The terrains where Paso Robles in California was founded were part of Mexican land known as the Rancho Paso de Robles grant given to a Mexican naval officer in the mid-19th century. He sold part of the land to two brothers who, as well as starting to build a settlement, divided their acreage to form dairy farms and vineyards run by other settlers. While the existence of thermal springs in Paso Robles was well known and hot bath experiences were enjoyed at a hotel by some visitors, it was only in the later part of the 19th century after the railway arrived that visitors arrived in any numbers. The railroad not only brought visitors to the town, but new industries too, and Paso Robles soon had mills, timber yards, and warehouses. Agriculture continued to play an important role in Paso Robles’ economy, but became more focused on viticulture than dairy farming. As the popularity of the wines grown in the area increased, so did the size of the town and by the 1970s, Paso Robles had witnessed the opening of its first Italian restaurant.
Paso Robles may be known for gourmet pizza, but what exactly is gourmet pizza? Pizza chefs like to call their pizzas gourmet when they get carried away with being overly inventive with their topping combinations. That doesn't really happen in the pizzerias in Paso Roble so don't expect anything flash like smoked trout and figs drizzled with honey on your pizza here. Most of the pizzerias in Paso Robles bake pizzas with a standard thick or thin crust and you'll find one or two who offer deep dish on their menus too. Most of the topping combinations used fall into the house specialty or fusion category rather than gourmet, but the one thing for sure is, gourmet or not, they all taste pretty good.
To get the best delivery pizza in Paso Robles you need to order from a pizzeria with experience not just in making pizzas but in organizing first-class delivery service. One pizzeria in Paso Robles that knows what they're doing when it comes to delivering pizzas is Pizza Express and they do it speedily too. Pizza Express is a family-run business that has two premises in Paso Robles. One is on Creston Road and the other on Spring Street. They offer the same fully loaded menu at both places so don't think you'll miss out if you order from one and not the other. Great pizzas to go for from Pizza Express are the garlic Shrimp, Veggie Pesto, or Antonia's Special.
If you've just exited Paso Robles Event Center in search of a take-out pizza, you won't have far to go to find one and it'll be the best take-out pizza in Paso Robles too. You'll find Moe's Pizza on Spring Street and that's the pizzeria you need to go to to get your take-out pie. Moe's Pizza has a premises in the Wellsfargo Plaza with parking right out front, so no problem pulling up in your car. It's a pizza joint that's dedicated to take-out and delivery with not a lot of eat-in space, but you'll find a chair or two to sit on while you're waiting. Furnishings at Moe's may be sparse, unlike their topping ingredients which will fulfil any pizza lover's dream, especially if you go for the Bacon Deluxe or the Chicken Pesto.
The California coast isn't just all about beaches, it has some rugged parts too and you can discover those if you head west from Paso Robles to Cambria. You can explore some of the coast by car and on foot if you take the Moonstone Beach Scenic Drive along the CA-1 then take a stroll along the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk. While there you may want to spend a little time in the Hearst San Simeon State Park where there's some super coastal scenery and a historic castle to see. There's a couple of excellent wineries where you can pull in to taste some of the local California wine before popping into JJ's Pizza on Main Street for a pie.
Pismo Beach might not be the first name to come to mind when you think of California seaside resort towns, if it comes to mind at all. Pismo Beach is well worth the forty-minute drive from Paso Robles though and there's more to do there than laze on the sand. If you're having the day out with young ones, don't miss taking them to Dinosaur Cave Park. There are no caves or any dinosaurs, just some great walks and a playground for the kids with enormous hatched dinosaur eggs that will really get them thinking. The best way to end a day in Pismo Beach is to pick up a pizza from Del's Pizzeria on Price Street and eat it on the pier while watching the sunset.
Being in Paso Robles means that, on occasion, if you want to have a day full of more cultural activities you're going to have to go a little further afield. Bakersfield is an hour's drive away along the CA-46 eastbound and there's plenty to keep you busy there. Bakersfield has a surplus of fascinating museums including the Kern County Museum, the California Living Museum, the Buena Vista Museum of Natural Science, and the Bakersfield Museum of Art to name just a few that are there. If after one or two museums the kids are chafing at the bit for some fun, take them to the Camelot Park amusement center for a while or for a hike along the Kern River Parkway and then they'll be more than ready to settle down and eat their pizza at Rusty's Pizza on Olive Drive, then sleep on the back seat all the way home.
Question:What restaurant has the best veggie pizza in Paso Robles?
Question:What restaurant has the best calzone pizza in Paso Robles?
Question:What restaurant has the best deep dish pizza in Paso Robles?
Question:What restaurant has the best spicy pizza in Paso Robles?