Sandcastle Hotel on the Beach

Ember was at the forefront of open-fire cooking on the Central Coast when it opened, and this Arroyo Grande charmer still hasn’t lost its spark. Its inviting industrial-rustic interior remains a fitting backdrop for the restaurant’s heartfelt and approachable cooking. The contemporary menu leans into comforting flavors and wood-fired touches, from summer squash bruschetta layered with zucchini ribbons, roasted torpedo onions, ricotta-goat cheese, caramelized fennel aioli and mint on grilled walnut bread, to staples like the grilled under-a-brick chicken and the towering 50-layer lasagna. Desse