Ember Restaurant — Restaurant in Arroyo Grande

Living in a smaller town you tend to feel limited in your choices and lack of exciting places to eat and experience. Arroyo Grande is an exception as we have a lot of really special restaurants from all ends of the spectrum to choose from.

Where do you go for those special occasions or really want to go all out?

Ember, or course!

Coming here a number of times over the last few years you really get to feel both the unique and dynamic approach to food that Brian Collins both chef and owner brings to the table.

The atmosphere is comfortable and the open kitchen is a nice touch. You can see all the movement in the kitchen and really feel the passion and attention that is given to every meal leaving the kitchen. It is a fairly small restaurant and slightly packed in but you don't feel overly cramped.

How is the food you ask? This is where Ember really shines and moves from being a trendy restaurant to an amazing dining and culinary experience.

Eating here a few different times they change the menu regularly and have a number of fresh choices that feel like there was a lot of thought and attention brought to every choice.

This time we started with the summer melon & smoked prosciutto salad. This was fresh and had a lot of complex tastes going on with pistachio (which really was a good crunchy add) and thin slicked apples with magic sauce/dressing over it. Not sure the nice bright green drizzle on the apples but it popped.

I tried a few local wines and here want to say Chef Collins really engages with the local wine makers and he can really highlight the food pairings with our amazing local wines. Way to create good synergies.

Did I say we live in an amazing area yet?!

Back to the food. We had for our fish choice a wood fired halibut which was delicious. I don't eat a lot of fish, but this could make me a full time covert.

I choose these pork chops to go with my medium bodied red wine. The pork was cooked perfect and the sauce/purée was perfectly matched. Very bite was porklicious!

As a special occasion, and well everything was amazing, we had to go for a shared desert. Hard choice and almost chose the marshmallow ice cream cake (hmm now that I think abut it I may need to go back and try this!!!!), but ....

We chose the cheesecake bombe. This was a little icecream scoop sized cheese cake ball covered with some delicious goo and hard "coco nib crisp" mini hard candied pieces on top. Little savory hard crunches to balance out the sweet. On the side was a nice non-sweet sorbet.

Enough on the desert. I'm making myself hungry again.

I think you get the drift. Amazing food, great atmosphere. It is a bit pricey, and while worth it can stretch the budget.

Lastly, I am not the only one who thinks this place is the go to eatery in town and it gets busy quick. So either come early and later in the evening or you will be waiting for a while.

Cheers and see you...

Ember Restaurant in Arroyo Grande is a culinary gem that truly lives up to its stellar reputation. From the moment you step inside, you're greeted by an inviting atmosphere with intimate lighting and an open kitchen that adds to the dining experience.

The menu at Ember changes monthly, showcasing the chef's creativity and commitment to using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients3. During my visit, I was blown away by the quality and presentation of every dish. We started with the wood-oven roasted sea scallops with Harissa, which were perfectly seared and melted in my mouth. The cauliflower flan appetizer was also memorable, especially the mushroom ragu that accompanied it.

For the main course, the rib eye steak was the star of the show. Cooked to perfection over an open fire, it was tender, flavorful, and paired beautifully with the avocado chimichurri16. The pasta dishes are equally impressive – I highly recommend trying their seasonal specials, like the asparagus carbonara, which was cooked to al dente perfection.

Don't skip dessert at Ember. The toasted marshmallow dessert was a nostalgic treat with a gourmet twist, while the mascarpone cheesecake and strawberry shortcake showcased the same creativity and attention to detail as the savory dishes.

What sets Ember apart is not just the exceptional food but also the outstanding service. The staff is knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely passionate about the menu14. They're happy to make recommendations and accommodate dietary restrictions, including gluten-free options.

One thing to note is that Ember doesn't take reservations, and the wait can be long, especially on weekends. However, the food and experience are well worth the wait. Pro tip: arrive early to snag a table without a long wait.

Whether you're a local or just visiting the area, Ember is a must-visit restaurant that exemplifies the best of Central Coast cuisine. With its ever-changing menu, commitment to quality, and warm atmosphere, it's no wonder Ember has become one of the most beloved restaurants in San Luis...

Honestly quite dissapointed. It started off rough with very snug seating, it felt like it was a table for 4-5 people, not the seven we were. We were constantly bumping elbows and having make ourselves small. Squeezing ourselves at that table was honestly quite a damper. We were celebrating an important birthday, and reserved a table a week in advance, so it’s not like they were caught off guard. It was a “big birthday” and we mentioned this to the service staff. We were not expecting free cake, or even a song, but a small gesture or at least some congratulations would have been considerate. One waiter did congratulate us, and he was the only waiter “one the ball” that night. The other waiters had quite demure expressions and served food by slamming plates and dashing off. It wasn’t packed, so I can’t say they were stressed. It felt more like apathy. This dismissal was wierd because the rest of the service was quite nice and plesant. Moving on. The worst was the ambiance. It was so cold that we all had to put our jackets and hats back on! The draft was bad, and it felt like we were dining outside even though we were in the middle of the restaurant. For these prices, they should be able to heat the place. Again, all 7 of us with diffrent body temps agreed it was too cold, and the same could be seen around the restauant. The food was this evenings only its saving grace, as we were all very happy with all our appetizers and entrees. But even as we wanted to leave, (around 9) we could help but feel hasseled. The side eye was a bit judgy, but we honeslty just stayed for about 80-90 minutes, and I think that they should consider the importance of people needing to finish their glass of wine in peace while seeing old friends. It took a lot of coordination to get our group together, some travling quite far, only to feel cold, ignored, and rushed. All in all, we felt burnt and left with a certain melancholy. Yes to the food, evening else was quite subpar. Probably first...