Eats

Twenty days after a string of destructive storms slammed the Central Coast, Pardon My French Bakery decided to add more to its already-brimming plate for the greater good. “If you donate $20, we’re taking a box of pastries and putting in at least $30 worth of pastries in it,” said Jamie Tejeda, co-owner of the […]

Time is best measured in love, according to the opening number in Rent. Between Feb. 20 and 26, Mi Amore Pizza and Pasta and several other eateries in the Lompoc Valley are hoping for residents to show their love for local dining, by taking advantage of this year’s citywide Lompoc Restaurant Week offerings. Participating restaurants, […]

An upcoming addition to Bien Nacido Vineyard has the potential to open the floodgates for countless new opportunities at the estate. Currently under construction, The Gatehouse—a new tasting room and outdoor courtyard area set to open during the spring—will grant the general public access to the renowned Santa Maria vineyard for the first time in […]

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. Before moving to Santa Barbara County in 2018, prolific chef Lee Gottheimer spent years perfecting his cooking chops in Nevada’s Sin City, where he worked for a handful of prestigious restaurants after graduating from culinary school. Gottheimer—who recently took on a new role as sous chef […]

The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is asking the public to get out and vote—but not, in this case, for any politicians whom their ideologies happen to align with. The 2022 election season is over, but the voting period for Santa Maria’s 2023 Craft Cocktail Contest began in mid-January. Through Feb. 12, Central Coast […]

Not every smoothie fan is a Spider-Man fan, nor the other way around. But those at the center of a Venn diagram between the two may be drawn to Nosh Paleo Cafe’s Green Goblin smoothie. Green spirulina, kale, pineapple, lemon peel, and coconut milk are among the ingredients local restaurateur Aubriel Ruano blends together for […]

Kaitlin Munoz has had a lot to celebrate this holiday season. A little more than a year ago, she relocated her fledgling Proof and Gather Baking Company from a registered cottage food kitchen in Lompoc to a larger-scale commercial kitchen in San Luis Obispo. Her stated long-term goal at the time was to open her […]

Muffins. Cookies. Cupcakes. No matter which of her baked goods is up for review, Jacqueline Rubio never gets tired of hearing “nostalgia-inducing” and similar adjectives as feedback from her customers. “I love when someone tells me it reminds them of a specific time or memory after they taste a certain treat,” said Rubio, the founder […]

After spending more than a decade working for various restaurants, two prolific chefs recently pursued a mutual dream they had on the back burner for a while—to own and operate an eatery that prioritizes food waste reduction through sustainable cooking practices. Rather than invest in a brick-and-mortar, work and life partners Tiffani Ortiz and Andy […]

Justin Trabue has wine in her veins. She was born and raised in Washington, D.C., but California beckoned since birth, with her namesake being Justin Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles. “This was my initial spark connector to this region,” she said.  While in high school, her wine enthusiast parents invited a Black sommelier to […]

When local chef Michael Cherney found out one of his restaurant ventures had received the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award, he felt like waiting for Ashton Kutcher to come around the corner to tell him he’d been Punk’d. “I seriously thought it was one of my friends or employees playing a joke on me,” said Cherney, […]

A local produce carrier is hoping to redefine the farmers market scene in Lompoc. Route One, a nonprofit that hosts weekly farmers market events in Vandenberg Village, is extending its reach to multiple locations in the Lompoc Valley, thanks to a new custom-designed food truck. “Getting this truck ready to roll has definitely been a […]