A selection of restaurants in Big Sur for honeymooners to romance the food in natural surroundings
Irresistible pulchritude in nature but sparsely populated, Big Sur is the perfect retreat where there are many organic, farm to table restaurants to stop along Highway 1, ranging from the modest ones to the luxurious ones. From traditional American comfort food, to dishes with Asian, European and Latin American influences; Big Sur has everything you need for a complete gastronomic experience in California. Here is a selection of our top 10 restaurants that will make the Big Sur trip a memorable experience for an epicure.
Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn Restaurant
The Historic restaurant at Deetjen’s has a long and vivid history. In 1939, Barbara Blake, an Englishwoman, came to Deetjen’s and was captivated by the natural beauty of Big Sur. She had an experience of operating country inns and had funds to invest during the Great Depression. Mrs. Blake created the traditional English décor of the restaurant, including adding the beautiful old redwood bar from a nearby ranch. Little has changed to alter the quiet ambience of the place she established over 70 years ago. Present day Deetjen’s Restaurant offers home cooked dishes for five days a week (except Wednesday and Thursday). The restaurant has four romantic candlelit rooms for an intimate dining experience. A beautiful blend of historic architecture, wood-burning fireplace, and cordial staff, and you have the perfect mix for a romantic destination that offers ambiance, casual elegance, and excellent cuisine. Deetjen’s restaurant has a rich menu for all tastes and preferences. From farm to sea food, sweet to savoury, meat to vegan and breakfast to dinner, this place takes care of all taste buds.
The Sur House at Ventana Resort
Wild Coast Restaurant & Sushi Bar at Treebones Resort
The Sur House is an on-site restaurant at Ventana Resort, which offers a stunning view of the coastline. The warm and elegantly appointed restaurant is situated on a mesa nestled between the Santa Lucia mountain range, and the phenomenal expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Executive Chef Keith Potter has incorporated a cuisine, making abundant use of California’s Central Coast with local, simple and sustainable ingredients, including items from Ventana’s own organic garden. Breakfast and dinner timings are reserved for the guests staying at the Ventana Resort. Appreciatively, outside guests are allowed to admire the lunch menu which offers a myriad of small and large plates, as well as sandwiches and salads. The menu also has a decent selection of fresh-pressed juices, such as their Redwood Forest, which is a result of red beet, pineapple, red apple, orange, carrot, ginger, kale, and celery juices. The award-winning wine list at The Sur House has a selection of around 10,000-bottles, which have been carefully assembled by a team of local vintners and The Sur House sommelier. Craft cocktails and a curated selection of beer are also offered. The Sur House serves award winning cuisine in a breath-taking setting. The elegant and rustic setting, accented by wooden interiors and furnishings, is as awe-inspiring as the cuisine. The expanded ocean-view patio and windows overlook mother nature’s own melting pot of Big Sur, wherein the immeasurable Ocean and rugged coast beckon can be seen on one side;while on the other side lie mountains, sprawling redwoods and untouched wildlife.
The Wild Coast Sushi Bar, is an ‘omakase’ experience which has always been drawing the attention of happy glampers of TreebonesResort. An elaborate 14-course tasting menu of hand-crafted authentic sushi has been delightfully curated by Chef Yancy Knapp. The menu reflects an incorporation of high-quality seafood and native ingredients, with some of the ingredients being grown in the organic garden of the resort. Dining takes place in an intimate and thoughtfully designed indoor/outdoor space which accommodates 8 guests per seating. Free range chickens are fed on the restaurant’s compost and their eggs are used for breakfast and cooking. Guests can enjoy creative vegetarian and vegan dishes in this yurt-like Wild Coast restaurant. Sushi Bar opens only from March to November. It also offers same-day reservations for outside guests to explore its taste. The sushi chef thoroughly guides you through the dishes. There is fair share for vegan diners to enjoy with sushi options that highlight produce from the on-site organic garden. The restaurant offers an elaborate tasting menu, served against the backdrop of a spectacular sunset over the ocean, visible through the windows of the inside setting. The experience at the Wild Coast Sushi Bar and restaurant will leave a long-lasting impression on your taste buds.
Fernwood ResortBar and Grill
TVs and network services are not much found in Big Sur hotels and restaurants as it is considered a place to connect with nature, and hence, with yourself. So, should you wish to catch the game in terms of available viewing space, Fernwood Grill is arguably the best place for the purpose in Big Sur. They have a full bar, a large-screen TV with couches, as well as a smaller bar TV, with numerous indoor and outdoor tables for a laid-back dining experience. Being one amongst the very few pizza options in the area, Fernwood lets you customize your pizza.It takes about 15 minutes to bake, following which you will get a pizza to remember for a long while. They also serve a variety of sandwiches, salads and nachos. Some of the items on their menu are expected from a Big Sur tavern; while the others,like their wild-mushroom poutine with sweet potato fries, or tater tots, are not generally expected. They have a variety of hand-crafted beers on tap, a well-stocked bar, and a heated patio to enjoy your meal and beverages. Fernwood also offers a jukebox for music and live music performances on weekends, which makes the only chance for “nightlife” in Big Sur, unless there’s some event happening elsewhere.
Coast Big Sur Café & Gallery
Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn
Coast Big Sur Café & Gallery is one of the area’s iconic structures, which was built in 1958 just as the art gallery and commonly referred to as ‘The Bank’. In its early days, the gallery served as the refuge for artists and writers who migrated to Big Sur after World War II. Coast Gallery has the huge collection of handmade crafts which comprise the works of some 250 artists and artisans, also includes the works of many well-known artists of various mediums, including famous sculptors Loet Vanderveen, and Jim Hunolt. Coast Gallery reflects an ideal fusion of art and nature where outdoor sculptures are displayed in the natural light reflected from the Pacific Ocean and the mountains. In addition to the art gallery, Coast Big Sur is also home to a small cafe, which offers ocean views from the deck area. The menu features a variety of freshly baked delicacies, sandwiches, snacks, draft beer, selected local wines, and coffee drinks. Visitors can immerse in the outdoor views or sit among an array of indoor paintings while enjoying a charcuterie board or one of the café’s beautifully prepared sandwiches and salads. The café is at the top of the water tanks with a flat roof overlooking the ocean and the iconic highway. The café has a short menu but all the delicacies are worth trying with the mesmerising ambience of the Coastal line.
Sierra Mar is an imaginary yet real dining experience in the sky. Post Ranch’s in-house restaurant is one of the most beautiful restaurants, standing high on a cliff in the spiritual region of Big Sur. Sierra Mar offers lavish fine-dining with magnificent panoramic coastal views emphasized by floor-to-ceiling windows, combined with excellent service, farm-to-table cuisine.They also boasta selection of 15,000 bottles and 3,200 choices of wines, some of which are award-winning wines, which makes dining at Sierra Mar a memorable experience. Sierra Mar provides a prix fixe seasonal three-course lunch menu and four-course dinner menu, both of which change frequently based upon seasonal availabilities of ingredients. Each course usually offers between four to five choices of beautifully presented and innovative dishes. After the dusk as night falls, the restaurant offers stargazing with one of their amateur staff astronomers outside on the patio. When the Milky Way is visible without the interruption of city light, it gives a lasting memory of a distinctive experience in the Big Sur star-lit sky. The uninterrupted darkness of the sky allows amazing views of distant stars, galaxies, and nebulae through the restaurant’s high-powered telescope. Stargazing, delectable cuisine, exceptional design and architecture and unparalleled views of the Pacific Ocean are perfect enough to celebrate the love and romance.
Nepenthe
This legendary restaurant was opened by Lolly and Bill Fassett in 1949. The Fassett family still runs Nepenthe which is well known for its stunning views of the southern coast and is a must-see when visiting Big Sur. Nepenthe is perched on Highway 1 between Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge and Castro Canyon, 808 feet above the sea level.It provides sprawling views of the coastline and the Santa Lucia Mountains plunge in mystique majesty to the infinite Pacific Ocean. The restaurant was designed by architect Rowan Maiden, a Frank Lloyd Wright mentee, in the Bay Region style. This architectural style features the use of natural elements, including wood and river stone, which is woven well with the natural surroundings. Nepenthe has a history that goes back to 1925, and interesting stories to tell. The place has witnessed famous names like Henry Miller, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The Nepenthe is also home to Café Kevah, which is named after Bill Fassett’s mother, who was a one-time suffragette, numerologist and astrologer to celebs. The Phoenix shop promotes local artisans by selling souvenirs, naturally made skin products, jewellery, books, journals, post cards and a range of goods made from locally available materials. The restaurant’s signature roast chicken with sage stuffing and cranberries features on a traditional menu among Big Sur’s most succulent steaks and Ambrosia burgers, which are made with coarse ground meat from naturally raised beef. Meat lovers will enjoy their 12 oz. Ribeye steak, topped with Chimichurri sauce, grape tomato, fresh herb salad and garlic mashed potatoes. If you’re in a mood for seafood, then try their pan-seared Diver Scallops, served with polenta cakes, sauteed asparagus, and tomato shrimp sauce garnished with roasted tomatoes and micro herbs. You have enough reasons not to skip the Nepenthe while driving on Highway 1.
The Big Sur Taphouse
The Big Sur Taphouse is nestled in the oasis of scenic spiritual Big Sur, which serves delectable food, great drinks, and offers a fun place to chill out. With big screen televisions, relaxed atmosphere, and warm friendly staff, it’s the perfect place to watch your favourite sports events while in Big Sur. You can discover the different local brews and wines from around Monterey County. Whether you are rooting for your favourite sports team, or touring Big Sur and the Monterey Bay, or simply enjoying a break from your drive by the coast, the Big Sur Taphouse is an ideal place to relax. The Big Sur Taphouse is a locally owned and operated establishment. The Big Sur Deli is also a venture by the same owner, so the coherence between the ventures make things easy for guests. Guests can bring their order from Big Sur Deli and enjoy at Taphouse while watching sport on their big TV screen. The menu at Taphouse serves delicious cheese steak sandwiches, which consists of tender, seasoned beef with grilled onions and peppers topped with creamy cheese sauce on a huge hoagie roll, served with a side of chips and a pickle. They also offer chicken wings, tacos, nachos, and other pub-style bites. Taphouse has a variety of daily specials and refreshing salad options. They keep on rotating the draft beers on tap, but you can also find quality popular craft beers, along with classic varieties in cans and bottles. It is an ideal spot to regenerate your energies with board games or by watching a sport on TV.
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Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant
Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant is sited inside an intimate 1930’s ranch style house that provides a meal setting similar to that of family dinners. Reservation is highly recommended for dinner and brunch services as they have limited tables. The Big Sur Bakery offers a wide selection of baked goods and gourmet fare with locally-sourced ingredients. Their gourmet style wood-fired pizza is an over the top delight for breakfast, in addition to their wood-fired pizzas, the wholesome menu at Big Sur Bakery features a couple of vegetarian options as well such as Gold Rush apples and Upland cress salad, or roasted Honeynut squash, served with celery root puree, Chanterelle and King Trumpet mushrooms, broccoli di Ciccio, Marcona almonds, and herbs. For a little heartier meal try their pork tenderloin, served with Smoked braised cheek, Chile Verde, shallot, bacon-wrapped polenta, crème fruit, chitarrones, and huckleberries. In their seafood menu you can try Alaskan halibut with Dungeness crab, served with creamed broccoli leaves, or their seafood chowder made with manila clams, halibut, crab, and bacon, or Big-eye tuna tartare on the starter menu.
Big Sur Roadhouse at Glen Oaks Hotel
Big Sur Roadhouse is the part of Glen Oaks Big Sur Hotel, which offers a delicious seasonal menu incorporated with locally sourced organic ingredients. The Roadhouse is designed by San Francisco designer Steve Justrich, who has transformed the Roadhouse into a truly unique and fitting environment for dining in Big Sur. The bamboo floors and furniture are made of recycled redwood to reflect the restaurant’s natural surroundings blending seamlessly with Glen Oaks’ natural sustainability. Choose the place either to have a quick bite or to enjoy a full course meal, you will have a delightful experience. Chef Matt Glazer’s cuisine is classic Californian with a twist of his native Cajun. Seafood gumbo is therefore to be expected along with blackened local fish or burnt sugar olive oil cake with orange and lemon curd. The breakfast menu features options such as avocado toast, which consists of avocado served with two poached eggs, cilantro, onion, lime juice, and toast. Another option is their veggie scramble, which contains asparagus, spinach, cherry tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The lunch menu features a few options of salads, wraps, and sandwiches. They also offer their BBQ pulled pork sandwich with shredded cabbage, which is served with home style French fries. Either take a break for a coffee, a glass of wine, a snack or a full meal, you will fall in love with the food as well as the atmosphere of the restaurant.