitstaff is always attentive and top notch!

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