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Best Of SLO 2023

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Best of SLO County 2023: Drinks

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Best North County Bar

The Alchemists' Garden

1144 Pine St., Paso Robles

(805) 369-2444

[email protected]

alchemistsgarden.com

@alchemistsgardenca

facebook.com/alchemistsgardenca

Best North Coast Bar

The Siren

900 Main St., Morro Bay

(805) 225-1312

[email protected]

thesirenmorrobay.com

@thesirenmorrobay

facebook.com/thesirenmorrobay

Best San Luis Obispo Bar

Black Sheep Bar & Grill

1117 Chorro St., SLO

(805) 544-7433

[email protected]

blacksheepslo.com

@blacksheepslo

facebook.com/blacksheepslo

Best South County Bar

Mason Bar & Kitchen

307 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande

(805) 202-8918

masonbarag.com

@masonbarandkitchen

facebook.com/MasonBarAG

With house-made syrups, fresh-pressed juices, and more than 25 different types of bourbon and whiskey at its disposal, Mason Bar and Kitchen has the sweetest selection of handcrafted cocktails in Arroyo Grande. It's no surprise that New Times readers have crowned the venue as South SLO County's Best Bar eight years in a row. Alongside the popular bar's extensive list of cocktail offerings, customers of the country-chic tavern—with a charming, cozy mason jar-lit atmosphere—can choose from 20 rotating beers on tap, as well as more than a dozen locally produced wines by the glass or bottle.

—Caleb Wiseblood

Best South Coast Bar

Marisol at The Cliffs

2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach

(805) 773-5000

[email protected]

cliffshotelandspa.com/dine

@thecliffshotelandspa

facebook.com/thecliffshotelandspa

Best Wine Bar

Saints Barrel

1021 Higuera St., SLO

(805) 439-1929

[email protected]

saintsbarrel.com

@saintsbarrelslo

facebook.com/saintsbarrelslo

Best Winery for Red Wine

Opolo Vineyards

7110 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles

(805) 238-9593

[email protected]

opolo.com

@opolowines

facebook.com/OpoloWines

Best Winery for White Wine

Edna Valley Vineyard

2585 Biddle Ranch Road, SLO

(805) 544-5855

ednavalleyvineyard.com

@ednavalleyvineyard

facebook.com/EdnaValleyVineyard

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GLAM IT UP Add some pop to your life with the Best Sparkling Wine at Laetitia Vineyard & Winery. The brut sparkling rose is just one of the wines that can bring bubbles to your palate. - PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM

Photo By Jayson Mellom
GLAM IT UP Add some pop to your life with the Best Sparkling Wine at Laetitia Vineyard & Winery. The brut sparkling rose is just one of the wines that can bring bubbles to your palate.

Best Winery for Sparkling Wine

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery

453 Laetitia Vineyard Drive, Arroyo Grande

(805) 481-1772

[email protected]

laetitiawine.com

@laetitiawine

facebook.com/laetitiawine

Best Tasting Room

Edna Valley Vineyard

2585 Biddle Ranch Road, SLO

(805) 544-5855

ednavalleyvineyard.com

@ednavalleyvineyard

facebook.com/EdnaValleyVineyard

Best Tasting Transportation

SLO Safe Ride

284 Higuera St., suite D, SLO

(805) 620-7233

[email protected]

slosaferide.com

@slowinetours

facebook.com/slosaferide

Best Brewery

Central Coast Brewing

6 Higuera St., SLO

1701 Monterey St., SLO

(805) 783-2739

[email protected]

centralcoastbrewing.com

@centralcoastbrewing

facebook.com/CentralCoastBrewing

click to enlarge

Photo By Jayson Mellom
BEST DISTILLERY With a focus on whiskey, Rod & Hammer's SLO Stills uses the liquid gold to spice up its cocktails. The Best Distiller's smoked old fashioned comes with straight bourbon, and Ron's margarita is made with straight rye.

Best Distillery

Rod & Hammer's SLO Stills

855 Aerovista Place, SLO

(844) 756-7845

[email protected]

rodandhammer.com

@rodandhammer

facebook.com/rodandhammer

Best Cidery

SLO Cider Co.

3419 Roberto Court, suite C, SLO

(805) 439-0865

[email protected]

slociderco.com

@slocider

facebook.com/slocider

Best Happy Hour

Marisol at The Cliffs

2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach

(805) 773-5000

[email protected]

cliffshotelandspa.com/dine

@thecliffshotelandspa

facebook.com/thecliffshotelandspa

Best Drink with a View

Ventana Grill

2575 Price St., Pismo Beach

(805) 773-0000

ventanagrill.com

@ventanagrill

facebook.com/VentanaGrillPismoBeach

Best Bartender

Robin Wolf - Highwater

1127 Broad St., suite B, SLO

(805) 439-1259

[email protected]

highwaterslo.com

@highwaterslo

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078925542993

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Photo By Jayson Mellom
OF COURSE There has to be a reason McCarthy’s won Best Dive Bar. It could be the bar’s legacy, its dark corners, the shuffleboard, or the smoke-tinged patio, but it’s probably those bartenders, too: (left to right) Church, Robert Gaslight, Muscles, and Carson Spencer.

Best Dive Bar

McCarthy's Irish Pub

600 Marsh St., SLO

(805) 544-0286

mccarthysirishpub.com

@mccarthysirishpub

facebook.com/McCarthysIrishPubSLO

Calling a drinking establishment a "dive bar" used to be a pejorative, but these days, even the mobile app Yelp has a dive bar category. Dive bars are celebrated for being unpretentious, comfortable, welcoming. That describes McC's, 'Carts, The Bar to a T. It's the kind of place where the bartenders know the patrons. Often regulars' "usuals" are sitting on the bar before they walk through the front door. Great beer selection on tap, a cornucopia of whiskeys and other spirits, air conditioning in the summer, a patio for the smokers, shuffleboard, cornhole—a place that feels like home. If you want an overpriced craft cocktail, this ain't the joint for you.

—Glen Starkey

Best Sports Bar

Firestone Grill

1001 Higuera St., SLO

(805) 783-1001

[email protected]

firestonegrill.com

@firestonegrill

facebook.com/FirestoneGrill

Best Bloody Mary

Butterfly Grille

1606 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo

(805) 343-9459

monarchdunes.com/-butterfly-grille

@monarchdunes

facebook.com/monarchdunes

Best Margarita

La Esquina Taqueria

1051 Nipomo St., SLO

(805) 439-4289

[email protected]

laesquinaslo.com

@laesquina_taqueria

facebook.com/LaEsquinaSLO

Best Craft Cocktail

Sidecar Cocktail Co.

1040 Broad St., SLO

(805) 439-3563

[email protected]

sidecarslo.com

@sidecarslo

facebook.com/sidecarslo

click to enlarge

Photo By Jayson Mellom
NO LIQUOR NEEDED Street Side Ale House in Atascadero and Paso Robles serves up a mean cocktail, but they're also home to the Best Mocktails. Paso Paradise comes with homemade raspberry syrup, orange juice, and pineapple juice.