Page 77 - SLO Visitors Guide - Fall 2024

slovisitorsguide.com FALL 2024 77
Paso Robles
Hours: Noon - 10pm
Elevate your dining experience at
La Cosecha Bar and Restaurant
The elegance of downtown Paso
Robles, shared dining experi-
ences with savory Spanish-inspired
dishes, and local wines, beers, and
craft cocktails all combine harmoni-
ously at La Cosecha Bar & Restau-
rant. Situated directly across the
street from Downtown City Park, this
newly revamped eatery is a must-stop
destination for visitors and locals
alike.
Owners Matt and Eric Carfagnini
acquired La Cosecha in the spring of
2023, and have taken the menu, hos-
pitality factor, and approach to dining
up several notches. With a mindset of
exceeding the expectations of every
person who steps through the doors,
the Carfagnini brothers and their
team have quickly become known for
their welcoming ways.
“Although the roots of the
restaurant are the same, the quality
of the food and our overall approach
to everything, from the service to
the food to the cocktail program, has
been significantly elevated,” Matt said.
A passion for hospitality
The brothers have always had a
passion for food, a family trait that
stems back to their grandfather,
Leonard “Lenny” Levin, who owned
a Jewish delicatessen in Buffalo,
New York. They also have an Italian
family heritage, which is all about big
family gatherings, backyard gardens,
sumptuous shared dishes, and count-
less hours of table talk. Matt and
Eric both tended bar while putting
themselves through the University of
Arizona, know the ins and outs of the
hospitality industry, and have decades
of experience running food and bev-
erage programs across the country.
Share Spanish-
inspired cuisine,
craft cocktails,
and local wines in
family-style dining
“We have been engaged in the
hospitality industry for at least two
decades in one manner or another, so
there was always that passion for us
to start a restaurant,” Eric said.
When the opportunity to pur-
chase a restaurant in a region they
had grown to know and love was pre-
sented to them, everything aligned
perfectly in place.
“Our parents are in Paso, and we
absolutely love it here,” Matt said.
Historical building, cozy and
inviting décor
Situated in a cozy 100-year-old
building that once housed a soda
fountain, the eatery has wood
accents, a bar fashioned from the
fence of a ranch once owned by Alex
Trebek, and a retractable wall inset
that opens to a small patio over-
looking the Downtown City Park.
Inspired by their mom, a glass artist,
the brothers feature the work of local
artists on the brick façade across one
wall on a rotating basis.
“The history of the building, the
beautiful bricks, the lighting – all
of this combines to make a great
backdrop and second studio of sorts
for local artists,” Eric said.
Small plates, seasonal
offerings, and weekly specials
Of course, with a namesake
meaning “harvest” in Spanish,
there’s so much more to La Cosecha
than meets the eye. Executive chef
consultant Justin Hall and head
chef Brad Spence, each armed with
extensive resumes from fine dining
establishments, have put together
menus that guarantee customers
keep coming back for more.
“Justin's way of cooking is very
much a farm-to-table, and Brad
embodies that concept as well,”
Matt said. “They have really ramped
up our menus and, together, they
make sure all those systems and
processes are there so every guest
we see is happy, has the same expe-
rience, and is excited to come back.”
Enjoy great food and a view of the park at Las Cosecha.