The story
Bell’s is a Michelin-starred, family-run bistro located in the heart of Los Alamos, California. Led by chef Daisy Ryan, named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, the restaurant offers a thoughtful take on French-inspired cooking rooted in the ingredients and spirit of the Central Coast. The kitchen serves classic bistro fare, paired with an award-winning wine list that highlights local and European producers.
The menu changes daily, based on local availability and the chef’s whims. Lunch is served from 11am to 3pm, with advanced reservations available and limited tables open for first come, first served. Dinner is a prix-fixe menu at $125, reservation only, and automatically includes caviar with the uni canapé. The dinner menu might feature dishes like Santa Barbara sea urchin with mille crêpe, a salade of Finley Farms lettuces, and a choice of mains such as cobia rôti with chanterelles or steak au poivre with frites.
For lunch, options include a “Chips & Dip” with caviar and sauce raifort, wild Burgundy snails with parsley butter, steak tartare, and a croque monsieur. A kids’ menu offers simpler fare like grilled cheese and tomato pasta. The wine list is extensive, featuring champagnes and sparkling wines, as well as whites, reds, and rosés from California and Europe.
The restaurant’s biggest priority has always been to support a living wage for their team and their farmer, producer, and artisan partners. A 20% service charge is included on the bill to help control costs and stabilize staff livelihoods. Reservations open on the 1st of each month at 1pm PST for the following two months.
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