One of my favorite things about visiting California is that you don’t have to spend much in order to eat well. Invariably, I find myself dining at both ends of the formality spectrum. I can’t resist an excellent street taco (we loved the tacos al pastor at Mony’s in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone), but I’m hardly likely to pass up the opportunity to review high-end establishments in town. On my most recent trip, I had the pleasure of dining at Santa Barbara County’s two Michelin-starred eateries, as well as a pizza parlor in a strip mall.

Bar Le Côte

When I asked in-the-know friends about where to eat in Los Olivos, the unanimous answer was Bar Le Côte, a restaurant by chef Daisy Ryan (who also owns Michelin-starred Bell’s in Los Alamos). The swish open-kitchen restaurant has green walls, pale wood furniture and a series of abstract prints on the wall. We booked a late reservation and arrived to a lively scene of tables packed with revelers. Every item on the Basque-inspired menu sounded good, so in order to try as many things as possible, we ordered the affordable chef’s tasting menu (just $185 for two people). Our meal began with a seafood platter of delicate and creamy Morro Bay oysters, light-as-air Santa Barbara uni and peel-and-eat shrimp poached with a delectable blend of Middle Eastern spices. Other dinner highlights included the curiously delicious raw scallops with dill flower and the crispy-skinned branzino paired with a crisp Malvasía Volcánica from Lanzarote. I am still thinking about the olive oil cake we ate for dessert, topped with strawberries and a basil whipped cream. It was the finest meal of our trip, and the dining room buzzed with satisfied customers. At one point, a woman walked into the kitchen to hug the chef — it was Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, here on vacation. If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, reserve a seat at the bar so you can watch the chefs at work. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Bar Le Côte
2375 Alamo Pintado Avenue, Los Olivos. No phone.