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Breakfast and Lunch Food Tasting Experience in Santa Barbara

4.3
(6 reviews)
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Travel is about immersing yourself in the local culture. One way to do that is through food. Your tour will be led by a gifted storyteller who is passionate about living "La Dolce Vita". Learn about the history of each tasting venue without walking away feeling stuffed. You will also learn how to successfully navigate the Santa Barbara foodie scene like a seasoned local.The intent of this tour is to provide a "skip the line" experience where a visitor would taste food from 3 locally owned small businesses while learning more about each restaurant and the easily walkable 1 block area of Arlington Plaza. The portion size of each of the 3 tastings are designed to allow room for lunch at the end of the tour at either of those 3 restaurants or at any of the recommended restaurants discussed on the tour. Enjoy the "skip the line" benefit of a private table where reservations are not accepted and lines are extremely long. Groups are kept small to allow more personal time with your guide.

Overview

Travel is about immersing yourself in the local culture. One way to do that is through food. Your tour will be led by a gifted storyteller who is passionate about living "La Dolce Vita". Learn about the history of each tasting venue without walking away feeling stuffed. You will also learn how to successfully navigate the Santa Barbara foodie scene like a seasoned local.

The intent of this tour is to provide a "skip the line" experience where a visitor would taste food from 3 locally owned small businesses while learning more about each restaurant and the easily walkable 1 block area of Arlington Plaza. The portion size of each of the 3 tastings are designed to allow room for lunch at the end of the tour at either of those 3 restaurants or at any of the recommended restaurants discussed on the tour.

Enjoy the "skip the line" benefit of a private table where reservations are not accepted and lines are extremely long. Groups are kept small to allow more personal time with your guide.

Itinerary

  • Our first stop transports you to the heart of Paris with a taste of authentic French cuisine fresh enough that it could easily come from a side walk cafe or boulangerie. Renaud and Nicole Gonthier founded Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro in anticipation of Santa Barbara's desire for and lack of a quality French pastry and croissant venue. Renaud's is the fulfillment of a life-long dream, that of creating refined pastries from the best ingredients available with a focus on quality and detail in every dish. Choose either Chocolate or Almond croissant. Savor the flaky goodness while you take in the classy yet casual vibes in the beautiful courtyard while also learning the interesting culinary pedigree of this restaurant's namesake. Fun fact: Renaud appeared on two episodes of The Food Network's Emeril Live. Then, in August of 2007, Renaud was again featured on The Food Network, this time on an episode of Sugar Rush with Warren Brown.

    25 minutes
  • Arlington Theatre

    Next, we talk about the history of Arlington Plaza, including the Arlington Hotel and the iconic Arlington Theatre on State Street in Downtown Santa Barbara’s historic theatre district. This area features a curated collection of the very best locally owned dining and retail in Santa Barbara.

    15 minutes
  • Historic Walking Tour of Santa Barbara

    In the El Pueblo Viejo Historic District, there are charming pedestrian walkways, called paseos, that snake through Santa Barbara and are often overlooked by visitors. Dating back to Spanish California days, they were expanded when the downtown was rebuilt after an earthquake in 1925. It is here, along these twists and turns, that past and present are nestled side by side, with some buildings dating from the 1700s through the 1800s and embodies the best of Santa Barbara's Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. In this section, we will explore the former VIP limousine entrance as well as the transformed 125 space parking lot on the north side of the iconic Arlington Theater.

    10 minutes
  • The Historic La Arcada Courtyard

    Next, we explore the premier open-space food hall of the Public Market, a Santa Barbara legacy that showcases the incomparable bounty of California’s Central Coast since 2014. This unique space was the first and only of its kind in Santa Barbara; a space created to be shared by multiple restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and food counters that would allow for newer restaurateurs to try out novel ideas. Here you will find a wide selection of artisanal food and drinks to please any palate, conveniently located under one roof.

    10 minutes
  • On our second stop we will introduce you to the best deli experience outside of Los Angeles. Choose either Big Poppa: pastrami, egg, new school American cheese and cream cheese on a toasted half bagel, or Cheezy Eggs: eggs, new school American cheese, and cream cheese on a toasted half bagel. Wexler’s Deli uses old-school methods to handcraft their pastrami. After curing in a special blend of salt and spices, their meats are slowly smoked in house over apple wood and sliced by hand. The late, great Jonathan Gold called their pastrami as good as L.A. institution Langer’s, with the smoke on both meats as good as it gets. Equally impressive is their culinary pedigree. Kassar came to be the Deli King through working under Michelin-starred names like Danny Meyer and Daniel Boulud in NYC and then ran front of house at Spago for five years. Fun fact: Santa Barbara Public Market owner Travis Twining did a taste test of all Los Angeles pastrami, then chose Wexler's and came looking for him!

    25 minutes
  • The Granada Theatre

    Prepare to discover white stucco walls, memorable red tile roofs, flower bedecked courtyards, hidden passageways, notable restaurants, world-class performing arts theaters and museums. The next paseo we encounter is Victoria Court. Once we get through the maze to the other side, we will take a little stroll on State Street past the iconic 1924 Granada Theater. This is home to the Santa Barbara Symphony, State Street Ballet, and Opera Santa Barbara. Then we meander through the San Marcos Building. Exiting this pre-1925 arcade brings us right in front of the 1941 Santa Barbara Museum of Art, a building that was at one time the Santa Barbara Post Office (1912–1932). Now, it is home to a collection of ancient through contemporary works and photography represented by Asian, European and American artists. Afterward, we make our way through our last charming paseo. Lined with restaurants, shops and galleries, the 1926 La Arcada will definitely evoke images of Spain.

    10 minutes
  • The Historic La Arcada Courtyard

    Our final tasting stop is a sweet treat in a grown-up Candyland. Indulge in what many locals and visitors alike consider to be the best donut in town, a perfect finale to our culinary exploration. Although the aesthetic is carefully curated for Instagram-worthy shots, there is nothing superficial about their truly delicious menu. Inspired by nouveau donut artists such as Sidecar Doughnuts in Santa Monica, Hook & Press is taking what a typical donut shop would do and elevates it by using an overnight brioche dough made with European-style butter, eggs, whole milk, sugar, and salt. Then prepare to satiate all your sugar-laden dreams by enjoying a sample off their gourmet donut menu which changes seasonally. Angela Borda wrote in Food & Home Magazine that the “donut masterpieces” are “unusual enough that people are tagging them on Instagram". Fun fact: “Hook” refers to the mixing attachment used to make the dough, and “Press” for coffee, which is the donut's finest accompaniment.

    25 minutes

Location

Meeting Point Map

Address

1324 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA

Open Google Map

Experience

Highlights

  • Try tastings at a few locally owned small businesses
  • Discover the city sights and learn about their histories
  • Learn to navigate the Santa Barbara food scene like a local
  • A small group means more attention from your guide
  • Inclusions

    • Lunch
    • Breakfast
    • Brunch

    Exclusions

    • Gratuities

    Additional Information

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
    • Service animals allowed
    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
    • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

    Guide Languages

    • English

    Cancellation Policy

    • A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.

    • No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.

    Traveler Ratings

    See how travelers have rated this attraction. Check out the average rating and read what others have shared about their experiences

    4.3 / 5

    4.33 out of 5 stars

    Based on 6 reviews

    Review histogram

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    Traveler Reviews

    Discover what other travelers have to say about this attraction. Read their reviews and get insights into their experiences

    Dana_J
    Our host Joseph was amazing and very informative. Such a people person.. loved him❤️. I will definitely be taking this tour again!
    352ayianas
    Joseph was a knowledgeable, humorous and fun tour guide. We appreciated all the tasty stops and the historical tidbits he added! Joseph managed a good balance between fun discussion and historical inf...

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