Page 23 - SLO Visitors Guide Fall 2025

slovisitorsguide.com FALL 2025 23
San Luis Obispo
Be sure to check out the recipes
on the SLO Olive website featur-
ing innovative and mouthwatering
ideas such as Grilled Huli Huli
Chicken, Balsamic Glazed Scallops,
Jalapeno and Pineapple Grilled
Shrimp, and Garlic Herb Focaccia
Bread.
‘The most fun part’
Since purchasing SLO Olive,
Helser has made a point of reach-
ing out and making contact with
several olive oil producers in North
SLO County, including Paso Robles
and San Miguel.
“There are so many small
ranches that produce amazing olive
oils,” he said. “There are all these
wonderful products, and they're
gold medal winners in their catego-
ries. The climate up here stresses
the trees, and they produce a more
robust fruit. That's something in the
world of olive oil that everybody
wants. We have a great region.”
That level of quality extends
to his interactions with everyone
passing through his doors. At SLO
Olive, customers can expect to be
greeted by Helser or one of his staff
and learn more about the oils and
other products they carry.
“It's really important for me
to walk out and greet each visitor,
pour the sample for them, describe
what they're getting into, and tell
them where this product is actually
from,” he said. “I mean, that's the
most fun part!”
From local EVOO to Italian
balsamic vinegars—origins
and awards matter
Helser
also enjoys
helping
customers
discover
the many
ways SLO
Olive is
differ-
ent than
any other
olive oil
store they
may have
visited in
the past.
“It's
very dif-
ferent, but the only way they know
that is when I go out and I walk
them through everything,” he said,
adding his personal favorites include
the Molefina Koroneiki and a rare
Pink Lemon Olive Oil.“I love to talk
about the origin of each product. I
let customers know this is local, or
this one is a gold medal winner, and
they walk away with a big apprecia-
tion of what this is all about.”
When it comes to the balsamic
vinegar available at SLO Olive,
Helser relies on multiple importers
in California that bring the product
in from
the
Modena
region of
Italy. His
signature
balsam-
ic, the
Reserve
Aged, is
the num-
ber one
selling
product
in the
store.
Helser
says even
if customers didn't originally come
in for balsamic, 90% of the time
they'll walk out with the Reserve
Aged.
He recently traveled with the
entire family, his wife, Tasha, and
their sons, Owen and Ian, on a trip
to explore Italy and meet with some
of the best balsamic producers in
the world.
Refill program, gift sets, and
more
Never run out of your favorite
olive oil or balsamic again! Bring in
those empty SLO Olive bottles, and
the friendly staff will refill them at a
discounted price.
Find a variety of gift sets for
every occasion, including 5-pack
sample sets, and duo and trio 250
ml sets. Plans include expanding
the front area to bring in local
meats and cheeses and opening a
second location on the coast.
SLO Olive is located at 958
Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo.
Open Monday through Saturday,
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m., with extended hours
during Thursday Night SLO Farm-
ers’ Market until 9 p.m. For more
information visit sloolive.com, call
(805) 439-2455, or follow them on
Facebook and Instagram.
—Meagan Friberg