Nepenthe
48510 Highway 1, Big Sur 667-2345, nepenthe.com
If you’ve been to Nepenthe you know that the South Coast-facing views are the stuff of dreams. Superlative in every measure, the longtime family-owned-and-operated restaurant perched on the edge of the world that turns out plate after plate and glass after glass of world-class food and drink also manages to ably embody the reference from Homer’s Odyssey describing Nepenthe as a drug able to remove grief and worry from one’s mind. Arrive early and indulge in a cocktail on the deck, and don’t be embarrassed to ask for more signature ambrosia sauce for your fries – it really is that good.