Page 85 - SLO Visitors Guide Winter 2026

slovisitorsguide.com WINTER 2026 85
1214 Pine St., Paso Robles • Downtown near the Park
805-237-7516 • Open 11am until 8:30pm - 9pm Fridays & Saturdays
Spirit of Paso Robles brings old-
fashioned hospitality back to the table
The Spirit of Paso Robles at
River Oaks Golf Course has
only been open since 2024, but it’s
already a favorite for locals. Good
food, good views of the golf course,
and good prices. What’s not to like?
Co-owner Mike Stanton attributes
the restaurant’s popularity to his
and wife Ellen’s philosophy of
“simple food, done well.”
For nearly four decades, the
Stantons have been fixtures in the
Central Coast restaurant scene.
Mike Stanton started in 1986 at F.
McLintock’s in downtown San Luis
Obispo. Ellen opened a popular deli
in 1989, just before meeting Mike.
They ran it together for 28 years
and also opened another restaurant.
On top of that, in 2009, Mike start-
ed managing the San Luis Obispo
Country Club. They thought they
might slow down or retire, but the
allure of owning the Spirit of San
Luis at the airport forced them to
press pause on that dream and start
a new one. They bought the Spirit
of San Luis in 2017, and thanks to a
fresh menu and interior, it’s been a
favorite for locals ever since.
Last year, they opened Spirit
of Paso Robles at the golf course.
Managed by Mike, locals love it
because of the fresh food and the
old-fashioned sense of hospital-
ity. Mike explains, “We’re proud of
the fact that we take good care of
people. We have so many regulars
for a reason. We see them coming
in, and they like the same table
every time. So, we get them that
table. Whatever it is, we take care of
it for people.”
‘Simple food done well’
So, what’s the most popular
thing on the menu? Mike replied,
“Probably the Cowboy Cuban
Sandwich. It’s our take on the
Cubano—Cuban sandwich. A true
Cubano has ham, roasted pork,
and Swiss cheese. Ours is smoked
brisket, smoked pulled pork, Swiss
cheese, and mustard. We call it the
Paso Cowboy version of a Cubano.
Also, our smash burger is spot-on.”
The same hospitality extends to
large groups. “We’re comfortable
with putting tables together and
serving groups of 8,10, 12 people.
We never charge for a large group.”
The restaurant regularly hosts book
clubs, bridge clubs, and car clubs—
and provides separate checks when
asked. Stanton insists that they
don’t mind because it’s part of that
old-fashioned sense of hospitality.
The Stantons emphasize keep-
ing the prices reasonable, but also
keeping the quality high. He says,
“We refer to it as simple food done
well. It’s not fancy food. It’s not
gourmet, but it’s honest food, and
it’s excellent.”
“What sets our restaurants apart
is that they’re local places,” Mike
explains. “Even our location at the
San Luis airport is for locals. We’ve
created spaces where people can
come, enjoy excellent food, and feel
at home.” Ellen manages Spirit of
San Luis.
A favorite of so
many regulars for
a reason
Paso Robles