There’s luxury, and then there’s the kind of luxury that you can taste. Dolphin Bay Resort and Spa in San Luis Obispo County isn’t about gilded chandeliers or fussy service. It’s about waking up to the sound of surf, sipping something sparkly before noon, and biting into menu items so fresh they practically introduce themselves.

Welcome to the Edge of Flavor: Lido Restaurant and Lounge

And at the heart of this experience? Executive Chef Chris Shackelford—equal parts culinary renegade and Central Coast devotee—who’s spinning seasonal CA GROWN ingredients into dishes that speak louder than any five-star Yelp review ever could.

Dolphin Bay: Where the Menu Follows the Seasons

If you think you’ve had a beet salad before, think again. At Dolphin Bay Resort and Spa, that humble dish becomes a seasonal roadmap—one that changes color, flavor, and character with each passing month.

In fall and winter, it’s all about “bull’s blood red beets—those powerful, earthy ones,” says Shackelford. Come spring? He’s switching it up with golden beets—“a little milder, a bit sweeter.” And summer? That’s when Soja beets show up, “a little bit sweeter, a different profile altogether.”

But beets are just a gateway produce that we are focusing on for this article. Another example, once strawberries hit their stride in spring, they appear everywhere on Chris’ menu —in salads, desserts, even cocktails.

“We make simple syrup outta the strawberries and we infuse black pepper,” he says. “Then we make a black pepper and strawberry margarita out of it. That fruit comes from Frankie, a local grower from Santa Maria, who literally sits at our bar after work. Sometimes he has his business meetings here. It’s that connected.”

Local Farms, Legendary Plates

Chef Shackelford’s reverence for California agriculture isn’t some PR gimmick—it’s gospel. And his roster of local farm partners reads like a who’s who of the Central Coast food scene.

• Frankie from Santa Maria: Drops off flats of strawberries that go straight into room amenities like chocolate-covered strawberries and the bar’s cocktail program.
• Tally Farms: Provides peak-season produce and partners with Dolphin Bay Resort and Spa for quarterly harvest dinners. “We serve his wines with his food… That’s eating very locally,” Shackelford says.
• Babe Farms: Where the baby veggies and lettuces come from, delivered through a streamlined distributor to keep things local and fresh.
• Halcyon Farm Stand: A go-to recommendation for anyone wanting a taste of the real Central Coast.

It’s all part of a larger philosophy: sustainability isn’t just about water and solar panels—it’s about your supply chain. “It’s the minimal steps it takes to get something from a farm to here,” Shackelford explains.

At Dolphin Bay Resort and Spa, the sourcing is tight and intentional. Two distributors—one for produce, one for proteins—handle the majority of deliveries, keeping the carbon footprint in check and the quality high. “It creates a little bit better sustainability for a larger hotel situation,” he adds.

From Sea Air to Soil: A Place Built on Taste

Dolphin Bay Resort and Spa isn’t just perched on the edge of the Pacific—it’s built on the edge of a food culture that’s as rich and deep as the view outside your suite. Chef Shackelford lives where most people vacation, and he’s not taking it for granted.

“I was gone a long time,” he says. “This is my reentry into where I grew up. I get to live and work in a place people travel to for their vacations.”

When asked about hidden gems in the area, his excitement is palpable. He shares everything from “the Farmer’s Market in San Luis Obispo—it’s huge,” to the foraging culture that thrives nearby. Mushrooms, miner’s lettuce, sorrel—Shackelford’s always experimenting.

He’s not just cooking dinner; he’s reconnecting with a landscape he calls home and sharing it wth those of us lucky enough to take part in a meal there.

Why California Agriculture Matters to Chef Shackelford

For Chef Shackelford, supporting California agriculture is about more than flavor—it’s about community, economics, and respect.

“It’s a sense of quality, but it’s also a sense of your neighbor,” he says. “The same people growing your food are staying in your hotels, eating at your restaurants. If we all vote local with our dollars, more money stays in our community.”

He’s quick to point out the ripple effect: better infrastructure, more support for local businesses, and ultimately, a more vibrant, sustainable future.

Come for the View, Stay for the Eats

At Dolphin Bay Resort and Spa, you can sip a glass of wine that was bottled down the road, dig into a salad made with beets that were in the ground a few days ago, and toast with a strawberry margarita crafted from fruit hand-delivered by the guy sitting two stools down.

You won’t just eat here—you’ll taste the coast, the valley, and the hands that made it all happen in every plate Lido serves.

So go ahead. Check in, sit down, and let the bounty of California’s Central Coast do the talking.

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This article was written by Meg van der Kruik. Photo credit James Collier for California Grown.