Il Cortile Ristorante

The story

Il Cortile Ristorante | Paso Robles Italian Fine Dining with Wine Spectator Award

A Passion for Fine Food and Wine

In 2009, chef Santos MacDonal and his wife Carole opened Il Cortile Ristorante in downtown Paso Robles. The name means “The Courtyard” in Italian, and the restaurant delivers a refined yet welcoming take on rustic Italian cuisine. Santos, who trained under Chef Giorgio Baldi in Malibu and worked at notable Los Angeles restaurants, brings a philosophy of using the freshest ingredients, sourced locally whenever possible. His pastas and sauces are made from scratch, and his dishes are built so that the pasta becomes “involved” with the sauce, not just an accompaniment.

Carole MacDonal, a former Hollywood producer turned sommelier, designed the wine list to complement Santos’s seasonal menus. She selects wines from the Paso Robles area alongside fine bottles from Italy, Spain, and France. The restaurant’s commitment to wine excellence earned it a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, a fitting recognition for a place that pairs its food so thoughtfully with the region’s celebrated vineyards.

Seasonally Fresh Ingredients

The menu changes frequently to reflect what is available at local farmers markets and from California purveyors. Antipasti might include a poached egg over white polenta with parmesan fonduta and shaved black truffles, or grilled octopus with fresh vegetables in a spicy vinaigrette. The primi section features all housemade pastas: pappardelle with wild boar ragu, sweet corn agnolotti in a truffle-infused butter sauce, and squid ink tagliolini with lobster and Mighty Cap mushrooms. Secondi range from grilled branzino over potato leek puree to a grilled 12-ounce rib eye finished with extra virgin olive oil.

An Evening in Paso Robles

Il Cortile offers indoor and limited outdoor dining in downtown Paso Robles. The atmosphere is fine dining without pretense—a place where the food and wine speak for themselves. Whether you choose a classic spaghetti alla bottarga or the Kabocha squash gnocchi in brown butter sage sauce, each dish reflects Santos’s commitment to technique and seasonality. With the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence underscoring the caliber of the wine program, Il Cortile remains a top destination for Italian cuisine in Paso Robles.