A charming coastal city located in San Luis Obispo County on California’s picturesque Central Coast, Pismo Beach is known for its scenic beauty, relaxed atmosphere, sandy beaches, ragged cliffs and outdoor recreational opportunities.
One of the most iconic landmarks in the area, the Pismo Beach Pier is a popular spot for sightseeing, fishing and taking in Pacific Ocean views and the surrounding coastline. Sunsets from the pier are stunning.
The endearing town has a charming downtown area with a variety of cafes, boutiques, and of course the restaurants in Pismo Beach are incredible as well! Many of these in-town and those along the coast offer a myriad of seafood and other local specialties from Pacific waters and Central Coast farms, as well as classic California dishes.
For a small town, Pismo Beach touts an impressive number of dining choices that range from very casual to fine dining establishments. That being said, my family and I certainly have our favorites, and thankfully most offer extraordinary Central Coast views the area is well known for.
Let’s jump into my recommendations for the best restaurants in Pismo Beach!
7 Must-Try Restaurants in Pismo Beach, CA
Lido Restaurant & Lounge
2727 Shell Beach Road // (805) 773-8900
The signature restaurant of Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa, Lido offers a fine dining experience accompanied by sweeping ocean views.
The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner along with happy hour Monday through Friday. Guests can choose between indoor dining, bar and lounge tables or one of three heated oceanfront patios.
My husband and I so enjoyed our dinner here on the candlelit outdoor ocean-facing patio. Even on a chilly January evening, the heaters kept us plenty warm and comfy.
After a delightful shared roasted beet and apple salad, our main entrees included Etto Casarecce (from a renowned local pasta maker) with San Marzano sauce, basil and melted burrata
and a chef daily special of tender, flavorful Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Along with a shared bottle of Tuscan Sangiovese and the seaside surroundings, the dining experience was magical.
Save room for dessert as the restaurant offers a changing selection of sweet treats including a cheesecake offering. Our Basque Style Cheesecake consisted of a yuzu citrus curd with a blueberry compote topping. Paired with a hot cappuccino, it was the perfect way to end a perfect meal.
Ada’s Fish House
558 Price Street // (805) 556-3077
This downtown Pismo Beach restaurant was highly recommended, and we’re glad we took the advice of a local and checked it out.
Family-owned and operated by chef Douglas MacMillan and his family, Ada’s is highly popular, and reservations are highly recommended. We dined here during lunch and the restaurant was packed by 11:45 am with diners waiting out the door for a table. The décor is rustic and relaxing but classy beach inspired.
Ada’s specializes in seafood though non-seafood items are available as well. The menu offers starters, salads, sandwiches and main entrees.
Of course, we were here for seafood, and seafood is we got. Undecided between the fresh steamed mussels or clams, we opted for both, each done differently and were they ever satisfying, the mussels prepared in savory garlic and tomato broth
and the clams with herbs and white wine.
Entrees here other diners around us oohed and aahed about were the local Sand Dabs, prepared Picatta style and the grilled Pacific Snapper fish tacos.
Vista Steak and Seafood
1601 Price Street // (805) 556-9000
This lovely seaside restaurant on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific is also owned by the MacMillian family and offers classic coastal dishes in yet another stunning setting.
Open for brunch, lunch and dinner, the restaurant leans to a heavy seafood focus though brunch offers a lovely selection of Mexican-inspired dishes as well.
I selected Oysters Rockefeller for my lunch entrée, with some of the largest oysters we’ve ever had. Six come on a platter, and they are quite cheesy, tasty and filling.
My hubby, hankering for a burger after all the seafood we’d eaten on our visit to the Central Coast, ordered the burger on a brioche bun topped with white cheddar cheese, bacon, grilled onions, lettuce and tomatoes, pickles and a secret sauce. Word of warning: this entrée is sizeable and can easily be shared and split. It’s huge!
Cracked Crab
751 Price Street // (805) 773-2722
Every town needs a casual, laid-back eatery where guests can feel comfortable dining in their most comfortable clothes and flip-flops. Cracked Crab in Pismo Beach totally meets the bill.
This fun venue offers lunch and dinner entrees from in-season products on a daily menu. The specialty of no surprise is fresh local seafood and produce from Peacock Farms though diners have other menu options as well.
The favorite entrée here just happens to be the house specialty- the “Big Bucket For Two,” enabling guests to choose from three of the following offerings: Alaskan Dungeness Crab, Opilio (Snow) Crab, Clams, Mussels or Shell On White Shrimp. The bucket also includes spicy Cajun sausage, red skin potatoes, corn cobettes and warm sourdough rolls.
How is the bucket served? Dumped on your table, of course, and accompanied with drawn butter, house made spicy cocktail sauce, triple mustard sauce and tools for pickin’ and crackin.’ Put on your bib as you’ll need it, but it’s so much fun!
Marisol at the Cliffs Hotel and Spa
2957 Shell Beach Road // (805) 773-5000
Situated on a cliff overlooking a picturesque beach, Marisol at the Cliffs Hotel and Spa serves sumptuous coastal dishes for brunch, lunch and dinner.
What my hubby and I loved most about dining here at lunch was that while he is more of a breakfast person, I am more of a lunch-aficionado. Therefore, the menu options made us both happy.
My hubby selected the house brunch favorite- a Brûléed Banana French Toast with bourbon caramel, pecans, cinnamon cream cheese and a choice of bacon or sausage accompanied by a mimosa.
Yes, it was sweet, but not overly sweet. Goldilocks in the Three Bears nursery rhythm would deem it “just right.”
I ordered the Ahi Bowl, a delightful fresh dish with coconut rice topped with sushi grade ahi, fruit pico, lime, cashews, green onions, topped with sweet chili sauce and wasabi cream. It went perfectly with a Paso Robles white viognier wine.
The views, food, service, gentle breezes and setting made for an absolutely memorable outdoor dining experience on a lovely sunny January afternoon.
Oyster Loft
101 Pomeroy Avenue // (805) 295-5104
Guests can dine indoors or outside on the patio which offers stunning views of the Pismo Beach waterfront at this dinner-only restaurant you’ll want to visit if you love fresh seafood and scenic settings.
Oyster Loft offers crudo (raw) dish selections along with salads, small plates and main entrees. We so enjoyed the Tuna Poppers starter with jalapeno, cream cheese, spicy mayo and eel sauce done tempura style. What a way to tantalize the palate!
For dinner, the Roasted Sea Bass and Mussels was enough to share and completely enamored us with its spicy mussel sauce, potato puree, pea tendrils and confit fennel.
Whether you’re looking for a light meal, a heavier one or a combination of the two, Oyster Loft is an amazing Pismo Beach option.
SeaVenture
100 Ocean View Avenue // (805)773-4994
This lovely dining venue, the signature restaurant of the SeaVenture Beach Hotel is located on the third floor of the hotel. Panoramic views from its large picture windows in the main dining room and outdoor decks of the sparkling Pacific are breathtaking, and sunsets here are spectacular.
Weekend brunch is offered every Saturday and Sunday along with dinner every night of the week. Seasonal options include tapas bar selections, soups and salads, appetizers and main entrees.
Brunch biscuits, croissants and cinnamon rolls are house-baked daily and the scents wafting from the kitchen are highly addictive.
I loved my Crab Cake Benedict at brunch with house-made crab cakes over an English muffin and topped with poached eggs, sauteed spinach, hollandaise with a side of crispy hashbrowns with a morning mimosa.
Portions here are large and quite shareable if you desire, or you’ll need to ask for a take-home box.
Planning to Explore More of California’s Central Coast?
Check out these nearby food guides:
- Paso Robles restaurants – Wine lovers should make time for a food and wine pairing day trip just inland from the beach.
Noreen Kompanik is a Registered Nurse and San Diego-based travel writer and photographer. Over 400 of her published articles have appeared in 38 different digital and print publications. She especially loves writing about family travel, luxury travel, food, wine, coffee, history and travel writing and shares these articles on her travel website What’s In Your Suitcase.