The Backyard on 13th owners to take over on-site restaurant
Amy and Russell Baker.
Location will now serve both food and beverages
– The Backyard on Thirteenth, a family and dog-friendly, outdoor wine and beer garden located in downtown Paso Robles will soon be providing both the food and beverages.
Amy and Russell Baker have been operating the outdoor wine and beer garden since opening their doors on Feb. 14, 2020. There has been a separately run onsite restaurant, Roots on Railroad, serving food since the beginning as well. That lease agreement is ending in early summer and the owners have decided to take over the entire operation.
Starting June 20, Amy and Russell, owners of the property on the corner of 13th and Railroad Streets in Paso Robles, will take over both businesses.
“When we opened three years ago, we knew starting a new business would be challenging,” said Russell, “At that time, we chose to rent out the restaurant and focus on building the outdoor venue and wine and beer garden. Three years later, we are ready to join the food operation with the beverage operation and make it one cohesive experience for our customers.”
Chef Mike Learned.
To start this next chapter, they have hired Executive Chef Michael Learned to run the kitchen. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in San Francisco. Learned comes with over 25 years of restaurant experience and has worked locally at Robert Hall Winery, Cass Winery, and Estrella Restaurant. He will lead the culinary experience at The Backyard.
Learned is well versed in creating wine and food pairings, as well as beer and food pairings, along with catering large events. He says he takes pride in using local, seasonal ingredients whenever possible. His skill set will go to serve not only to walk up customers but in creating special pairing events and providing experiences for reserved parties.
The Backyard is leveraging its downtown location and wants to seize the opportunity to be a regular dining destination for both locals and visitors. This opportunity will allow The Backyard to now showcase local companies in both the realm of food and beverages.
The food menu includes shared starters, smaller bites, along with items from the garden and grill, as well as tacos. There are a variety of options for adults and children and is reflective of what a beer garden menu should look like, including a giant Bavarian pretzel and beer brat.
“While this is a huge risk for our family, it is also an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up,” says Amy, “It allows Russell to end his 25-year career in the software world and move into the next phase of his life. In addition, we are hoping that by having the food and beverages under our purview, the whole experience will be more seamless for our customers. We have the opportunity to be creative with special events, reservations, and venue buyouts. I’m so proud of what Russell has built thus far, and am excited to see us take our business to the next level.”
Check out The Backyard offerings, events, and upcoming details on www.thebackyardpaso.com, www.facebook.com/thebackyardpaso/, or https://www.instagram.com/the_backyard_paso/
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