WIDELY ACCLAIMED FOR ITS STUNNING WILD WEST BEAUTY AND STELLAR WINES, THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY CONTINUES TO AMAZE US WITH ITS VARIETY OF TRULY OUTSTANDING EATERIES.
BALLARD With just a dozen tables in an elegant, yet cozy setting, The Ballard Inn & Restaurant offers one of most romantic settings in the Santa Ynez Valley. It’s open to the public for dinner and, as we discovered last spring, the cuisine of Chef Budi Kazali is amazing. Breakfast, a treat reserved for inn guests, features delightful daily specials like egg scrambles and fluffy strawberry pancakes.
BUELLTON With the conviction that her guests deserve only the best, Jina Bae, owner of ARu Restaurant, drives two-plus hours twice a week to the fish market in Los Angeles. There, she selects all of the top grade seafood for her tantalizing Japanese menu. She also pickles her own vegetables, uses 100 percent pure rice bran oil, and creates delectable dishes simply because she “loves to feed people.”
LOS ALAMOS Chef Giorgio Curti’s mantra, “You don’t need a silver spoon to eat good food” is demonstrated daily at his fabulous new restaurant, Craft Kitchen. His season-inspired dishes showcase locally grown ingredients in a very cool, no-frills environment. The space also serves as the Casa Dumetz Wines’ tasting room and Babi’s Beer Emporium, giving us plenty of pairing options.
LOS OLIVOS In 2015, Los Olivos Wine Merchant Café started the Café farm, located about a mile from the restaurant. The organic farm, situated on the same property that grows grapes for certified organic Bernat Wines, also grows produce that is used daily for the restaurant’s seasonal dishes. The pizza dough, pasta, breads, sauces, and desserts (including ice gelato) are house made. Just south of town, Global Gardens is the ideal between-winery stop, with amazing Certified Organic Extra Virgin olive oils, balsamic fruit vinegars, and many other delicious food items. The tastings are as informative as they are fun, and owner Theo Stephan loves to host special seminars and events.
SANTA YNEZ The open fire grill works overtime at Dos Carlitos Restaurant & Tequila Bar, bringing a flavorful smoky nuance to its house-made salsas, grilled meats, and authentic Mexican and Latin specialties. Fresh handmade tortillas and an exotic cocktail crafted from one of more than 60 premium 100 percent blue agave tequilas provide the perfect accompaniment to any dish.
SOLVANG The intimate Cecco Ristorante celebrates the Italian roots of Co-owner and Executive Chef David Cecchini. Chef David, who has worked with some of the best, including Julia Child, invites guests to enjoy his fresh handmade pastas and imaginative pizzas from his authentic wood-burning oven. He even features his own wines under the Cecchini label, crafted with the help of his friend, Winemaker Steve Clifton.
To plan your own foodie tour and visit, see visitsyv.com.