Lilo
Restaurant · Carlsbad ·
Coastal-inspired tasting menu with chef's counter intimacy
Coastal-inspired tasting menu with chef's counter intimacy
"Michelin-starred just 10 weeks after opening, this is chef Eric Bost’s most ambitious project to date: an intimate, 22-seat, dozen-course tasting that unfolds in just under three hours. The $265 menu goes heavy on seafood from both coasts and favors familiar flavors with clever twists—like a Maine lobster tail paired with Mission figs, dried chiles, and expertly laminated brioche for sopping. A dainty quenelle of orgeat ice cream topped with an even daintier quenelle of kaluga caviar has been on since day one, drizzled with almond oil and, for $60 more, shaved Italian white truffles when in season; the dish is memorable with or without the splurge. A small selection of a la carte aperitifs and bubbles accompanies a parade of amuse-bouche served on the patio, and dinner can be paired four ways: traditional ($190), Champagne ($290), non-alcoholic ($110), or hybrid ($165) with wine, sake, and enchanting, booze-free elixirs—the zero-proof options are worth exploring, with cherry-spiked chilled coffee alongside the Maine lobster proving phenomenal. San Diego’s laidback energy echoes inside: the horseshoe-shaped chef’s counter gives every diner front row seats to the open kitchen, a lo-fi sound system pumps out upbeat Gen X tunes like The Cure, and cooks deliver each course, spoon sauces, arrange garnishes, and engage in as much or as little conversation as diners desire." - Cathy Chaplin
"An intimate indoor‑outdoor chef’s table experience that turned heads fast, this Carlsbad newcomer earned a Michelin star just 10 weeks after opening in April, a testament to the city’s confident new dining energy." - Travel + Leisure Editors Travel + Leisure Editors Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"San Diego’s foray into the fine dining scene reached a new level when Lilo opened in Carlsbad on April 17. The ambitious restaurant from chef Eric Bost and John Resnick, tucked behind their all-day restaurant, Wildland, serves a 12-course tasting menu. With 22 diners seated around an open kitchen, meals start with littleneck clam alongside Buddha’s hand and tomatillo granita before dishes like a Kaluga caviar tartellette and a 40-day-aged rib-eye come out. Pair the meal with wine and cocktails from wine director Savannah Riedler (previously of Saison in San Francisco) and beverage director Andrew Cordero (who manages the other three Bost-Resnick restaurants)." - Helen I. Hwang
"Lilo took home its first-ever Michelin star, giving chef Eric Bost and partner John Resnick their second after their other restaurant, Jeune et Jolie, both in Carlsbad. Bost described the feeling of being at the ceremony with his team: "I’m super happy to be here, happy to have the crew with us, happy to be in town for a night. Feel good, some butterflies. Nobody knows what they’re getting." - Matthew Kang
"Awarded the San Diego area’s only Michelin star in the 2025 California guide, this intimate tasting-room concept from the Jeune et Jolie/Campfire team of chef Eric Bost and partner John Resnick opened roughly 10 weeks before the announcement. The 22-seat service is centered on mostly counter seating that wraps a fully open cooking area (with two four-top tables available), and offers a 12-course menu with counterside flourishes. Housed in a striking, architecturally notable space, guests are also guided to nearby lounge areas for pre-dinner snacks and post-meal drinks. The multi-faceted, more ambitious dinner program—positioned as a complement to the team’s other Michelin-starred operation—suggests potential to earn additional stars in future years." - Matthew Kang
