Don’t be fooled by the BYOB disclaimer at 805 Charcuterie. The new brick-and-mortar eatery in Santa Maria dedicated to meat and cheese has beer and wine too. The BYOB stands for build your own board.
Central Coast local Lindsee Jackson started 805 Charcuterie as a charcuterie box wholesaler to wineries during the pandemic, after she was furloughed from her former job as an event planner. The company eventually evolved into a catering business for weddings, private parties, and corporate gatherings once events started back up.
Now with a storefront of its own, complete with a bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and live music every weekend, the company caters to an even wider clientele.
“We’ve been open for about two months now, but signed our lease about two years ago,” said Jackson, who described the shop’s opening on Skyway Drive in Santa Maria as “a long time coming.”
The company’s success as a wholesaler during the pandemic “presented us the opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar and share our love of food and wine and beer with our community,” Jackson said.
The plaza on Skyway where 805 Charcuterie is located is also home to Viet Kitchen, the Salty Brigade Kitchen, Fire and Vice, and other businesses. Longtime residents of Santa Maria will probably recall the site’s former purpose as a car dealership.
“People that are like my parents’ age—late 50s, early 60s—will come in and say they remember when this was an auto park,” Jackson said.
Some aspects of the former auto park’s architecture remain, including a large roll-up garage door that opens the shop up to its cozy outdoor patio. On most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 805 Charcuterie will host a live musician or band in the afternoon or evening to perform near the garage entryway, for patio guests as well as those seated indoors or at the bar to enjoy.
As for food options, the shop’s charcuterie box and board selections are not limited to cold cuts. Roasted chicken wings, for example, have become one of the shop’s most popular features, Jackson said.
Guests can pick wings as part of a BYOB or find them in the company’s best selling prearranged assortment nicknamed Not Your Housewife’s Charcuterie. The arrangement includes wings, linguiça, and a choice of cured meat, plus sharp cheddar, blue cheese, celery, carrots, ranch, and wing sauce.
Jackson said she wanted to include wings and other nontraditional charcuterie items on the menu to make 805 Charcuterie feel approachable, casual, and unpretentious.
“We’re just trying to broaden the horizon of what people think about charcuterie,” said Jackson, who strives to offer “something for everybody” at the new eatery.
Among the company’s diverse box and board selection is the Green Thumb, arranged with a mix of seasonal vegetables, fresh and dried fruit, hummus, and ranch. As a brunch option, the venue offers the Brunch So Hard, which includes a Belgium pearl waffle, assorted pastries, seasonal parfait, cheese, applewood smoked bacon, and house-made whip.
There’s even a kids menu, which includes the CharKIDerie Board, a combination of sliced turkey breast, cheese, and either grapes or sliced apple, with chips and a juice box. Other kids entrees include chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and hot dogs.
Speaking of dogs, four-legged, furry friends are welcome at 805 Charcuterie as long as they’re leashed. Canine guests are encouraged to beg their owners to order the BARKuterie Box, which includes four dog-friendly cookies and one tennis ball.
“We are huge animal lovers,” said Jackson, who added that 805 Charcuterie plans to host a special wine fundraiser in the future through Bar Dog, a wine supplier that donates a portion of all wine sales to an animal shelter of the event holder’s choosing.
Over the past two months, Jackson said that her brand’s new location has been steadily busy, and she’s noticed an increase in catering requests for events as well.
“We didn’t expect this to grow the catering business, but it has,” Jackson said. “I think having a place where people can associate the name to and feel comfortable coming in has really helped.”
Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood is getting the BARKuterie Box for his chihuahua. Send tennis balls to [email protected].
