Buona Tavola

My wife and I arrived in Paso Robles on a Monday evening and this was our first time in Paso. We had no idea where to go for dinner and found this place on google. I made a last minute reservation for 8:30pm, there was no availability before that. When we arrived the place was packed and only our table was available. I knew right away, this was a good sign and while walking to the table I could tell people were happy with what they were eating. We ordered a few cocktails, an appetizer and each of us had a pasta entree. Everything we had here was great. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere in the restaurant was nice and not loud for a fully packed restaurant. I recommend this place if you’re looking for a nice Italian meal in Paso Robles. We will be back again.

On a Tuesday evening, my partner and I spontaneously decided to visit Buona Tavola without a reservation, and to our surprise, the restaurant was bustling with patrons. The staff kindly set up a heat lamp on the patio for us and served a delightful Pinot Noir. As we perused the menu, we couldn't resist trying the spicy clams and mussels, a half order of the mushroom bruschetta, and the scallop and prawn salad – all of which were truly exceptional. Initially, we thought we might stop there, but the flavors were so outstanding that we couldn't resist ordering some pasta. The parpadelle pasta turned out to be the best I've ever tasted, perfectly al dente, and each bite surpassed the last. I wished I had a second stomach to savor it all that night! The delightful company of my loved one made the experience even better. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for an indoor reservation next time; the food was genuinely remarkable.

Authentic Northern Italian cuisine with inside and outside seating. Buona Tavola (“Good Table”) is one of our “go to” restaurants when we are visiting Paso Robles. It never disappoints. Our server was friendly, professional and efficient. She also did a great job in recommending a local red wine that we all loved. I ordered the Agnolotti di scampi allo zafferano - half-moon shaped pasta stuffed with scampi and imported prosciutto in a light saffron sauce - molto delizioso. Helpful Hint: Enjoy a lovely dinner and then a walk around the nearby historic square. It is lovely at night.

This little gem of a restaurant was delightful! We were walk-ins and seated quickly. We were lucky enough to come in on a Wednesday where it was half priced wines $100 or less. We had the James Tobin Cab and it was great! The bread and olive tapenade was delicious and I’m thinking I may need to go back and pick up a jar to bring home. We then shared the Caesar salad (good, not great) and I had the Pappardelle with shrimp and my husband had the tortellini with veal, spinach and proscuitto in a mushroom tomato sauce. Both were outstanding!!! We ended the meal with the apple pie tart (good) and the Paso port. We would absolutely come here again if we are lucky enough to get back to Paso!

We arrived at Buona Tavola just as they were opening and were seated at a patio table, as was requested in the reservation booking. The place was full from the time we got there (17:30) until we left and about 19:30. Very nice meal with an awesome server, Patricia. A bottle of California rose to cleanse the palette followed by an awesome Bruschetta. The bread was served with an olive tapenade that was so good it could have been my main course. The mains were a shrimp pappardelle and pumpkin stuffed tortellini - both very tasty and rich. The valpolicello was a great accompaniment. Service was very good, not over bearing and attentive enough that we didn’t feel ignored. It was pricey and worth it. We will go back next we’re in Poso Robles.

We stopped by Buona Tavolo for an impromptu dinner, and it didn’t disappoint! The food was fresh, flavorful, and served in generous portions. We ordered The Caesar salad, pappardelle with shrimp (San Pietro), and orecchiette with broccoli and sausage—all delicious. The cocktails were a great complement to the meal. The service could have been more attentive, but luckily we weren’t in a hurry. The ambience strikes the perfect balance between upscale and casual. Definitely a gem and worth a visit in Paso Robles!