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Best of SLO County 2022: Drinks

DECADENT AND DAZZLING The Alchemists' Garden in Paso Robles, voted the Best North County Bar, mixes up bewitching brews, transforming the common into something precious. The bar and restaurant has an extensive cocktail and spirits menu, featuring several local gins, vodkas, and bourbons. The Alchemists' Garden puts its creative spin on well-known cocktails—for example, the Belladonna (pictured) is a Painkiller with flair: butter-washed Krobar navel rum, falernum, pineapple and orange juice, and cream of coconut. Pro tip: Take the souvenir glass home for an extra fee. - PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
  • Photo By Jayson Mellom
  • DECADENT AND DAZZLING The Alchemists' Garden in Paso Robles, voted the Best North County Bar, mixes up bewitching brews, transforming the common into something precious. The bar and restaurant has an extensive cocktail and spirits menu, featuring several local gins, vodkas, and bourbons. The Alchemists' Garden puts its creative spin on well-known cocktails—for example, the Belladonna (pictured) is a Painkiller with flair: butter-washed Krobar navel rum, falernum, pineapple and orange juice, and cream of coconut. Pro tip: Take the souvenir glass home for an extra fee.

Best North County Bar

The Alchemists' Garden

nt_bestoflogo_2022.png

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

Sidecar Cocktail Co.

1040 Broad St., SLO

(805) 439-3563

[email protected]

sidecarslo.com

@sidecar_slo

facebook.com/sidecarslo

Best South County Bar

Mason Bar & Kitchen

307 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande

(805) 202-8918

masonbarag.com

@masonbarandkitchen

facebook.com/MasonBarAG

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 Barista

Eric at BlackHorse Espresso & Bakery

1065 Higuera St., SLO

(805) 783-1300

blackhorsecoffee.com

@blackhorse.espresso

facebook.com/Blackhorsecoffee

Best Coffee Shop

Scout Coffee

1130 Garden St., SLO

880 Foothill Blvd., SLO

Cal Poly

(805) 439-2175

[email protected]

scoutcoffeeco.com

@scoutcoffee

facebook.com/scoutcoffee

BUT FIRST, COFFEE Joseph Gerardis takes a break from checking beans at his Joebella Coffee Bar and Roasting Works in Atascadero—voted the Best Coffee Roaster. Gerardis has been a coffee fixture on the Central Coast, roasting beans for more than 20 years. He opened the first Joebella coffee shop in 2007, originally in Templeton, and Joebella recently opened a location in Paso Robles in the Paso Market Walk. - PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
  • Photo By Jayson Mellom
  • BUT FIRST, COFFEE Joseph Gerardis takes a break from checking beans at his Joebella Coffee Bar and Roasting Works in Atascadero—voted the Best Coffee Roaster. Gerardis has been a coffee fixture on the Central Coast, roasting beans for more than 20 years. He opened the first Joebella coffee shop in 2007, originally in Templeton, and Joebella recently opened a location in Paso Robles in the Paso Market Walk.

Best Coffee Roaster

Joebella Coffee Roasters

3168 El Camino Real, Atascadero1803 Spring St., No. 8, Paso Robles

(805) 461-4822

[email protected]

joebellacoffee.com

@joebella_coffee

facebook.com/joebellacoffee

Best Tea Shop

The Secret Garden Organic Herb Shop

740 Higuera St., SLO

(805) 544-4372

[email protected]

organicherbshop.com

@secretgardenslo

facebook.com/secretgardenslo

Best Juice Place

The Neighborhood

SLO, Paso Robles

(805) 439-4033

[email protected]

neighborhoodacai.com

@neighborhood_acai

facebook.com/neighborhoodacai

Best Smoothie

Jamba

SLO, Cal Poly, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Paso Robles

jamba.com

@jambajuice

facebook.com/jambajuice

WINE DOWN Saints Barrel, the Best Wine Bar, opened earlier this year in downtown SLO and offers several wine tasting flights—including a sake flight—plus wine and beer by the glass (and cider, kombucha, and seltzer), a light-bites menu, Sunday brunch, indoor and patio seating, live music, and events. - PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
  • Photo By Jayson Mellom
  • WINE DOWN Saints Barrel, the Best Wine Bar, opened earlier this year in downtown SLO and offers several wine tasting flights—including a sake flight—plus wine and beer by the glass (and cider, kombucha, and seltzer), a light-bites menu, Sunday brunch, indoor and patio seating, live music, and events.

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

Tolosa Winery

4910 Edna Road, SLO

(805) 782-0500

[email protected]

tolosawinery.com

@tolosawinery

facebook.com/tolosawine

Best Winery for White Wine

Tolosa Winery

4910 Edna Road, SLO

(805) 782-0500

[email protected]

tolosawinery.com

@tolosawinery

facebook.com/tolosawine

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

Tolosa Winery

4910 Edna Road, SLO

(805) 782-0500

[email protected]

tolosawinery.com

@tolosawinery

facebook.com/tolosawine

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

SLO Brew

855 Aerovista Place, SLO

(844) 756-2739

[email protected]

slobrew.com/the-rock

@slobrew

facebook.com/slobrewrock

Best Distillery

Rod & Hammer's SLO Stills

855 Aerovista Place, SLO

(844) 756-2739

[email protected]

slobrew.com/the-rock

@slobrew

facebook.com/slobrewrock

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 Place for a Beer

SLO Brew Rock

855 Aerovista Place, SLO

(844) 756-2739

[email protected]

slobrew.com/the-rock/

@slobrew

facebook.com/slobrewrock

Best Drink with a View

Marisol at The Cliffs

2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach

(805) 773-5000

[email protected]

cliffshotelandspa.com/dine

@thecliffshotelandspa

facebook.com/thecliffshotelandspa

Best Bartender

Colin Wenzl – McCarthy's

600 Marsh St., SLO

(805) 544-0286

mccarthysirishpub.com

@mccarthysirishpub

facebook.com/McCarthysIrishPubSLO

Best Dive Bar

McCarthy's Irish Pub

600 Marsh St., SLO

(805) 544-0286

mccarthysirishpub.com

@mccarthysirishpub

facebook.com/McCarthysIrishPubSLO

Best Bloody Mary

Marisol at The Cliffs

2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach

(805) 773-5000

[email protected]

cliffshotelandspa.com/dine

@thecliffshotelandspa

facebook.com/thecliffshotelandspa

Best Hard Cider

SLO Cider Co.

3419 Roberto Court, suite C, SLO

(805) 439-0865

[email protected]

slociderco.com

@slocider

facebook.com/slocider

EXISTENTIAL There Does Not Exist in SLO brews a long list of the Best Craft Beer in the county. The MittPils (pictured), a south German style Pilsner—brewed in collaboration with Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing Company—has a rounded presence on the palate and a subtle and soft bitterness, according to the menu. Other distinctive drafts in its beer library include the Fog Does Not Exist hazy double IPA, the Infinite Eclipse West Coast IPA, the 60 Days in Hell Bavarian helles, and Temporal Illusion saison. - PHOTO BY JAYSON MELLOM
  • Photo By Jayson Mellom
  • EXISTENTIAL There Does Not Exist in SLO brews a long list of the Best Craft Beer in the county. The MittPils (pictured), a south German style Pilsner—brewed in collaboration with Matt Brynildson of Firestone Walker Brewing Company—has a rounded presence on the palate and a subtle and soft bitterness, according to the menu. Other distinctive drafts in its beer library include the Fog Does Not Exist hazy double IPA, the Infinite Eclipse West Coast IPA, the 60 Days in Hell Bavarian helles, and Temporal Illusion saison.

Best Craft Beer

There Does Not Exist

4070 Earthwood Lane, suite 110, SLO

(805) 351-2664

[email protected]

theredoesnotexist.com

@theredoesnotexist

facebook.com/ThereDoesNotExist

Best Craft Beer

There Does Not Exist

There might not exist, but San Luis Obispo native Max Montgomery certainly put his craft brewery on the map when he opened There Does Not Exist in SLO Town in 2019. A former brewer at Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Montgomery put his own psychedelic twist on his branding and aesthetic with this project, but don't be fooled by the wild and cosmic stencil-style artwork wrapped around his cans. There Does Not Exist beer is grounded in pure quality and craftsmanship. The feat of this brewery is its range—every style of beer it produces, from European brews to IPAs, is simply top-notch, or dare we say, the best.

—Peter Johnson

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

@sidecar_slo

facebook.com/sidecarslo

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