
Santa Maria Style Barbecue
If you draw a 30-mile circle around the center of Santa Maria Valley, you’ll find a treasure trove of the best barbecue in the world. Santa Maria Style Barbecue is a 150-year-old tradition, born on the ranches of this beautiful valley as a simple, delicious way to bring people together.
A Treasure Trove of Barbecue within 30 Miles of Santa Maria Valley
Enjoy #SantaMariaStyle Barbecue at Home
There’s no denying that locals and visitors alike love Santa Maria-Style Barbecue. It’s a culinary tradition that proves good taste never goes out of style. Our cookbook provides authentic, comprehensive recipes and plenty of tips and tricks from Santa Maria Style grill masters.

California’s Cut: Everything There is to Know About Tri-Tip
The iconic Santa Maria Style barbecue started as top-block sirloin roasted over a red oak fire—a tradition that dates all the way back to the…

The Story of Santa Maria Style Barbecue
The present-day Santa Maria Style Barbecue grew out of this tradition, when, some 60 years ago, locals began to string their beef on skewers and cook it over the hot coals of a red-oak fire. The meat, either top-block sirloin or tri-tip, is rolled in a mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic salt and slow roasted over red-oak coals—giving it a hearty, smoky, irresistible flavor. Served with salsa, French bread dipped in melted sweet butter, Pinquito beans, and a fresh green salad, Sunset Magazine, named our Valley’s classic feast the “best barbecue in the world,” and California’s Visitor’s Guide dubbed it the “number one food not to miss while visiting California.”

Barbecue at Home
Our cookbook provides authentic, comprehensive recipes and plenty of tips and tricks from Santa Maria Style grill masters. Inside, you’ll find the recipes for Tangy Santa Maria Style Salsa, Pinquito Beans, Simple Santa Maria Green Salad, Buttery Garlic Bread, and Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip.

Don't Forget to Make Your Post-Dinner Reservation
Accommodations in Santa Maria Valley are so affordable you can make a weekend out of your drive up the coast.