Cambria Restaurants

After the huge lunch at the Apple Farm on our way up to Cambria, neither Kat or I wanted a big meal so we headed to Las Cambritas, a Mexican restaurant in town. Had we been a little hungrier, someone recommended Robin's Restaurant , maybe next time.

Favorite Dish: They had a seafood taco special on the menu with one shrimp taco, one calamari steak taco and one sea bass taco but I wasn't terribly hungry so I asked if I could order ala carte and they said sure. So I got a shrimp taco and a calamari steak taco, both were good, although a little heavy on the lettuce and cheese.

Very reasonably priced, our bill was just over $20 for the two of us.

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When visiting Cambria it was a "custom" to visit Linn's restaurant for a slice of Oallieberry Pie. Sadly, on this recent trip we discovered that Linn's in fact had burned down. There is a sign posted regarding their re-opening in Summer of 2006, however this photo was taken in October 2006 and it does not look like it is ready for customers yet.

UPDATE: 6-24-07Linn's cafe if now open We stopped by with our mouths watering for pastry and coffee. Boy were we disappointed. It was lousy.

Gone are the tables and the wait staff. In its place is a counter to place your order and then you serve yourself to coffee, soda and the like. The service at the counter was quite poor. A 18-something girl pushed her way ahead of us as we waited in line, the young man behind the counter put aside the customers orders to talk with her, what was worse was she was there for an application to work there! When we finally received our order it was most disappointing. The eclair was virtually so hard I could not bite into it. Instead of making a chocolate gnache they just poured straight chocolate on it and it set up like cement. New York style cheesecake does not have lemon filling and NY cheesecake actually tastes good not mushy and bland like this throw away junk.

Favorite Dish: Don't waste your time here. It has lost the flavor and spirit of the old Linn's. What a shame.

You stop in Cambria for a while, maybe even stay overnight, but you go because you have been here before and love it; you heard about the artists and boutiques and want to visit; or you are driving Hwy 1 from San Luis Obispo up to Carmel-by-the-Sea and decided you were hungry. If you are hungry, no matter why you are in Cambria, one restaurant has that homey look and feel and that is because it once was a home. Robin's Restaurant has a following of those that want something a little different. The food offerings are freshly made from scratch and are internationally based in flavor and style.

Walking up the path to the entrance, gives you a garden of flowers and plants to relax and delight your sight. Once inside, the rooms are tastefully decorated and my special table is for two, in an alcove near the stained glass window. Being in business since 1985, Robin's has proven that, in their own words, "great tasting food and warm, wonderful service" will not only please the customer but will bring you back again. My wife and I both agree that Robin's is a must stop for lunch when in Cambria.

Favorite Dish: Robin's Salmon Bisque is a great pick-me-up that is just about every body's favorite. Rich and creamy and delicious. After that, I could have stopped at the soup, it was that satisfying, I went for the piece de resistance, Lamb Curry Burritos. Filled with medium spicy succulent lamb, brown basmati rice, served with yogurt & fresh mint chutney. This was the taste sensation I was looking for. The best part is that lunch is served Monday-Saturday from 11 am till 4 pm, just so you don't miss out. Brunch specials on Sunday 11 am till 3 pm.

This appeared to be a well established restaurant. It was located in an older building. When we arrived, we were greeted by the fragrance of steak. So that's what we ordered and we were not disappointed. The level of service was high. The lighting was low. The portions were on the larger side so you won't go home hungry. We had an enjoyable meal.

Favorite Dish: Filet mignon

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After years in Cambria, Linn's had to close down due to a fire and rebuild. Well, they are open now and the son of John and Renee Linn is running the "new" Linn's Cambria Restaurant. Not like the old store with its charm and crowded shelves in the gift section. Now it is wide open and crisp as a new dawn. Perhaps those that loved the old, may be unhappy with the new, but look at it this way. A little bit of the old is in the new, and there are now three stores instead of one.

The Main Bin restaurant at 2277 Main Street in east Cambria has gone upscale with its gift store and gourmet portions but there is the Linn's Easy as Pie location at 4251 Bridge Street for the lighter menu and quick service. The third location is Linn's Gourmet Goods at 4241 Bridge Street for all their own label goods as well as the frozen pies. If you are in the Cambria area or staying over at Moonstone Beach, Linn's is a good choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Favorite Dish: Mention the word, Linn's and I think of Olallieberry pie. It has the physical characteristics of the classic blackberry, but it is genetically about two-thirds blackberry and one-third red raspberry. Not overly sweet but a slight tartness. Having that with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a great treat. The home comfort food is still available like meat loaf and pot pies.

Fans of Linn's will be pleased to know that they have reopened after the fire of two years ago. Not only is the main restaurant opened but they have also so opened Linn's Easy As Pie Cafe around the corner on Bridge Street. They now serve Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner plus the wonderful pies and pastries.

Favorite Dish: We haven't actually eaten there since they reopened but they do local catering and we LOVE their fried chicken and their chocolate eclairs. We also love their Chicken Pot Pie, it is amazingly good and don't confuse it with any other pot pie you've ever eaten. I sometimes buy it frozen and bake it at home.

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Wouldn't ya know it? Right when I find a historic, delicious, and charming place to recommend to everyone, it goes and burns down!

Linn's is a Cambria institution known for its incredibly good savory and dessert pies - at least, it WAS, until the main restaurant building was destroyed in a fire on Easter Sunday, 2006.

The fire did about a million bucks worth of damage to the old brick building, but the folks are determined to rebuild, and, last I heard, they were planning on re-opening in October of 2006. In the meantime, they are still selling their pies and goodies to the public out of another business. I'll try to find the address, but it's just on the main drag from Highway 1 into downtown Cambria - trust me, you can't miss it.

Favorite Dish: When I was there last I had a seafood pie which was sooooo good. It was scallops, shrimp and crabmeat in a Newburg sauce and it is every bit as rich and delicious as it sounds. I also had a very good piece of blueberry pie for dessert. I think both with a drink was like $20.

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The Sow's Ear Cafe is a very romantic choice for dining in Cambria. There are two fireplaces in the dining room. Request a table to the left of the restaurant if you want more privacy. There are also window seats available in this area.

The food is always fantastic, we have dined here many times over the years. The friendly and hospitable staff make this a really great place to dine in Cambria.

Favorite Dish: The Herb Stuffed Mushrooms, the Fried Brie appetizer. The salmon in parchment paper and the country fried steak are the house specialties. Entrees are served with warm baked bread in small clay pots, they also include a fresh garden salad with your choice of dressing. We like the Cilantro-Lime house dressing.