To start
Small plates meant for the middle of the table while the kitchen fires the rest.
See 4 dishes →Dinner · Brunch · Downtown Hollister
Dinner built from what grew here this week.
Eleven years on San Benito Street, cooking off a menu that follows the county harvest instead of a corporate spec sheet. Wood grill, hand-cut pasta, a short Central Coast wine list, and a patio worth staying on.
Sourcing
Twenty-two farms, most of them a short drive away.
Produce comes from growers we can visit: row crops out Union Road, orchards toward Aromas, olive oil pressed near Paicines. When a crop ends, the dish ends with it.
That's why the mains list is reprinted most weeks and why a server can tell you who grew the squash on your plate. It also means we sell out of things — usually a good sign.
Walk-ins are welcome at the bar and on the patio. The last kitchen ticket goes in thirty minutes before close.
On the menu
Three sections, changing most weeks.
Full menu with prices, allergen tags, and the drinks list lives on the menu page.
Mains
The center of the menu shifts with what's coming off San Benito County farms, so a dish or two changes most weeks.
See 5 dishes →Weekend brunch
Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 2pm. Same kitchen, softer pace, better light.
See 4 dishes →11 yrs
Serving dinner on San Benito Street
22
Central Coast farms and ranches on the current menu
48
Seats inside, plus twenty-four on the patio
4.8★
Across 412 published reviews
Regulars at the bar
What people say after dinner.
“We drove over from San Juan Bautista on a whim and ended up booking our anniversary dinner before we left.”
“They handled a gluten allergy without making it weird, and the server knew every dish cold.”
“Booked the back room for twenty people. One contact, one invoice, and the food came out hot all at once.”
How we cook
What farm-to-table means in this kitchen.
Bought within the county
Most produce comes from growers we can drive to — row crops out Union Road, orchards toward Aromas, and olive oil pressed near Paicines.
Menu follows the harvest
The mains list changes most weeks. If something on the printed menu ran out, that usually means it was picked in a finite quantity two days ago.
Whole-animal, whole-vegetable
We buy larger cuts and break them down here, and trim becomes stock, sausage, or staff meal instead of a bin.
Honest allergen answers
Every station can tell you what's in a dish. If we can't safely modify something for an allergy, we'll say so rather than guess.
Restaurant FAQ
Hours, reservations, and the practical stuff.
What are Example Restaurant's hours in Hollister, CA?
Dinner is Wednesday and Thursday 5pm to 9pm, Friday and Saturday 5pm to 10pm. Weekend brunch is Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm. We're closed Monday and Tuesday. Holiday hours are posted on the contact page.
Can I book a table at your San Benito Street location?
Yes, we accept reservations up to 60 days in advance for groups of 1 to 8. Larger parties should use our private events form. We always keep our bar and patio seats open for walk-ins, so it is always worth dropping by while you are in downtown Hollister.
Where are you located and is there parking?
412 San Benito Street in downtown Hollister. There's free street parking on San Benito and Fifth, plus a public lot one block east that's rarely full at dinner.
What kind of food do you serve?
Californian farm-to-table: wood-grilled fish and meats, hand-cut pasta, and vegetable dishes built from San Benito County produce. Entrées run $24 to $36, and the menu shifts with the harvest.
Do you have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options?
Every service has vegan and gluten-free mains, not just a side salad. Dishes are tagged on the menu page, and the kitchen can modify most plates — tell your server about allergies when you sit down.
Is your restaurant family-friendly for those visiting Hollister?
Absolutely. We provide high chairs and booster seats for our local families. Our kitchen is happy to prepare a simple pasta or grilled chicken plate for kids during any lunch or dinner service.
Can I host a private event at your Hollister restaurant?
Our back room accommodates 20 guests, while a full buyout seats 50. Private events in San Benito County start at $1,200 for food and beverage, featuring set menus at 3 price points and a dedicated coordinator to manage your booking from start to finish.
Wednesday through Sunday
Save yourself the wait.
Book up to 60 days out, or walk in and take a bar seat — we hold those every night for people who didn't plan ahead.