Where to Eat: The Range in Santa Margarita

I’ve lived in the Paso Robles area since October of 2003 and I had never been to The Range. I know, this news is shocking to the locals since Annie and I get out pretty often. We did remedy this issue recently and headed down with Sammy to check it out. A couple of things to remember, they are cash or local check only, doors open at 5pm, and they don’t take reservations.

It’s a rustic little joint located on the main drag in Santa Margarita. There is indoor dining and kind of outdoor dining. You can see what it looks like in the photos below. I heard from several people that they do live music during the summer. That would be cool to go back and check out.

It’s wine and beer only but they have a good list. The customer service was incredible. Probably some of the best service we’ve encountered. Now that I’ve covered all of this let’s get to the real deal…the food. Here’s what we ordered and shared:

Sammy got a cheese pizza with pulled pork on it (Annie and I had to taste to make sure it was good and it was)

Angus Beef Carpaccio with Baby Greens, Grana Parmesan, Capers and Olea Farms Olive Oil $15.00

Caesar Salad – Hearts of Romaine, Grana Parmesan, Spanish White Anchovies, Anchoide Dressing $10.00

Pan Roasted Elk Medallions, Garlic Mash, Seasonal Vegetables, Montmorency Cheery Bordalaise $31

Sammy ended with a bowl of ice cream (you can see photos of that too)

They had also brought out a plate of bread prior to dinner, even that was terrific. The meal was insane. It was all prepared perfectly and since they knew we were sharing they even split the plates without us asking. I thought that was one of those “going the extra mile” things. The elk dish was probably the best elk I’ve ever had. I will be ordering that again in the future.

Seriously, don’t make the same mistake I did, waiting over 12 years before visiting this gem. After one meal, they made it to my top 5 restaurants in north county. Thanks to the owners, chef, and staff for making such a great experience.