The Brief

For Angelenos daydreaming about a food- and wine-fueled getaway this fall, one of California’s most dynamic gastronomical destinations is just two hours northwest of Los Angeles in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Tucked amid the rolling hills of Santa Barbara County, the Central Coast wine region is home to the communities of Los Alamos, Solvang, Los Olivos, Buellton, Ballard and Santa Ynez.

Each place boasts its own look and feel, combining small-town charm with sprawling vistas and a laid-back vibe. The local restaurant scene brings together superb ingredients, confident cooking and tremendous wines — all served without pretense.

While the local population numbers just 20,000, the area’s popularity among road-tripping Angelenos and Bay Area residents — coupled with recent Michelin attention — has propelled an influx of new and notable restaurant openings. Helmed by talented chefs, some of whom have a longtime connection to the community, the latest newcomers capture the valley’s warm spirit and generous hospitality.

It can be tempting for weekenders to stick to the region’s tried-and-true stalwarts, like the timeless Santa Maria-style barbecue temple Hitching Post 2 in Buellton or Los Alamos’ Michelin-starred Bell’s. But the latest batch of openings — a mix of finer-dining establishments and more casual options ideal for in-between meals while visiting local wineries — makes a compelling case for going off the beaten path.

With cooler days and crisp nights ahead, now is the ideal time to plan a jaunt up the 101. While visiting the area, here are five terrific newer dining options worth checking out in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Highway Tacos

Highway Tacos on Route 246. Order food at the trailer, then settle into one of the many tables on site to eat.

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Cathy Chaplin

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Cesar Miranda’s mobile Mexican food operation, Highway Tacos, located off Highway 246, debuted in April 2024 and has become an easy favorite among locals and visitors alike. Set on a gravelly patch between a gas station and a carwash, the gleaming Airstream prepares a succinct menu of tacos, gorditas, burros and quesadillas.

The recipes are a blend of chef Cesar Miranda’s know-how and family traditions.

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Cathy Chaplin

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Familiar fillings like al pastor, lengua, tripas and mushrooms are tucked into homemade corn and flour tortillas. The recipes are a blend of Miranda’s know-how and family traditions — his mother spent 20 years selling burritos in nearby Carpinteria, he says. It all adds up to a deeply satisfying “backyard eating” experience. Order food at the trailer, then settle into one of the many tables on site to eat.

Highway Tacos is open for lunch and dinner. And though it’s never a bad time for tacos, once the sun sets and the string lights are switched on, the evening ambiance can’t be beat. Heat lamps provide warmth during cooler months.

The Gathering Table

The Gathering Table in Solvang from chef Budi Kazali

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Cathy Chaplin

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Locals waited with baited breath for chef Budi Kazali to reopen his Ballard restaurant, The Gathering Table, when it closed inside the Ballard Inn in 2022. The second iteration of the widely respected restaurant reopened in Solvang in July 2024, taking cues from the original while making its own distinct mark on the Valley’s growing dining scene.

Reserve a table in the elegant but comfortable indoor dining room or on the sprawling patio overlooking the Danish town. Asian and French influences, along with locally sourced produce, seafood and meats, feature heavily on Kazali’s menu.

The charred cabbage at The Gathering Table in Solvang.

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Nearly every table starts with a shared order of Kazali’s “new style” hamachi, thick slices of raw yellowtail layered atop a soy-yuzu vinaigrette with avocado and shiitake. The sesame Caesar salad and roasted garlic noodles also have been carried over from the Ballard Inn days. New menu additions, like the charred cabbage served with a sweet-spicy Indonesian peanut sauce, are worth making room for, along with desserts from pastry chef Alicia Valencia.

Gandolfo Family Market and Deli

The Santa Maria-style tri-tip sandwich available only on Fridays and Saturdays

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Find picnicking provisions and a memorable tri-tip sandwich at Gandolfo Family Market and Deli in Los Olivos. While the Grand Avenue building has been in the Gandolfo family for 50 years, it wasn’t until May 2024 that the longtime business changed hands, with a member of the Gandolfo family operating the store for the first time. Managing the popular outpost is the granddaughter of the building’s owner, Carly Gandolfo.

While the grocery store selection is varied, with plenty of beer, wine and pantry staples, it’s the Santa Maria-style tri-tip sandwich available only on Fridays and Saturdays that is most enticing. Served on a toasted French roll slathered with garlicky butter, the tri-tip steak, prepared by grill master Tommy Palmer, is thinly sliced and generously portioned. The smoky essence of red oak permeates each bite. A choice of salsa or housemade barbecue sauce is available on the side. Dig into the sandwich on-site at one of the tables inside or outside the store.

Stica

Pinse (Roman-style pizzas) are heated until golden-crisp before landing on the table.

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The newly opened Stica in Santa Ynez is a well-appointed counter-service restaurant and market from the team behind S.Y. Kitchen in Santa Ynez and Los Olivos’ Nella Kitchen & Bar. The array of pinse, a kind of Roman-style pizza with an impressively airy crust, lines the glass case, making it easy to see which toppings are available and worth one’s while. From the porchetta with fresh rosemary and thinly sliced potatoes to the mortadella with crushed pistachios — it’s hard to go wrong under chef Luca Crestanelli’s care.

Upon ordering, pinse and sandwiches are heated until crisp-golden before landing on the table. Rounding out the menu are made-to-order pizzas and grab-and-go salads and grain bowls. Imported Italian olive oils, wines, pastas, coffee, snacks and the like line the store’s limited shelves.

Pony Cocktails + Kitchen 

Snag a seat at sunset on the patio for cocktails and small bites from chef Johnny McDermott

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Cathy Chaplin

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Alberto Battaglini, the owner and barman behind Pony Cocktails + Kitchen, always intended to open a restaurant. However, when COVID-19 hit, he settled for a coffee shop instead. In December 2024, after nearly five years of patience and persistence, Battaglini finally flipped his popular Pony Espresso coffee operation into the all-day spot of his dreams.

The move is to snag a seat at sunset on the patio for cocktails and small bites from chef Johnny McDermott. Order a dozen or so fresh oysters and a plate of savory porcini doughnuts paired with a fontina cheese dip (a nod to the region’s beloved Danish aebleskiver). To sip, classics like an old fashioned are well prepared, but for those feeling bolder, the “Duck Attack” with chile-infused vodka and mint scratches the itch.