BEST OF FOOD+WINE
A Taste of the Valley MUST-HAVE MEALS Buoni Anni Bianco ($32, centanniwines.com) is our version of wines we love from the northeastern region of Italy—Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, and Tocai Friulano—that also grow beautifully in our valley. It offers complexity followed by a dry, smooth finish. We make linguine with Santa Barbara mussels, garlic, parsley, and tomatoes and drink the whole bottle.
The salumi and cheeses at Industrial Eats, 805-688-8807, industrialeats.com— fun, sophisticated, and casual dining a few blocks from the winery. Robbie Wilson’s côte de boeuf at Mattei’s Tavern, 805-688-3550, matteis tavern.com. The Cent’Anni Red Label and ribs kill together! The bacon at Sides Hardware and Shoes, 805688-4820, sidesrestaurant.com. They don’t have a BLT on the menu, but with a little coaxing, you may get lucky! We love the Rollino Veneto at Trattoria Grappolo, 805-688-6899, trattoriagrappolo.com. It’s a rolledup pizza with braised radicchio and smoked mozzarella served with tomato, basil, and garlic.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The afternoon buffet-style lunch; the succulent côte de boeuf with shishito peppers at Mattei’s Tavern; the Rollino Veneto at Trattoria Grappolo.
“We love to fire up our outdoor pizza oven and invite friends over for long, wonderful, meandering meals with great wines (usually our Cent’Anni Red Label Riserva).”
BON APPETIT CRAVING A GOURMET MEAL but haven’t quite mastered the art of French cooking? Now you can enjoy a fresh and healthy dinner at home with tasty takeout from Merci to go, 917-292-6684, mercitogo.com, the vision of former Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Weddings food editor and local pastry professional, Elizabeth Colling, and her husband Stephane, an accomplished food and beverage director. “We saw the need for this type of shop in our own neighborhood,” says Elizabeth, “and have been excited to create a menu that we hope customers will love as much as we do.” The new spot in the Montecito Country Mart offers organic, seasonal, Frenchinspired cuisine ranging from a demi-baguette with grass fed steak and horseradish fromage blanc to gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies as well as a full range of lunch and dinner options. –CHARLOTTE BRYANT
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P H OTO G R A P H S : M AT T E I ’ S TAV E R N , G A R Y M O S S P H OTO G R A P H Y; T R AT TO R I A G R A P P O L O , L U C A T R OVATO ; M E R C I TO G O, E L I Z A B E T H M E S S I N A
Having lived in Montecito part-time since 1978, JAMIE AND JULIE KELLNER have always considered Santa Barbara home. Formerly a television executive and commercial banker respectively, the couple—with an affinity for all things Italian—now focuses the majority of their time managing their Cent’Anni Vineyards in Los Olivos. –G.Z.T.
BEST OF 2015
1/30/15 1:19 PM