Restaurant review: Nate’s on Marsh, San Luis Obispo

Entering Nate’s on Marsh feels a little like visiting your cool, stylish aunt’s house for dinner. You get a warm welcome, then walk through a cluster of dining rooms, each clad in Instagram-worthy wallpaper hung with Western- and equestrian- themed art, to be seated and well taken care of for the evening. It’s no wonder the unstuffy restaurant feels homey—it’s set within a converted residence that dates to 1908.

Owner Nate Long, a San Luis Obispo native who managed restaurants under acclaimed chef Joseph Manzare in San Francisco, has hit the ground running, opening the eatery in 2021 and receiving recognition as a recommended restaurant in the Michelin Guide’s California edition the following year.

The kitchen turns out consistently excellent renditions of Italian classics. The chopped La Scala salad makes a light starter with a blend of shredded iceberg lettuce, salami, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, burrata, and crispy chickpeas—all tossed in a red-wine vinaigrette.

Share the salad along with the polpette­ (a beef, pork, and veal meatball topped with pomodoro sauce, basil gremolata, and fresh burrata) or the polpo (charred octopus with fingerling potatoes, tomato and pepper sauce, and crispy prosciutto chips).

Pasta standouts include pappardelle ragù made with Tablas Creek lamb and walnut gremolata, and a mushroom carbonara with earthy organic mushrooms from Mighty Cap Mushrooms in Paso Robles.

The tight entrée roster includes a classic salmon piccata and a tender bone-in pork chop complemented by veal bordelaise, bacon-braised mustard greens, polenta, and smoked tomato jam. Find a perfect pairing on the California-focused wine list or sip a cocktail from the bar.