Pier Pressure: How Pismo Beach Zoned Out, Now Closing the Pier Eatery That's Been There for Years

Few restaurants capture the SLO CAL vibe like Sunsets at Pismo. For six years, Brian Appiano’s shiny silver Airstream on the Pismo Pier has been serving up tacos, fish and chips, and margaritas with one of the best views you’ll find anywhere. But now, because of a decades-old zoning technicality, the City of Pismo Beach has voted to phase out commercial food vendors on the pier, and Sunsets will close in October 2025.In this conversation, Adam talks with Brian about what this decision means for his family, his staff, and the community that rallied around Sunsets from day one. Brian also shares what’s next, from his work at Rib Line and The Switch in San Luis Obispo, to the catering business that’s feeding everything from weddings to major concerts. It is a story about resilience, community, and what it means to keep moving forward when the rules suddenly change.Support Brian and his restaurants:Rib Line BBQ & GrillRib Line CateringThe Switch SLOSunsets at PismoFollow along on Instagram:@ribline@theswitchslo@sunsets_at_pismo********Adam will be leading a live workshop on The Art of the Interview at this year’s Central Coast Writers Conference, happening September 26–27, 2025 at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. For details and registration, visit cuesta.edu/writers-conferenceListen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.comApple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple PodcastsSpotify: Up+Adam on SpotifyiHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadioYouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music********CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!********ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!********FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM*********Sincere Thanks to the supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!We Help You LegalGeneral Store Paso RoblesDaou VineyardsWoodsHumaneSocietyTin City DistilleryOriginal Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner CollectiveMoonshiner on Spotify HEREPlease Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com