The Overlook Food & Dining

All of our menus feature local, seasonal produce and meat raised on the ranch, inspired by a variety of cuisines.

When you dine at Paicines Ranch, you give us the opportunity to share our passions, principles, and intentions around food and farming in ways that are delicious, fun, and a little adventurous. Every ingredient is sourced carefully and thoughtfully reflecting seasonality, local agriculture, and a commitment to eating the landscape that we want to see.  

Our culinary team, led by Executive Chef Maggie Fernandez, creates menus incorporating these ingredients inspired by a wide variety of cuisines. We have a full liquor license, and the beverage selection features diverse and rare wine varietals, many made from grapes grown in the Paicines Ranch Vineyard. 

Meals are served at The Overlook with its beautiful indoor and outdoor dining spaces and spectacular views of the ranch, the Gabilan mountains, and the sunset. The LEED-certified facility includes a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, along with a wood-fired pizza oven, BBQ, and smoker. We would love to host you for a meal  or work with you to create an amazing and unique dining experience for your event.

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Contact us for more information or to arrange a site visit.

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Locally Sourced Food

Everything that is served at the ranch is sourced with great care, usually from farmers, ranchers, and food producers with whom we are in direct relationship. We have often been on their land and are informed about their production and sourcing practices. They are proud of their food, and we are proud to be able to serve it.

Meat - Almost all of the meat served on the ranch is produced on the ranch, where we raise beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and turkey using the principles of Holistic Management.  Our sheep and cattle are 100% grass fed while our poultry and pork are pastured and supplemented with organic feed. Read more on how we raise our animals. On occasion, we purchase meat produced by colleagues in the regenerative ranching world whose work and practices are known to us. We can always let you know exactly where the meat being served is from and how it is raised.  We accommodate special requests for seafood, using local, sustainable suppliers in Monterey County.

Produce - Most of our produce comes from farmers in San Benito County who are our friends and neighbors. All of our produce is organic and seasonal and comes from California.

Portfolio Companies - Paicines Ranch is part of the NoRegrets Initiative, which works to regenerate the agricultural soils of North America and the communities who steward them. As part of that work, we invest in food companies who share that ethos and are intentional about their sourcing, and when appropriate we serve their products in our offerings. Some examples are Straus Family Creamery, Lotus Foods, and Firebrand Artisan Breads.

Wine - Much of the wine that we offer is made from grapes grown in the Paicines Ranch Vineyard. We sell our grapes to a number of winemakers, all of whom take different approaches to their craft but share our values of regenerating ecosystem health and biodiversity. We produce many grape varietals that are relatively rare in California, so there is often an opportunity to try something new. Many of the other wines that we offer in our program are from California, produced from organically or biodynamically grown grapes, and made by winemakers we know personally. 

Beer & Cider - We offer a selection of beers, including Brewery 25, which is a local, artisanal brewery. We offer ciders as well, including Eden Ciders, which is in the NoRegrets Initiative portfolio and is committed to supporting small-scale family orchards in New England.

Spirits - We offer a complete selection of spirits and cocktails. We sometimes feature craft distilleries, like Freeland Spirits, which we have made investments in because of the way they source their raw ingredients.

Sample Menus

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Event Menu

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Event Menu

Meet Our Farmers & Producers

Paicines Ranch

Every day our livestock and vineyard teams work in partnership with animals, land, microbes and people to grow healthy soil, restore biodiversity, and provide delicious, nourishing food for our community. Using the practices of regenerative agriculture and holistic management, we produce 100% grass-fed-and-finished lamb and beef, pastured pork and turkey, and organic winegrapes on 7500 acres of organic crop and rangeland. Livestock are integrated into our cropping systems, including our 25-acre vineyard which is “managed” by the sheep through grazing and pruning.

 

Pinnacle Organically Grown Produce/Phil Foster Ranches

Phil Foster operates two ranches near San Juan Bautista and Hollister with his wife Katherine where they grow an average of 60 certified organic vegetables, melons and fruit per year on over 250 acres. The farm started out conventionally but Phil began to experiment with growing a few acres organically in 1989 and eventually moved into completely organic production because it proved to be a wise economic move. An infinitely curious person, Phil is always looking at how to make things better and sharing what he’s learning with his community. Phil and his farm team strive to maintain the Pinnacle label's high quality by treating their workers, products, land, community and the planet with the utmost respect. We have much appreciation for this hard-working team and love buying their exceptional produce (their sweet carrots are a delicious staple on our menus!)

 

Oya Organic Farm

Oya Organic farm is a CCOF-certified organic farm in Hollister, CA run by Marsha Habib and Modesto Sanchez Cruz. The pair combine the agroecological farming practices they learned in California and Oaxaca, Mexico, along with philosophical influences from Marsha’s Japanese background. More than 50 different crops are grown at one time in the nutrient-rich soil of Oya Organic farm.

 

Markegard Family Grass-Fed

Along with her husband and four children, Doniga Markegard owns and operates Markegard Family Grass-Fed LLC raising grass-fed beef, lamb, pastured pork and dairy supplying the Bay Area with local, nutrient-dense foods. The family ranch leases land throughout the Bay Area spanning over 8000 acres. 

 

Narci Organics

Maria Ana and her daughters Yesenia and Angelica work every day to give us fresh, healthy California-grown produce. Named after Maria’s mother, Narci Organics produces kale, strawberries, and other fresh fruits and vegetables in San Juan Bautista. Starting with the Farmer Education Program (PEPA) at the Agriculture & Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) and later partnering with Tera Farm, Maria Ana and her daughters now grow enough food to serve many people in their area. We are impressed by the family’s dedication and commitment to good farming practices, and to growing food for their community. This mother-and-daughters trio brings leadership, experience, intuition, and fun to their successful business operation.

 

Burroughs Family Farms

Burroughs Family Farms is a 5th Generation Family Farm in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The Burroughs family produces high quality, nutrient dense, organic foods. Their farming practices are based in regenerative agriculture and sustainability and their operations are run by their family. With over 100 years of farming heritage, the family loves to pass down their love for the land and good stewardship to each new generation. BFF produces Organic Almonds, Pastured Eggs & Lamb, Milk, Olive Oil, Cheese, Soap, and more. Burroughs Family Orchards is the first almond farm in the world to be certified Regenerative Organic by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

 

Lotus Foods

Established in 1995 by Caryl Levine and Ken Lee, Lotus Foods’ mission is to partner in fair trade with small family farmers around the world who are growing rice more sustainably and preserving rice biodiversity. They believe that by pursuing smart product innovation, better growing practices, and delicious whole grain heirloom rice varieties we’ll lessen our environmental impact, improve nutrition for our consumers and create more social and economic justice for small farmers.

 

Straus Family Creamery

Founded in 1994, Straus Family Creamery is a mission-driven, family-owned-and-operated business dedicated to making premium organic dairy products, with minimal processing. The Straus Dairy Farm and Creamery, located in the small town of Marshall on the Northern California Coast, was the first certified organic dairy farm west of the Mississippi River and the first 100% certified organic creamery in the United States. In addition to the Straus Dairy Farm, Straus Family Creamery buys certified organic, Non-GMO Project Verified milk from 11 other organic family farms in Northern California’s Marin and Sonoma Counties. The combination of rich soil, one of the nation’s most diverse grassland systems, and a mild coastal climate create the ideal setting for organic dairy farming. Land stewardship and sustainable farming are deeply rooted principles in certified organic farming practices.

 

Firebrand Artisan Breads

Firebrand Artisan Breads is a mission-based bakery that creates the finest wood-fired breads and artisanal pastries in the Bay, available for retail and wholesale purchase. We  hire from within our community to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. We provide high-quality products as well as high-quality jobs with a strong focus on hiring people with high barriers to employment, such as folks who have been formerly incarcerated or formerly homeless.is an inclusive, equitable workplace, providing good jobs for those with barriers to employment through the craft of artisanal baking.

Through integrated programs for employee personal development and growth, Firebrand supports our employees’ growth to live up to their potential and become the best versions of themselves.

 

The Overlook

Welcome to The Overlook at Paicines Ranch, where culinary excellence meets breathtaking landscapes. Our newly built kitchen, led by Executive Chef Margarita Fernandez, is the heart of our dining experience. Chef Maggie, in collaboration with her talented team, prepares savory and delicious meals using our pasture-raised meats and locally-sourced, organic ingredients. From intimate dining events to weddings, workshops, and ranch gatherings, The Overlook offers both indoor and outdoor seating options with stunning views of our picturesque surroundings. Indulge in high-quality, locally-sourced cuisine while immersing yourself in the natural beauty of Paicines Ranch.

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What People are Saying

“My husband surprised me by taking me to the Mother’s Day Brunch at Paicines Ranch! Not only was the view spectacular, but the food was downright amazing! We couldn’t get enough of the grass fed meat! It was worth every penny and made me feel so special as a mom. Can’t wait to go again!” 

-Sarah Gureck

“To say we had the perfect weekend at Paicines Ranch would be an understatement. The property provides a sense of calm and connection that can’t be found elsewhere. The food and beverage experience is five-star, with meals quickly becoming a highlight of our attendees’ experience. The owners and staff are welcoming, friendly, and thorough - they pay attention to the details, and it shows. We cannot wait to return to the land, and the people of Paicines!”

-Emily Vitas 

Lab to Land Institute

“I just want to say thank you for your amazing support, kindness, absolutely delicious food in the spectacular Overlook, a beautiful house to stay in and the most magnificent piece of land one could ever imagine! This is an amazing journey that all started at Paicines Ranch. I am forever grateful for your beautiful support.”

 

-Judi Founder/Executive Director Turning Green

"There was something so calming and reassuring about the energy as soon as I pulled into Paicines Ranch. The accommodations were simplistic, clean and well maintained and withhold a welcoming feel from all of the former guests. The food prepared for us was top tier, five stars -- and even though I am a vegan, they found ways to keep me full and satisfied. I learned so much about the biodiversity of the hills of Northern California and was so inspired by the history of the land and the intentions of the No Regrets Initiative to restore the natural ecosystem to a disrupted land."

 
-Jeanette Lloyd/The Village of Arts and Humanities
 

Ready to enjoy locally sourced, delicious food and drinks?

or call: 831.744.2876