Wine, Dine and Social Distance at These Open-Air SLO County Bars
And here we go again. Round and round we go on the merry-go-round of business closures in the age of the coronavirus pandemic. After the spike in infections, Gov. Gavin Newsom closed all indoor restaurants on July 13.
If you’d like to support your (certainly struggling) local restaurant or bar while staying outside, consider paying a trip to one of our many spacious patio or rooftop bars. At these lovely locales, you can watch the sunset with a superior cocktail and tip your hat to a neighbor sitting a safe distance away.
High Bar at Hotel San Luis Obispo
Spanning the top floor of the hip downtown Hotel San Luis Obispo is a handsome new cocktail bar with a view. Unwind on a comfy couch with a Clover Club cocktail and a glass of Tantara Blanc de Blanc while the hotel restaurant, Piadina, whips up a smoked salmon and caviar pizza with dill crème fraîche for you. Admire the chef’s garden of citrus, herbs and olives, all used in the hotel dining establishments. The terrace has shading so you can remove your hat and relax. You’ll want to soak in the mountains with a nightcap of the Aperol Mule Spritz, along with a late-night game of bocce.
Cape Cod Eatery & Taphouse
Pismo Beach, CA
If your itinerant heart is longing for an East Coast vacation, trip over to Pismo for lobster rolls and golden Allagash ales on the wooden deck of your New England dreams. The massive deck at Cape Cod is outfitted with the comfiest Adirondack chairs — you know, the ones that won’t let you not lean back — and the service is friendly. Safety precautions like chair distancing and servers wearing masks will ease your worries as you take a small break from the home doldrums. Ease into the evening with a crisply acidic glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a rich platter of char-grilled oysters with garlic butter.
Tetto at The Piccolo
Paso Robles, California
This 1,500-square-foot open-air rooftop at Tetto is open every afternoon into the evening, serving fresh cocktails, local wines, top-shelf spirits, cheese and charcuterie boards, and gourmet Italian sandwiches. With expansive green views of the charming tree-lined town square and rolling hills covered with grapevines, this is a spot you’ll want to linger at. Tipple enough DAOU 2017 Reserve Cabernet and you might end up checking into the Somm Suite, the hotel’s luxury suite featuring a wine fridge, just so you can prolong your vineyard vacation.
Bethel Rd Distillery and Winery
Templeton, CA
With a patio overlooking the hills of Paso Robles and spacious seating at its tables, Bethel Rd is the distillery and winery of your open-air dreams. Though Bethel isn’t doing tastings right now due to COVID, it is serving wines by the glass on its patio. Order up a fruity, floral glass of Bethel Blanco, a blend of Gewürztraminer and Albariño. On your way out, grab a beautiful bespoke cocktail kit and some pretty bottles of house-made sanitizer.
Somerset Grill at Vespera Hotel
Pismo Beach, CA
A beautiful French brasserie-style patio at Somerset Grill offers alfresco dining, while oceanview chairs offer panoramic views. Whether you choose Ancient Peaks Cab or a Tolosa “No Oak” Chardonnay, a wrong choice isn’t possible. The kitchen sends out seafood favorites accompanied by local market fare, much of it freshly grilled on a wood fire. Settle into an Adirondack chair by a firepit and while the night away.
