Call them American "garagistes," a term once used to describe small-lot vintners in Bordeaux, France, who challenged traditional winemaking styles in the early 1990s. The young winemakers of Paso Robles, a few still under 30, are keen to push boundaries and experiment, and here in Paso, four hours south of Napa, they can. "I was able to grow my brand organically on a shoestring budget," says Aaron Jackson, 29, whose label, Aaron Wines , focuses on petite syrahs. Getting the grapes is also easier than in points north. "You could never walk into a Napa vineyard and get fruit," says Janell Dusi, 32, whose zinfandels are sold by the name J Dusi Wines. Like many of the area's rising stars, Anthony Yount, 27, works at an established vineyard, Denner Vineyards, while making his Kinero Cellars blends on the side. He's known for his whites. Jacob Toft, 35, who was studying landscape architecture when a viticulture class turned him on to grapes, produces his acclaimed Jacob Toft Wines at the Denner facility. Brian Benson, 30, started making his own five-gallon batches at his father's winery, Dark Star Cellars, as a teenager, and he now creates bold wines at Brian Benson Cellars. The viticultural freedom of Paso even persuaded Guillaume Fabre, 33, to move from France eight years ago. He credits the success of his boutique label, Clos Solène, to Paso's limestone-rich soil. "When I moved," Fabre says, "I saw potential with no limit." The central coast's abundant farmland is fueling a boom in local-centric restaurants. Artisan Just off Paso Robles's grassy downtown square, the brothers Chris and Michael Kobayashi have been serving trailblazing farm-to-table cuisine since 2006. 1401 Park Street; (805) 237-8084; artisanpasorobles.com; entrees $28 to $35. Farmstand 46 At a barn along Templeton's Highway 46, dig into lunch fare that includes seasonal sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas and Firestone Walker beer from Paso. 3750 Highway 46 West; (805) 239-3661; farmstand46.com; sandwiches and pizzas $11 to $19. Full of Life Flatbread In sleepy Los Alamos, this Thursday-through-Sunday artisanal pizzeria serves flatbread pies with local pistachio pesto and smoke-dried tomatoes. 225 Bell Street; (805) 344-4400; fulloflifefoods.com; pizzas $14 to $23. Il Cortile This Italian spot in Paso pairs local zins and chardonnays with dishes like beef carpaccio with white truffle cream sauce. 608 12th Street; (805) 226-0300; ilcortileristorante.com; entrees $25 to $33. The Range Part restaurant, part cowboy hangout, this Santa Margarita gem is packed with locals hungry for rib-eyes, crawfish cakes with Tabasco butter and lavender honey crème brûlée. 22317 El Camino Real; (805) 438-4500; entrees $18 to $35. Thomas Hill Organics The bistro (above) sources from Joe and Debbie Thomas's 10-acre farm in Paso for dishes like golden beet salad with cara cara oranges, strawberries and sesame brittle. 1305 Park Street; (805) 226-5888; thomashillorganics.com; entrees $26 to $29. 15c Wine Shop & Bar Sit at this Templeton bar and let the owner, Ali Rush Carscaden, match regional vintages with five-year-aged Gouda or a bocadillo, a Spanish-style sandwich. 1121 Rossi Road; (805) 434-1554; 15degreescwines.com; small plates $6 to $25.