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What makes the Santa Ynez Valley a great romantic getaway?
- The Santa Ynez Valley offers picturesque landscapes, world-renowned wineries, lavender farms, and pristine equine ranches, making it the perfect destination for a romantic weekend of wine tasting, fine dining, and enjoying nature.
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Where can you enjoy fine dining in Santa Ynez Valley?
- Visitors can tuck into elevated, globally-influenced cuisine and fine wines at Hill Haven Provisions.
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Which restaurant offers an upmarket fine-dining experience?
- Aly's by Alebru Restaurant provides an upmarket fine-dining experience with exquisite dishes and an elegant ambiance.
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Where can you find farm-to-fork cuisine in Santa Ynez Valley?
- Root 246 offers a contemporary dining experience, where guests can sip on California wines by a sleek fireplace while enjoying artful market-driven farm-to-fork cuisine.
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1. Mad and Vin
Savor wine-country cuisine and enjoy a romantic evening in a cozy setting.
Mad and Vin is a beautifully appointed Danish restaurant based in the Landsby boutique hotel in downtown Solvang that is an excellent spot for a romantic dinner. The elegant wood-clad food and wine bar serve a seasonal menu of wine-country inspired farm-to-table fare prepared with regional ingredients and produce that celebrate the bounty from California’s central coast. The cuisine is accompanied by traditional and craft cocktails, specialty shrubs, beer, and acclaimed, locally produced wine from a welcoming bar which attracts an after-work crowd. Mad & Vin is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.
1576 Mission Dr, Solvang, CA 93463, Phone: 805-688-3121
2. Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn
Dine on hearty fare and enjoy a relaxing, retirement-friendly countryside meal.
Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn is a charming Santa Barbara Wine Country restaurant owned by the Nichols brothers, whose love of cooking great food and a strong sense of family values shines through in their cuisine. Renowned for their innovative cuisine, award-winning wines and gracious hospitality and service, Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn is a popular spot for a romantic dinner or celebration of love. The restaurant’s interior exudes the warmth of a local tavern with a white paneled ceiling, restored branded wood beams, rich oak accents, and wrought iron lighting, and an open display kitchen allows guests to watch the expert chefs at work. Two wood-burning fireplaces preserved from the original Red Barn create an intimate glow and a glass-enclosed wine room houses a curated selection of fine wines from the region. Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.
3539 Sagunto St, Santa Ynez, CA 93460, Phone: 805-688-4142
3. Cecco Ristorante
Share wood-fired pizza and savor affordable Italian bites in a charming spot.
Cecco Ristorante is a rustic country Italian eatery that serves classic Italian dishes, thin-crust pizzas, housemade pasta, and local wines served in a warm and welcoming ambiance. Located on 1st Street in downtown Solvang, the restaurant features a comfortable dining space with a wood-burning pizza oven and a charming patio for outdoor dining. The restaurant offers a menu of authentic Italian fare prepared with farmer’s market and artisan products, including handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, antipasti, prime beef and veal, fresh seafood, and crisp salads and vegetables. Local wines are served by the bottle, glass, and quartino, and other drinks include craft beers, high-end spirits, and classic cocktails. Cecco Ristorante has intimate spaces for private dining and is open for lunch and dinner, daily.
475 1st St #9, Solvang, CA 93463, Phone: 805-688-8880
4. First & Oak
Indulge in artful tasting plates and enjoy an exciting fine dining experience.
Located inside the boutique Mirabelle Inn in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country, First & Oak is a refined Michelin-Plate restaurant that serves a seasonal menu of elevated farm-to-table fare in a stylish and sophisticated environment. The restaurant serves several menus including from three, four, or five-course tasting menus which feature delicious, market-driven cuisine made with local and regional ingredients and artisan produce. Guests can also create their own tasting menus, and the food is accompanied by a curated selection of local wines from the surrounding Santa Barbara Wine Country, along with craft beers and classic cocktails. First & Oak is open for dinner seven nights a week.
409 1st St, Solvang, CA 93463, Phone: 805-688-1703
5. Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe
Sip local wines and enjoy a casual lunch with seasonal flavors.
Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe brings that tastes and flavors of the Central Coast to the table with a menu of delicious Cal-Med fare paired with local wines. The casually elegant café uses only the highest quality ingredients sourced from their own CCOF certified organic Cafe Farm and other local and regional producers, and an extensive and award-winning wine list specializes in local and Central Coast wines with more than 500 labels from which to choose. The exceptional cuisine and world-class wines are complemented by impeccable service and gracious hospitality, making for an unforgettable dining experience. Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Sunday.
2879 Grand Ave, Los Olivos, CA 93441, Phone: 805-688-7265
6. River Grill at the Alisal
Dine by the greens and enjoy a peaceful, scenic meal on a weekend trip.
Located the at Alisal Guest Ranch in Solvang, the River Grill at the Alisal is a rustic eatery with a cozy fireplace and charming outdoor patio that serves an inventive menu of New American comfort fare. The intimate and comfortable restaurant features a high-beamed ceiling, floor-to-ceiling windows that flood interiors with natural light and boast beautiful views, and a large stone fireplace that creates a warm and intimate glow. The outdoor patio is perfect for alfresco summer dining and can seat up to 200 guests, and the restaurant can cater for private events and functions for up to 250 people. The Alisal River Grill is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.
150 Alisal Rd, Solvang, CA 93463, Phone: 805-688-7784
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