Hit the road for great eats on Highway 101

There was a time — a very long time — when anyone traveling down Highway 101 faced a dearth of dining possibilities. That San Francisco-Santa Barbara, Calif., trek was fueled by golden arches and Denny’s knockoffs. Now there’s no need to resort to such desperate measures, not when you can pull off the freeway and nosh in style at Paso Robles’ Kitchenette and Arroyo Grande’s Comfort Market. Here’s where to grab a bite, no matter what time you fly through town.

1. San Juan Bautista: Jardines de San Juan

Satisfy your guacamole and taco cravings at this colorful oasis near Mission San Juan Bautista. Grab a seat on the sunny patio and tuck into strawberry lemonade ($3) and Chon’s Guacamole ($8 regular, $6 small), followed by a ginormous, carnitas-filled People’s Choice Burrito ($11) or the Baja Tacos ($15.50) with shrimp, avocado salsa and smoky chipotle sauce. A silky flan ($5) makes a sweet ending. www.jardinesrestaurant.com

More: Need extra fuel for the road? Grab a caffeine fix at Vertigo Coffee Roasters, www.vertigocoffee.com, or a sugar rush at Margot’s Ice Cream Parlour, www.margotsicecreamparlor.com.

2. Salinas: Farm Fresh Deli & Cafe

Set your GPS for downtown Salinas, and pop into this charming eatery for a quick soup and sandwich. You’ll find everything from grilled sammies to wraps, including the filling Farmer’s Club ($7.50) with turkey, bacon, swiss and avocado, the decadent Ma’s Famous Spinach and Artichoke Melt ($7.50) and the fried chicken-stuffed Cousin’s Caesar Wrap ($7). Add a smoothie, and you’re good to go.www.farmfreshdelicafe.com.

More: Here for dinner? Try the rustic European-inspired Patria for pork schnitzel and cheesy spaetzle; www.facebook.com/PatriaOldtownSalinas.

3. Soledad: La Fuente Restaurant

There’s artwork and tchotchkes in every nook and cranny of this festive Mexican eatery. Don’t miss the awesome Tostada de Camarones, piled high with shrimp, the carnitas plate and the guacamole served in an avocado shell. Wash it all down with cinnamon-spiked horchata. You’ll be good to go until dinner.

More: Nearby Chualar holds treats, too. Find delicious asada tortas, cookies and pastries at Alma’s Bakery and Deli at 25482 Payson St. Go for the tacos at Taqueria Hidalgo at 23477 Grant St.

4. King City: Cork & Plough

Farm-to-table, new wave American cuisine and craft cocktails a mile off the freeway? Yes, please! Seattle chef Travis Childers’ two-year-old eatery traffics in tasty lunchtime salads and sandwiches — try the Pork and Cow ($13), a burger topped with pulled pork and Carolina slaw — and heartier dinner entrees, such as Venison Meatloaf ($22) and Cajun Shrimp ($16) with pork sausage polenta and a tomato-bell pepper sauce. www.thecorkandplough.com.

5. La Cosecha Bar + Restaurant

This two-year-old deli and cafe is technically in Templeton, five miles from sister restaurant Artisan, a dining hot spot for almost a decade. At Kitchenette, brothers and owners Chris and Michael Kobayashi offer up farm-fresh breakfast and lunch items that pack a flavorful, creative punch, from beer-braised corned beef hash ($13) and almond croissant french toast ($9) to a slow-roasted lamb dip ($13) and portobello panini slathered in housemade almond hummus ($13). Salads are divine, too. kitchenettetempleton.com.

6. Santa Margarita: The Range

This is range country, so terrific steaks and a jeans-clad crowd are not exactly surprising. What you won’t expect is how incredibly sophisticated the dishes are at this cash-only cowboy bistro. It’s so good, Los Angelenos routinely drive up for the pan-roasted elk medallions with garlic mashed potatoes and cherry bordelaise ($31) and coffee-crusted Angus rib-eye ($33) with a Wild Turkey-peppercorn cream sauce.

7. San Luis Obispo: Old San Luis Barbecue Company

This super casual, family-friendly spot is known for its Santa Maria-style barbecue grilled over a red oak pit. Get that hand-trimmed, Angus certified tri-tip (or the grilled chicken or pulled pork) as a sandwich on a locally baked bun or via pit plate ($9.75-$10.95) with a side of apple-cucumber slaw with jalapenos. Salads are great, too, and made using local organic produce. Dine in, on the outdoor patio or get it to-go at the walk-up window. Just don’t forget the chocolate bacon milkshake. oldsanluisbbq.com.

8. Arroyo Grande: Comfort Market

Kari Ziegler’s four-year-old Comfort Market is all kinds of wonderful. The market half deals in picnic offerings, the bistro side offers soups, salads, mains and seven “melts” — amazing variations on the grilled cheese theme, including a bacon-topped, tomato jam-slathered version ($13, or $12 for a half sandwich plus salad) that makes us weak at the knees. comfortmarkets.com.

More: On the road early? Grab coffee and morning buns at Sweet Pea Bakery, www.sweetpeabakeryag.com. Doing a stopover in Pismo or Arroyo Grande? Try Ember for a wood-fired rib-eye with avocado chimichurri; www.emberwoodfire.com.

9 Los Alamos: Bell Street Farm

The lunch lines are long for this American picnic cafe that serves, dare we say, some of the best sandwiches you’ll ever eat. The Rotisserie Pork Sandwich ($16.75) is the star here, with tender, housemade porchetta (roasted five hours with shallot, garlic and fennel seed). The pork and beef Meatloaf Sandwich ($12.75) with spicy harissa jam is hard to beat. And the salads, such as the tarragon-tinged Spanish Goat Cheese Salad ($13.25), are delish. www.bellstreetfarm.com.

10 Buellton: Industrial Eats

This hip farm-to-table eatery is worth a road trip all on its own. The menu is divided into “Pizza” and “Not Pizza.” Try the succulent porchetta ($17) with squash, greens and fried egg, or Indian-inspired spicy cauliflower ($10), spiked with vadouvan curry. On the pizza side, don’t miss the savory Prosciutto, Taleggio, Parmesan and Arugula ($14) and spicy Tomato and Fennel Sausage pie ($14). Be sure to grab picnic supplies — artisan cheese and charcuterie — from the butcher shop, too. www.industrialeats.com.