Nepenthe (restaurant)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry |
|
| Founded | April 24, 1949 in Big Sur, California, United States |
| Founder | Bill and Lolly Fassett |
Area served | Big Sur |
Key people | Willie Nelson, Hunter S. Thompson |
| Owner | Kirk Gafill, grandson of founders |
Number of employees | 135 (2017) |
| Website | nepenthe |
Nepenthe is a restaurant in Big Sur, California, built by Bill and Madelaine "Lolly" Fassett and first opened in 1949. It was built around a cabin first constructed in 1925. It is known for the miles-long panoramic view of the south coast of Big Sur from the outdoor terrace and its California/Greek Mediterranean menu featuring locally and California-grown food.
Orson Welles and his wife Rita Hayworth bought the cabin around which the restaurant is built from the Trail Club of Jolon on a whim as a romantic getaway. The couple measured the windows for curtains, but never returned. The Fassetts bought the cabin and surrounding land from Welles and Hayworth in 1947 for $22,000. They named the restaurant after a potion used by the ancient gods to induce forgetfulness from pain or sorrow.
The restaurant is located 29 miles (47 km) south of Carmel, California and about 800 feet (240 m) above the coast. The business has had to endure multiple closures of Highway 1 since its founding due to fire, floods, and mudslides.
The restaurant employs 105 people and maintains about 20 workforce housing units.