There is a sweet little spot, just blocks to the beach in Downtown Pismo Beach called Puffers of Pismo. From the moment you walk through the door, you are welcomed by friendly staff, warm tones in the décor and delicious aromas from the kitchen. Make sure to belly up to the bar and introduce yourself to the proprietor, Charlie Puffer who is a man filled with the gift of hospitality, a ready smile and an encyclopedia of wine knowledge. Charlie hails from New York, raised in Chicago but has had the pleasure of being a California resident for the past 20 years. Puffers is Charlie’s third independent establishment of its kind. He enjoys helping his guests pair beautiful wines, beers and cordials with the delectable items offered on their menu. Besides enchanting libations, gourmet delicacies and a friendly environment, you can enjoy almost nightly the melodies of live, local musicians. Check out Puffers Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PuffersofPismo/ or their web site at https://www.puffersofpismo.com/live-music-events for a listing of who is playing!
When my husband and I visited Puffers for our weekly date night, we enjoyed every bite! We began our meal with two sumptuous glasses of vino and a small cheese and fruit plate. It was the chef’s one-year anniversary and he had created an extra-special handwritten menu that evening with some creative items to choose from. We chose the Pan Seared New Zealand Lamb Lollipops served with herbed couscous, fresh spinach and teardrop tomatoes. We shared those with a second plate of Caramelized Pork Belly Tacos with house-made crispy corn tortilla shells, crystallized ginger, avocado, cilantro lime crema over a black bean mousse. All the small plates we tried were delish! We ended our meal with Charlie’s recommendation of a 10-year-old port to compliment the Dark Chocolate Red Wine Bundt Cake and Tiramisu Cheesecake. Other items on the menu that evening included Salad Nicoise with Seared Ahi, Dijon Vinaigrette, baby red potatoes, haricot vert and hard-boiled egg, and a nice Antipasto Plate with fine cheeses, charcuterie, olives, Marcona almonds, house pickled veggies, fresh fruit and toasted baguette.
We got there early so there were plenty of seats to choose from but once the live musicians started setting up, the house filled up. There are so many people in our community that just love this place and Charlie to boot — I highly recommend it! They are closed on Mondays but open the rest of the week through Sunday. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday, 4pm-10pm, Friday and Saturday from 4pm-12am and Sunday from 4pm-10pm. Puffers is located at 781 Price St, Pismo Beach, 805-773-6563.