Santa Maria Valley is the ideal home base for California’s Central Coast, boasting 34 tasting rooms, 6 unique AVAs, and a growing selection of local breweries and restaurants, all within a beautiful 30-minute drive. Food is a cornerstone of our culture in the Santa Maria Valley. We’re famous for our Santa Maria style barbecue, which dates back to the 1800s, proving good flavor never goes out of style.
But, we’re more than our barbecue, and we’re adding notches to our culinary belt. There are restaurants across the Santa Maria Valley serving up different styled foods. Our restaurateurs take pride in their cuisine, which makes it all the better. Read on for a roundup of new eateries around the Santa Maria Valley serving a variety of dishes, from Mediterranean to ice cream.
Old Town Wine and Brew
Old Town Wine and Brew, formerly Vino et Amicis, is a wine bar in Old Orcutt, is perhaps one of the best places in Santa Maria Valley to taste a wide array of unique wines local to California’s Central Coast. Kurt and Dawn, the owners of Vino et Amicis, hand-select every wine they serve based on relationships fostered with winemakers. Old Town Wine and Brew offers more than 80 wines from 18 Central Coast vineyards.
We recommend gathering a group of friends and sipping a selection of amazing local wine. You can even order food from Pizzeria Bello Forno to the wine bar for a perfect combination of dinner and drinks. Vino et Amicis is located at 165 S. Broadway St. in Orcutt.
Nite Creamery
You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Over the past seven months, Nite Creamery has redefined ice cream in the Santa Maria Valley one scoop at a time. There are no freezers at this hip, late-night ice cream shop. Instead, Nite Creamery uses liquid nitrogen to instantly freeze an ice cream base, creating a creamier, smoother scoop. Nite Creamery’s menu consists of 10 unique flavor combinations to satisfy any sweet tooth. Not only are the cones and bowls delicious, they’re beautifully crafted and ready for their close-up.
Experience the unique and tasty “NitroCrafted” cones for yourself. Nite Creamery is located at 2003 S Miller St. in Santa Maria.
Bell’s
Bonjour! If you’re searching for French-inspired cuisine with a modern twist, look no further than Bell’s in Los Alamos. Daisy and Greg Ryan, the owners of Bell’s worked at renowned French restaurant Per Se in New York City. The Ryan’s brought their extensive experience with fine dining to Los Alamos, transforming the former Bell Street Farm into Bell’s, which features a French-inspired bistro menu. Popular menu items include handmade pasta, steak frites, rotisserie chicken and salads.
Bell’s also features a delicious selection of local wines that pair perfectly with the menu. If you want to try Bell’s delicious menu, the restaurant is located at 406 Bell Street in Los Alamos.
The Garden
The Garden is a new Mediterranean Restaurant and Café that has joined the list of eateries serving homemade, authentic food in the Santa Maria Valley. The Garden serves Mediterranean comfort food like the kind owner, Reda Kchik, ate as a child. Menu items include sampler favorites like hummus and baba ghanoush, specialty cheeses, shish kabobs and baklava. The Garden also serves local wines.
There’s also a patio for guests to dine on and enjoy the beautiful Santa Maria weather. The Garden is located at 122 E Boone St. in Santa Maria.
Blast 825 Brewery
Rooney’s Irish Pub has become Blast 825 Brewery. Blast 825 is part of the growing craft beer scene sweeping the Central Coast. Blast Brewery has over 50 self-serve beer taps and collaborates with other central coast breweries to provide guests with an extensive selection of beers to sample and enjoy. Blast also serves wood-fired pizza and features a full bar in addition to their beers.
Blast 825 Brewery is located at 241 S. Broadway in Orcutt. They encourage anyone looking to have a blast to stop by for pizza and beer.
There’s more to discover every time you return to the Santa Maria Valley, including new restaurants serving delicious, authentic food. Be sure to check out these new eateries next time you’re visiting.
There is no need to venture out of Santa Maria Valley if you are looking for sand dunes, hiking trails, horseback riding, cycling, and authentic Santa Maria Style dining – you’ll find all that right in our backyard.
***
In Santa Maria Valley, there’s so much to do from here. Hit the road and explore it all with our 24 hiking trails, 34 tasting rooms, seven unique AVAs, 13 beaches, and a growing selection of local breweries, all within a beautiful 30-minute drive. There is no need to venture far if you are looking for sand dunes, cycling and authentic Santa Maria Style dining. You’ll find it’s the perfect home base, where you can eat, drink and do more for less.
