Lilo is chef Eric Bost’s latest restaurant in Carlsbad, built around a 22-seat chef’s counter and an intricate tasting menu that highlights seasonal California ingredients, both fresh and creatively preserved. The restaurant earned a Michelin star within months of opening in June 2025.
Guests begin with welcome drinks and bite-sized snacks in a serene outdoor garden, a calming transition before entering the dining room. Inside, 14 counter seats and two intimate tables for four surround an open kitchen. Wine director Savannah Riedler pours Caraccioli Cellars sparkling wine by the magnum and offers three beverage pairings: an alcoholic blend of wine and cocktails, a non-alcoholic pairing, or a balanced “Goldilocks” hybrid of both.
From their seats, diners watch each plate come together as chefs serve guests directly, breaking the barrier between kitchen and dining room. Cooks present dishes confidently, finishing them à la minute with tableside flourishes such as shaving smoked celery root bushi over ossetra caviar and orgeat ice cream for a burst of umami, or adding drops of freshly pressed almond oil to tie flavors together. “The culinary team is part of service, storytelling to our guests,” Bost says.
Shelves above the wine glasses display large jars of preserves, infused oils, and ferments. “We are trying to capture flavors in their prime and build the coolest pantry to work with,” Bost says. “Oils are a great conduit for flavor. They carry flavors and create a mouth-coating feel without weighing you down.” Finishing oils appear in most courses, adding unexpected depth—such as roasted coffee oil with Wild Brittany turbot and Pineau des Charentes sabayon, or burnt vanilla oil with preserved green juniper berries and Hollander Farms squab.
Bost and chef de cuisine Dušan Todić lead a young, passionate team that includes pastry chef Madeline Biehl, whose desserts highlight distinctive ingredients such as hoja santa and blackened banana. After roughly eight courses in the dining room, guests return to the garden for mignardises and herbal tea.
“The idea behind Lilo is an immersive experience,” Bost says. “You’re moving, reengaging, and discovering a new space.”
