Fine Dining
in the Santa Ynez Valley
One of our favorite things about the Santa Ynez Valley is dressing up for fine dining. We call it SYV casual – and heading for a night out at one of our favorite restaurants. The toughest part is deciding which one.
Over the years, the Santa Ynez Valley’s culinary scene has grown increasingly diverse and ever more delicious. Indeed, our fine dining experiences have particularly taken off.
These days, the Santa Ynez Valley gets as much attention for its creative culinary scene as its world-class wines. For real. Just recently the fine folks at the Michelin Guide have added Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos to its prestigious list.
Michelin Guide Restaurants
That makes six Santa Ynez Valley restaurants that have earned Michelin recognition of some kind, joining the Michelin-starred Bell’s Los Alamos, as well as Bar Le Côte, Coast Range, First & Oak, and peasant’s FEAST as local restaurants that have earned some level of Michelin recognition.
Such recognition is a true honor. But it doesn’t make choosing a place for a night out any easier! Nor, does the Michelin Guide encompass every memorable fine dining experience in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Fine Dining Favorites
Santa Ynez
Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn in Santa Ynez: Matt and Jeff Nichols are among the pioneers in Santa Ynez Valley’s fine dining scene, opening their first Brothers Restaurant in Solvang in 1996. In 2013, they opened Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn. The Nichols brothers have been serving up farm-to-table, wine country cuisine, great wine, and hospitality ever since.
S..Y. Kitchen – Santa Ynez: Opened in 2013 by executive chef Luca Crestanelli and Kathie & Mike Gordon, S.Y. Kitchen serves fresh, modern Italian dishes that are almost entirely locally sourced. A native of Verona, Crestanelli shops for in-season local produce. He prefers to buy directly from nearby farms where he enjoys visiting with the growers, to create SY Kitchen’s seasonal menu.
Los Olivos
Bar Le Côte – Los Olivos: Under the direction of Chef and Co-owner Brad Mathews and husband-and-wife team Greg and Daisy Ryan, who also co-own Bell’s, Bar Le Côte opened in 2021 in the quaint wine country town of Los Olivos. The cuisine is inspired by the daily catch of the Central Coast and the modern cuisine of Europe’s seaside capitals. The casual and stylish seafood tavern has been an instant hit, joining the Michelin California Guide in 2022.
Mattei’s Tavern: The Santa Ynez Valley’s newest entry on the Michelin Guide. Mattei’s Tavern is a California ranch-inspired restaurant spotlighting flavorful dishes and honest ingredients, many of which are harvested from Mattei’s on-site garden and surrounding local farms. Paying homage to its century-old roots, the menu is elevated yet unfussy, offering grilled dishes and vegetables alongside seasonal specialties. And the exceptional wine program is a singular and definitive draw of The Tavern.
Solvang
Coast Range & Vaquero Bar: Chefs Anthony Carron and Steven Fretz offer only the freshest ingredients — including steaks from historic local ranches and seafood directly from the Santa Barbara wharves. And the restaurant’s Vaquero Bar offers an impressive, locally focused wine list curated by world-renowned winemaker, sommelier, author, and James Beard Award winner, Rajat Parr. The bar offers a wide selection of cocktails and craft beer as well.
First & Oak: Nestled inside the charming Mirabelle Inn in the heart of Solvang, First & Oak made a big splash in 2019 when it became the first restaurant in the Santa Ynez Valley to be included in the Michelin California Guide. Raising the culinary bar in the region, First & Oak is among the premier dining establishments in the region serving the best in local, fresh fare.
Peasants FEAST: Recently added to Michelin’s California Guide and awarded the Bib Gourmand recognition, peasants FEAST has become a flagship culinary experience in the heart of Solvang. Now owners Michael and Sarah Cherney have added dinner service. And it’s a welcome take on the seasonal, farm-to-table comfort food that had already established peasants FEAST as a favorite.
Leonardo’s Ristorante – Solvang: Chef/owner Leonardo Curti, who is from Cariati, Italy, a small coastal town of just a few thousand people, has brought a taste of home with him with his take on authentic, family-style Italian cuisine. Consequently, the menu includes a great variety of classic Italian dishes as well as his interpretations and unique recipes.
Los Alamos
Bell’s Los Alamos: Bell’s is a family-owned-and-operated French-inspired Bistro founded by Greg and Daisy Ryan, who is a Santa Ynez Valley native and veteran of the local food scene. Bell’s offers classic bistro fare with an eclectic wine list highlighting some of their favorite local and European labels. In just a few short years, Bell’s has gained significant national attention. Food & Wine named Daisy “Best New Chef”, and Bell’s is the Santa Ynez Valley’s only Michelin Star restaurant.
