Restaurants in Arroyo Grande

Though fish 'n' chips might strike the casual diner as a simple dish, connoisseurs of the British specialty—including the chefs at Alfie’s Fish & Chips—would beg to differ. To them, the dish hinges on a delicate balance of textures: crunchy, light batter must yield to a soft-and-flaky fish.

It’s this attention to detail that has earned Alfie's Fish & Chips droves of fans and made the cross-timbered shop an anchor of Lompoc. Walk past the red telephone box at the entrance and you’ll be greeted by other charmingly english touches, such as a Union Jack flag and bread bowls filled with clam chowder and signed by The Beatles. The counter area doubles as an english market stocked with biscuits, Cadbury chocolates, and other British delicacies.

Instead of bellying up to a bar, visitors to Avant Tapas and Wine can savor ambrosial tastes—such as Inception chardonnay, Hitching Post pinot noir, and DiBruno sangiovese—at the establishment’s Wine Wall. Here, a dispensing system measures out exact pours of 52 wines hailing from California’s other wine country—the prolific central coast. Visitors immerse their taste buds in sips of diverse varietals from 20 regional wineries, such as Ground Effect Wine Co. in San Luis Obispo and Hoyt Family Vineyards in Malibu, all produced next door at Terravant Wine Company and enjoyed in Avant’s industrial warehouse confines.

Guests can also pair wines with the celebrated cuisine of chef Brooke Stockwell, who harnesses her extensive culinary training and her roots as a Santa Barbara County native to infuse her morsels with local flavors, from hormone-free rib eye to produce picked from nearby organic gardens. While swirling vibrant reds or sweet whites in their glasses, diners take in live music three nights a week or peruse the establishment during tours.

Stan Nicolaides often recalls eating at the kitchen table of his “yia yia,” the affectionate Greek term for one’s grandmother. There, he was unable to go play until he’d downed plates and plates of moussaka and gyros. Even then, it was clear he belonged in the kitchen.

Now, Stan makes his own rules while dishing out falafel, kebabs, and gyros named Best Greek Food two years running by SantaBarbara.com. After sopping up creamy hummus with fresh pita bread, guests have Nick whip up a chicken breast with thyme and lemon while he chatters in Greek.

When Enterprise Fish Co. first opened in 1979, its founders set to work renovating the historic 1917 brick building to emulate a classic Pacific-coast seaside restaurant. Today, the original hardwood floors, trussed wood ceilings, and brick façade remain, though an exhibition kitchen and faux bois–printed leather booths lend a modern air. Seafood such as oysters and salmon in a Coca-Cola glaze headline the menu, accompanied by fish tacos, fresh lobster tails, and mesquite-grilled prawns. In addition to its ample fish and shellfish dishes, Enterprise also whips up filet mignon, candied-apple pecan salads, and chicken sandwiches with chipotle aioli to serve in the dining room or out on the patio beside the fire pit. Old photographs of Venice Beach dot the dining-room walls, along with snapshots from other notable seaside spots, such as the Iowa coast.

Having mastered several subsets of Chinese cuisine, the chefs at China Pavilion couldn't fit all their entrees onto a single menu. So they created three: one with America's popular staples, one brimming with traditional platters, and one showcasing chef specialties. The first lines up dishes that are now familiar—sweet 'n' sour chicken and mongolian beef—as well as recognizable feasts served in new ways, such as the peking duck wrapped in crepes. More traditional and exotic options abound on the Chinese menu, such as pickled cabbage and pork noodle soup, or spicy king crabmeat sprinkled with basil and served in a clay pot. The chefs’ selections, meanwhile, range from classic to experimental: strips of Angus beef sizzle in oyster sauce, and garlic-pepper salt coats Alaskan halibut in a wok. China Pavilion’s full cocktail bar balances meals with citrusy sips of sour plum martinis, and on weekends, visitors can drop by for a dim-sum brunch that leaves tongues more satisfied than an astronaut wearing Moon Boots.

Owners Tom and Alin Prom source fruits and vegetables for their Thai and Laotian dishes from farmers' markets and harvest fresh lemongrass and galangal from the Alin's sister's local garden. The fresh ingredients come together in elaborate salads, curries, and meat dishes with the option of vegetarian substitutions. After flavor, presentation is paramount: papaya salad piles upward in a delicate tower, and pineapple fried rice arrives in a hollowed pineapple or in the midst of a pineapple bush. Floral arrangements, Southeast Asian artwork, and golden tablecloths complement the colors of vibrant lunch and dinner entrees.