For a quick sandwich or burger on the porch -- or to select prepared salads, breads, and artisan cheeses for a picnic to go -- you'll be quite pleased with Los Olivos Grocery, 2621 W. Hwy. 154 (tel. 805/688-5115; www.losolivosgrocery.com). This small gourmet country store, open daily from 7am to 9pm, has a great selection of fine wine and foods made from scratch.
If you're looking for traditional Danish fare, head for Bit o' Denmark, 473 Alisal Rd. (tel. 805/688-5426). Its smorgasbord may not be the largest in town, but it's the freshest and highest quality; you can also order from the regular menu. It's open daily from 11:30am to 9pm. The Hitching Post, 406 E. Hwy. 246, Buellton (tel. 805/688-0676; www.hitchingpost2.com), is the valley's mecca for meat lovers and now famous as the restaurant featured in Sideways. Within these Western-themed surroundings, steaks are grilled to perfection over an oak-wood pit and, fittingly, the house label wine is better than you'd expect.
Picnicking in the Santa Ynez Valley -- On a sunny summer day there's no better way to enjoy lunch than having an impromptu picnic anywhere in the valley. Some of the best sandwiches in the region are made daily at Panino, 2900 Grand Ave., Los Olivos (tel. 805/688-9304), a small gourmet sandwich shop where you can choose from about 30 varieties of sandwiches -- I usually order the grilled chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and provolone on fresh walnut bread -- all served on Panino's fresh-baked Italian-style bread. It's open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. There's even a small, grassy picnic area with tables right across the street.
