These Are the Best Restaurants to Book When You’re in Wine Country

Every year the Sunset Travel Awards honor the best in travel in the West. This year we had over 600 entries across all categories (a record number!). These spots are the 2023 winners of the Where to Eat and Drink: Best Wine Country Restaurants category. Check out the complete list of winners here. For our definitive directory to travel in the West, click here.

Best Wine Country Restaurants

The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern

Courtesy of the Auberge Resorts Collection

A newcomer to Los Olivos, this upscale inn is also home to some of the Santa Ynez Valley’s most delightful dining experiences: wood-fired meat and produce at the Tavern, classic cocktails at the cozy Bar, and craft coffee at Felix Feed & Coffee.

Hitching Post 2

Rob Stark

Fans of Sideways will recognize this famed Pinot purveyor, which serves up some of the best Santa Maria–style barbecue in the region. Grab a glass of Cork Dancer, a whole grilled artichoke, and a cut of the valley’s finest beef and enjoy the view.

Bar Le Côte

Carter Hiyama courtesy of Bar Le Cote

With stylish design and a menu that marries the produce and seafood of the Central Coast, this is the coolest new restaurant to open in Los Olivos. The whole fish is a must-order, and the wine list always includes gems from wineries in the surrounding Santa Ynez Valley.