Diners' Choice: Hot spot restaurants in California Central Coast

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that are the best hot spots 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!

Japanese Restaurant Goshi

5.0

5 (551)

$30 and under

Japanese

San Luis Obispo

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of San Luis Obispo downtown, serving authentic Japanese food starting from Sushi and traditional tei-shoku. Don't forget to enjoy soothing sake and Japanese beer!

Top review

Steven

Dined on May 25, 2025

Great food and service . Always a wonderful experience

Na Na Thai

4.9

4.9 (38)

$30 and under

Thai

Buellton

About the restaurant

A Taste of Bangkok in the Heart of California.
A vibrant restaurant in Buellton, California, inspired by the owners' time living in Thailand. The menu features a diverse selection of elevated street food dishes.
Step inside and be transported to a lively atmosphere. The colorful decor and friendly staff create a welcoming ambiance.
Start your culinary journey with a selection of small plates, like the crispy lumpia, filled with curried beef, or the light and flavorful por pia tofu spring roll, bursting with fresh vegetables and herbs. For a main course, indulge in the pad thai, a classic dish elevated with perfectly grilled shrimp and a symphony of textures. The daily changing fried rice is a show stopper!
Na Na Thai's commitment to authentic flavors extends to their use of locally sourced ingredients. They work closely with farmers and ranchers to ensure the freshest, highest-quality produce and meats.

Top review

BradVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Best Thai Food in the whole Central Coast, outstanding quality and nice owners and staff.

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Experience

ASHKAHN WINES by the glass takeover!

Experience

Thai Family Style

Experience

August Omakase Dinner

Ca' Dario Cucina Italiana

4.8

4.8 (634)

$31 to $50

Italian

Goleta

About the restaurant

Anything grilled is "divine" and the rest of the menu is "delectable" at the "charming" Italian in Santa Barbara known for its "excellent" execution of "simple" pasta, meats and other classics plus a "fantastic" wine list with many available by the glass; it's a local "favorite", so reservations are a must.

Top review

Amy

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

Our family had a wonderful celebratory dinner here to honor my daughter's UCSB graduation! We took her here the night we moved her in to her dorm and so it was fitting to end her time at UCSB back in the same place! Thank you for being a memory we will never forget! (Food and service were outstanding!)

the C restaurant + bar

4.7

4.7 (1257)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Monterey

About the restaurant

Our family-friendly Monterey Bay restaurant is close to the Aquarium, situated over sapphire waters and immersed in the natural beauty of the California coast. The C restaurant features only seafood endorsed by Seafood Watch of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The delicious Arctic Char featured on Executive Chef Matt Bolton's menus is similar to salmon in taste, texture and color, but is available year-round, and is rated a "best choice" by Seafood Watch.

Located at the upscale InterContinental The Clement Monterey hotel on Monterey Bay. Every table at the C restaurant has a view of the pristine and scenic Monterey Bay. Marine life sightings abound, including dolphins, whales, harbor seals and sea otters. Enjoy the parade of sea creatures and shore birds as you savor the finest in California regional cuisine.

Top review

BarbaraVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Fantastic service drinks and the food is amazing. Love this restaurant !!!

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Popular dish

Pacific Swordfish

Popular dish

Monterey Bay Calamari

Popular dish

Ribeye

Dametra Cafe

4.7

4.7 (334)

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Carmel

About the restaurant

Dametra Cafe is a casual Mediterranean restaurant. Here, diners can expect high-quality healthy food delivered quickly in a relaxed atmosphere. The decor and styling of the dining room is distinctly Greek, specifically like one of the many coastal cities that the country is known for. Between that and the hearty portions and prompt service, Dametra Cafe sits nicely between an upscale restaurant and quick-service places.Dametra's Cafe features primarily Greek cuisine, with some Italian and Spanish thrown in for good measure. Appetizers include hummus with pita bread, fried calamari, grilled jumbo prawns and steamed mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce. The meals are split between sandwiches, pasta and entrée offerings and features dishes such as shrimp and crab ravioli, a salmon burger with red onion and tomatoes, lamb shish kebab and a Greek style lamb shank with rice pilaf and fresh vegetables.

Top review

JanetVIP

Dined 1 day ago

The food was absolutely amazing! The service was fantastic. The waiter was wonderful and very helpful. Dancing at the end of the meal made my day!!

Adelina's Bistro

4.6

4.6 (1210)

$31 to $50

Californian

Nipomo

About the restaurant

The contemporary yet relaxed Adelina’s Bistro is where you’ll enjoy regional cuisine made fresh daily using the best local, organic produce. Given our location, you can also expect a hand-picked selection of superb Central Coast wines. The sophisticated and fun atmosphere encourages new friendships and lively conversation, and the food will delight all palates.

Top review

EveVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Great food and nice atmosphere and phenomenal service by Alexus.

Ciao Papi

4.6

4.6 (65)

$30 and under

American

Paso Robles

About the restaurant

Drenched in sunshine and style, Ciao Papi is a poolside restaurant + cocktail bar at the swankified River Lodge hotel in Paso Robles wine country. The California-Italian kitchen serves up craft eats + drinks designed by the culinary team behind the beloved Bistro + Nightcap at Granada Hotel in San Luis Obispo.

Always al-fresco. Open to the public.

Top review

Melanie

Dined 5 days ago

Our birthday lunch was delightful! Our waitress was attentive, the drinks from the bar were delicious and the food was spectacular. I can't wait to return!!!

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Experience

Margherita Mondays

Experience

Steak Florentine Dinner Special

Ospi Montecito

4.6

4.6 (10)

$31 to $50

Italian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Cal-Italian coastal elegance never tasted so good. Ospi Montecito at The Post is Chef Jackson Kalb’s newest destination for your favorite dinner party.

Building on the success of Ospi Venice, Brentwood, and Costa Mesa, we’re serving up our must-try house-made pastas and crispy Romana-tonda pizzas, plus our first-ever breakfast offering, and an exclusive wood-grilled selection featuring locally sourced meat, seafood, and seasonal vegetables from our top-quality vendors. Thoughtfully curated wines and inventive craft cocktails make it the perfect place for a dining destination any time of day.

Ospi Montecito reimagines Italian cuisine with modern sophistication, delivering a dining experience as effortlessly refined as the community it calls home.

Top review

ChristyVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Great bar and vibe. Food was very good! Service was also very good!

Edwin's Kaona Carmel

4.3

4.3 (199)

$30 and under

Asian

Carmel

About the restaurant

Edwin's Carmel is a South East Asian Fusion Restaurant located in the heart of Carmel by the Sea, CA.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 3 days ago

Amazing experience, chef was amazing they played live music and food was great

Jacks Monterey

3.9

3.9 (293)

$31 to $50

Californian

Monterey

About the restaurant

Jacks Monterey is poised to provide a refreshing culinary experience in downtown Monterey, inside the Portola Hotel & Spa. Emphasizing local ingredients, high-quality seafood, and an award-winning wine and cocktail program, Jacks philosophy derives from globally-inspired traditions of California Cultural Cuisine highlighting flavor profiles unique to cultures from around the world. With design details throughout the indoor and outdoor dining venue to echo the beautiful surrounding landscape, the atmosphere at Jacks promises to be sophisticated—never pretentious. Jacks offers a variety of seating with a bar, fireplace lounge, and pet-friendly, outdoor space features living walls, bistro lighting, and fire pits.

Open for Breakfast & Dinner.

For more information visit www.portolahotel.com/dining/jacks-monterey

Top review

RichardVIP

Dined on Jun 27, 2025

Lobby was mobbed when we arrived. Eventually it cleared out and quieted down. Food was very good. Service OK. Live music excellent.

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