Restaurants in Santa Ynez Valley

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.