As much as we scour the newswire for the latest praise from far and wide about Santa Maria Style Barbecue, sometimes it takes a while for us to uncover every sizzling item.
On that note, we were delighted to discover this piece in Sunset Magazine, which names Santa Maria BBQ as one of the West’s Top 100 Culinary Voyages worthy of a pilgrimage.
Food Editor Margo True writes, “When Spanish settlers came to the Santa Maria Valley, on California’s central coast, the rancheros—owners of huge cattle spreads called ranchos—cultivated a new tradition in outdoor cooking. After the annual calf branding, they hosted Spanish-style cookouts to feed those who had helped with the work. Besides beef, the menu included salsa, grilled bread, and tiny local pinquito beans. These dishes are still the heart of Santa Maria–style barbecue—a quintessentially Western meal served at restaurants and at churches, schools, and even grocery store parking lots in the region.”
Indeed, there’s nothing like enjoying Santa Maria BBQ right from the source. It just tastes different here. It’s hard to explain, so come on out and discover it for yourself!
P.S. Check out Sunset’s accompany photo of Santa Maria BBQ, with tri-tip, salsa, beans and grilled French bread–mouthwatering!
