Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Bottom sirloin tri-tip, grilled over red oak until rosy, sliced thin and piled on a toasted garlic-butter roll with barbecue sauce. San Luis Obispo's defining fast meal, done canonically at Firestone Grill.
Tri-tip is the Central Coast's cut: butchers in nearby Santa Maria popularised grilling the whole bottom sirloin over red oak in the 1950s, and the sandwich version became San Luis Obispo's own when Firestone Grill opened on Higuera Street in 1995 and made it the house order. The queue outside has been a downtown landmark ever since, and the Thursday night farmers' market pits sell the same cut by the plate.
2 editor picks for Tri-tip sandwich in San Luis Obispo, ranked by editorial score. All San Luis Obispo signature dishes · Tri-tip sandwich across every city.
Firestone Grill is San Luis Obispo's tri-tip sandwich benchmark, carving oak-grilled beef onto garlic rolls since 1995 for a queue that snakes out the door.
OrderThe tri-tip sandwich on a garlic-butter roll, with a side of fries.
TipThe line moves faster than it looks; order at the counter and grab a patio table on Higuera Street.
Every Thursday the barbecue pits roll onto Higuera Street, grilling ribs, chicken and tri-tip in the open air at San Luis Obispo's farmers' market.
OrderRibs, tri-tip and chicken off open pits
TipF. McLintocks' crew grills ribs, kebabs and tri-tip mid-market; plates sell down before the bands finish.
Tri-tip sandwich makes more sense with someone from San Luis Obispo explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 3h 30m
Discover downtown San Luis Obispo on a brunch food tour. Enjoy 5 unique stops with delicious bites and drinks, including Santa Maria BBQ, California brunch, and Peruvi...
Private tour · 2h 30m
Embark on a private wine tasting tour in San Luis Obispo with a twist in a tandem sidecar motorcycle. Visit 3 wineries, admire the rolling hills and enjoy tasting 3 wi...
Guided tour · 5h 30m
Hop aboard our vintage trolley for a 5.5-hour Paso Robles winery tour! • Visit 3 handpicked scenic wineries • Onboard snacks, water & fun music • Stress-free ride with...
