Food & Drink

There’s an 80-mile stretch between Cambria Estate Winery and the coastal village it’s often mistakenly associated with. Located on Chardonnay Lane in the Santa Maria Valley, the renowned winery was co-founded in 1986 by vintners Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson, who chose the name Cambria as a reference to their Welsh heritage, the estate’s winemaker […]

Like the prerequisite to board many roller coasters, local chef Brendan Collins’ intro to cooking was subject to a height threshold.  “I’ve been cooking basically since I could reach the counter on a step stool,” said Collins, who especially enjoyed helping out in the kitchen during family get-togethers throughout his childhood. “My dad was always […]

As two local vintners were recently putting the finishing touches on their new tasting room, the building shook for a moment. “I just finished hanging all the stuff. I think that was the day before we opened,” said Lompoc-based vintner Mireia Taribó, who recalled the reverberating boom of a missile fired from Vandenberg Space Force […]

Hungry for Chicago-style food? Head to Nipomo.  Yellow flags on Tefft Street let passersby know that authentic Vienna beef sausages are nearby. They lead to Stefono’s Sapori D’ Italia—home of the only real-deal Chicago dog in San Luis Obispo County, according to founder Dante Stefono. “It’s not something you can just go to the store […]

Emerald eggs. Green beers. Shamrock shakes. St. Patrick’s Day is synonymous with a handful of festive consumables, including the headliner of one local nonprofit’s upcoming dinner fundraiser. On Sunday, March 12, Kiwanis of Santa Maria Valley Foundation will hold its annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner at the Elwin Mussell Community Center. The organization has […]

Finding the perfect spot for a second bakery location was no cake walk for Gina Martin, owner of Gina’s Piece of Cake in Santa Maria. “We have looked in Orcutt for quite a few years. And then after COVID hit, we figured we’d stay put,” Martin said. “There were different locations that we looked at, […]

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 […]