Pausa Bar & Cookery in downtown San Manteo invites you to take a pause and enjoy made-from-scratch authentic Italian fare along with an all-Italian wine list, craft cocktails, and spritzes. The menu includes a selection of meat and cheese board items to start followed by wood-fired pizza, pasta, risotto, and meat and seafood entrees. Try the popular Carnaroli Risotto, a creamy combination of heirloom tomatoes, crispy parmigiano reggiano, and micro basil. For a truly memorable foodie experience, enjoy a behind-the-scenes dinner at the Chef’s Table held Friday and Saturday nights. For $80, you will be treated to a five-course menu with front row seats to the kitchen.

Pausa has an open, airy atmosphere with a chic ambient dining room and a heated, pet-friendly outdoor patio. The rustic Italian restaurant includes a wood-burning grill from Tuscany, a dough room where you can watch the house-made pastas come together, and a curing chamber where the salumi is cured.