Eats

It’s finally here. Following some long months of anticipation, Cubanissimo food truck has finally found its permanent home. I grew up in South Florida, where we had a lot of home-cooked Cuban food around. It’s hard to get authentic Cuban food in some regions (aside from the staple “Cuban” sandwich at some sandwich shops, which […]

Well, lucky me! The restaurant has been open for months, I’ve written a lot about their sustainability practices—and now I finally had a chance to have a big, filling meal at The Bear and Star in Los Olivos. By now, you’ve probably heard the story of how the venue makes sustainability and local sourcing a […]

At Bello Forno in the bright lights and with laughter coming from inside, it feels as refreshing as the crisp night air. Summer is winding down, but there’s still a touch of mild heat as people make their way into the new eatery. I instantly feel some kind of connection. The decor, the furniture, the […]

Everyone who lives in Santa Maria has a favorite taco spot in town. Poll 20 people on the street and you’ll get almost 20 different answers. At least once a week I’ll have a reader or friend tell me that I need to check out “the absolute best most amazing Mexican restaurant,” and it’s usually […]

During a busy Thursday afternoon lunch at the A Street Café in Santa Maria, as servers bused tables and diners chatted about politics or the weather, I noticed an older man ask to speak with the person who cooked his meal. He and his dining companion were working on stacks of pancakes along with bacon […]

When I was handed my judging card for the Battle of the Chefs at Dierberg Vineyard on Aug. 9, I gasped in slight horror. My panic was because at the end of the evening I would have to choose a winner in a showdown between two of my favorite chefs. On the card that evening […]

It takes a certain kind of confidence to get yelled at by one of the world’s greatest chefs and come away feeling the better for it. When Chef Drew Terp recalls the first time acclaimed restaurateur and chef José Andrés yelled at him, he does so with fond laughter. I had asked Terp what it […]

I’m at an undisclosed location nestled off a dirt road atop a hillside across the way from the SLO airport. With a quaint yellow farmhouse, rolling green lawn, and epic sunset view, the setting feels very much “the Central Coast wedding venue.” On this evening, everything is decked out like a bride’s dream Pinterest board: […]

You won’t find Piro Wine Company among the sprawling properties that line Foxen Canyon where tourists flock to gather up logo-stamped merchandise and Instagram themselves lounging on luxurious patio furniture. And for now, Marc Piro is happy with that. Inside Au Bon Climat, a short turnoff from Santa Maria Mesa Road, wine barrels are stacked […]

In 1993, when I was living in the great city of Chicago, I got off my stop on the L red line at Fullerton and realized there was nothing to eat in my tiny studio apartment (as was the case with many of my days in college). I had been in Chicago for only a […]

Santa Maria is going Hollywood. Don’t worry; I don’t mean that our traffic is going to get worse (is that possible?) or we’re suddenly going to be hosting huge movie premieres attending by thousands of people. But our region is home to one particularly unique event that took place from June 22 through 30. The […]

Walk into Dascomb Cellars’ tasting room in Solvang and you might be lucky enough to get a warm welcome from Sparky. Sparky, a beagle who belongs to winery owner David Dascomb, sits atop a wine barrel scoping out customers and accepting their generous pets. While Sparky and his dog sister Pippa greet and amuse guests, […]