Best North County Bar
Pine Street Saloon
1234 Pine St., Paso Robles
(805) 238-1114
@pinestsaloon
facebook.com/pinestreetsaloon/?ref=br_rs
Best North Coast Bar
The Siren
900 Main St., Morro Bay
(805) 225-1312
@thesirenmorrobay
Best San Luis Obispo Bar
Sidecar Cocktail Co.
1040 Broad St., SLO
(805) 439-3563
@sidecar_slo
Best South County Bar
Mason Bar & Kitchen
307 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande
(805) 202-8918
@masonbarandkitchen
Best South Coast Bar
Mr. Rick’s
404 Front St., Avila Beach
(805) 595-7425
@mr.ricks_bar
Best Barista
Eric Pettis at Blackhorse
1065 Higuera St., SLO
(805) 783-1300
Best Cup of Coffee
Scout Coffee Co.
1130 Garden St., SLO
880 Foothill Blvd., SLO
(805) 439-2175
@scoutcoffee
I’ve tried pretty much every coffee shop in town (and I have an espresso machine at home, so you know I’m serious), and it’s hard to find much to complain about at any of them. They all bring something a little different to the table, whether it’s ample study space or out-of-the-box drinks. At Scout, the coffee itself shines. Whether it’s an Americano or, my personal favorite, a Gibraltar, you can count on Scout to serve an unbeatable drink that hits like nowhere else. And, the true test of a good coffee shop, Scout’s cold brew is actually cold brewed!! With delicious food, adorable merch, and a gorgeous space downtown, it’s no wonder Scout won best overall coffee shop, too.
—Kasey Bubnash
Best Coffee Shop
Scout Coffee Co.
1130 Garden St., SLO
880 Foothill Blvd., SLO
(805) 439-2175
@scoutcoffee
Best Coffee Roaster
Coastal Peaks Coffee
3566 S. Higuera, No. 100, SLO
(805) 541-1186
@coastalpeaks
facebook.com/coastalpeakscoffee
Best Tea Shop
The Secret Garden Organic Herb Shop
740 Higuera St., SLO
(805) 544-4372
secretgarden@organicherbshop.com
@secretgardenslo
Best Juice Place
VirtJuice
1200 E. Grand Ave., unit 103, Arroyo Grande
(805) 994-7076
@virtjuice
Best Smoothie
Jamba Juice
SLO, ARROYO GRANDE, ATASCADERO, PASO ROBLES
(805) 549-0733
@jambajuice
Best Wine Bar
STAX Wine Bar and Bistro
1099 Embarcadero, Morro Bay
(805) 772-5055
@staxwinebar
Best Winery for Red Wine
Tolosa Winery
4910 Edna Road, SLO
(805) 782-0500
@tolosawinery
Best Winery for White Wine
Edna Valley Vineyard
2585 Biddle Ranch Road, SLO
(805) 544-5855
@ednavalleyvineyard
facebook.com/EdnaValleyVineyard
Best Winery for Sparkling Wine
Laetitia Vineyard & Winery
453 Laetitia Vineyard Drive, Arroyo Grande
(805) 481-1772
@laetitiawine
Best Virtual Wine Tasting Experience
Edna Valley Vineyard
2585 Biddle Ranch Road, SLO
(805) 544-5855
@ednavalleyvineyard
facebook.com/EdnaValleyVineyard
Best Tasting Room
Edna Valley Vineyard
2585 Biddle Ranch Road, SLO
(805) 544-5855
@ednavalleyvineyard
facebook.com/EdnaValleyVineyard
Best Tasting Transportation
SLO Safe Ride
284 Higuera St., suite D, SLO
(805) 620-7233
slosaferidemarketing@gmail.com
@slowinetours
Best Brewery
BarrelHouse Brewing Co.
3055 Limestone Way, Paso Robles
1033 Chorro St., basement level, SLO
(805) 296-1128
@bhbc
facebook.com/barrelhousebrewing
Best Distillery
KROBAR Craft Distillery
2174 Highway 46, Paso Robles
10 Higuera St., SLO
(833) 576-2271
@krobarcraftdistillery
facebook.com/krobarcraftdistillery
Best Happy Hour
Marisol at The Cliffs
2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach
(805) 773-5000
@thecliffshotelandspa
facebook.com/thecliffshotelandspa
Best Place for a Beer
BarrelHouse Brewing Co.
3055 Limestone Way, Paso Robles
1033 Chorro St., basement level, SLO
(805) 296-1128
@bhbc
facebook.com/barrelhousebrewing
Best Drink with a View
Ventana Grill
2575 Price St., Pismo Beach
(805) 773-0000
@ventanagrill
facebook.com/VentanaGrillPismoBeach
Best Bartender
Nicole Sigman (Black Sheep)
1117 Chorro St., SLO
(805) 544-7433
@blacksheepslo
Best Dive Bar
McCarthy’s Irish Pub
600 March St., SLO
(805) 544-0286
@mccarthysirishpub
facebook.com/McCarthysIrishPubSLO
You want a Midori sour, blended? Don’t come here. McCarthy’s ain’t got no blender, see? It’s a bar, not a damn soda shop. You want a healthy pour of liquor served by take-no-guff bartenders? This is the place. This is where drinkers drink. A real bar. If Charles Bukowski was still alive and lived in SLO, this would be his bar. It would be Hemingway’s bar. James Joyce would drink here. Dorothy Parker, too. Kerouac? Of course. Hunter S. Thompson would drink here but get thrown out for being high on other drugs. That’s the kind of bar McCarthy’s is.
—Glen Starkey
Best Bloody Mary
Marisol at The Cliffs
2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach
(805) 773-5000
@thecliffshotelandspa
facebook.com/thecliffshotelandspa
Best Hard Cider
SLO Cider
3419 Roberto Court, suite C, SLO
(805) 439-0865
@slocider
Best Craft Beer
BarrelHouse Brewing Co.
3055 Limestone Way, Paso Robles
1033 Chorro St., basement level, SLO
(805) 296-1128
@bhbc
facebook.com/barrelhousebrewing
Best Margarita
La Esquina Taqueria
1051 Nipomo St., SLO
(805) 439-4289
@laesquina_taqueria
Best Craft Cocktail
Sidecar Cocktail Co.
1040 Broad St., SLO
(805) 439-3563
@sidecar_slo
Best To-Go Cocktail
Sidecar Cocktail Co.
1040 Broad St., SLO
(805) 439-3563
@sidecar_slo
This article appears in Best of SLO County 2021.