Dining In Santa Maria Valley To Celebrate Your Anniversary Or Birthday

Some of the destinations and events mentioned on this post were complimentary or a media rate was extended. As usual all opinions, typos and grammatical errors are my own.

Usually around this time of the year I have to plan things very carefully. In a matter of a couple of days we have our anniversary and my husband's birthday (that happens to be St Patrick's Day). I always have to be smart about it and try to find a way to celebrate both dates in one weekend.

For this year, I decided to plan a weekend getaway on a location that we love to visit because it has so much to offer. Just a few hours by car north of Los Angeles, the beautiful Santa Maria Valley has everything you need to celebrate an special occasion. I have been with friends for bachelorette parties, with work co-workers for team building activities and this time around was a very needed romantic weekend away.

One of the reasons we love Santa Maria Valley is because you can find wine tasting, adventure and amazing food just by driving a couple of miles for your hotel. 

Since we are foodies, we decided to make it a weekend to enjoy all the great food Santa Maria Valley hast to offer, here are some of our favorite places

1. Places for lunch

​Willow Market & Deli

Willow Market & Deli is located at the corner of Willow and Pomeroy roads in Nipomo and it is a great option for lunch and brunch.

You can choose to sit at the bar, in the dining room, or out on the patio. The menu includes appetizers, salads, burgers,  artisan flatbread pizzas and weekends you can enjoy brunch with bottomless mimosas. They also have wine and beer.

​1050 Willow Rd, Nipomo, CA 93444
(805) 929-0322

Wedge Salad Wedge (Iceberg, Bacon, Tomato, Blue Cheese Dressing and Crumbles) at Willow Market & Deli $13

King's Plate (eggs, bacon, chorizo, breakfast potato and toast) at Willow Market & Deli $11

Market area at Willow Market & Deli

Orcutt Burgers

Great breakfast and lunch. Quick service restaurant. Lots of fried foods. Great for on the go or just a quick stop to grab a burger. 
1099 E. Clark Avenue, Orcutt, CA 93455
(805) 938-0064 

2. Places for dinner

Far Western Tavern

Far Western Tavern is a recognized landmark of Santa Maria Style Barbecue. The menu blends the local barbecue style with other dishes that reflect the family’s heritage in the Santa Maria Valley’s Swiss-Italian ranching community.

The Far Western Tavern was established in 1958 by Clarence and Rosalie Minetti along with Rosalie’s cousin Richard Maretti and his wife Jean. Originally located in the historic Palace Hotel building in the town of Guadalupe, the Far Western Tavern quickly became a hometown favorite, attracting locals and visitors alike with its legendary fare and welcoming ambiance. Today the restaurant has its home in a beautiful building in Old Town Orcutt.

300 East Clark Avenue, Orcutt, CA 93455
(805) 937-2211

It was the perfect place to say Happy Anniversary as we enjoyed delicious food in a very comfortable and cozy environment. Good variety of choices for appetizers, entrees and even desserts. Here are our favorites:

Mac N' Cheese Relleno (roasted pasilla, three cheeses, guajillo sauce) $12

Market Fish (red oak grilled, wild caught, cut in house) $MP

Filet Mignon (12 oz center cut tenderloin) $51

Cellebaut Chocolate Dome Cake (chocolate genache, chocolate mousse, seasonal berries ) $10 & Chevre Cheescake (fresh goat cheese, vanilla bean, season fruit compote) $10

Shaw's Steakhouse

Shaw’s Steakhouse is one of Santa Maria’s best steakhouses that offers everything from traditional Santa Maria-style barbecue to sea food and amazing desserts.

We celebrated here my husband's birthday. The service was outstanding and the food delicious. The plates are huge, so much that we took plenty of food back to the hotel to enjoy the following morning.
​
714 S Broadway, Santa Maria, CA 93454
(805) 925-5862

​Here are our favorites:

Sautéed mushrooms

Trip Tip with Linguiza

Filet Mignon

Cherry Bread Pudding with Grand Marnier and White Chocolate Truffle

3. Places for a sweet treat

Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab

You always need to leave room after your dinner for an extra sweet treat. We went to Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab because they offer a deal on the day of your birthday. Buy one get one free on your birthday!

Plenty of flavors to choose from. Stop in for a con, a cup or a Sundae. They even have shakes!

168 W Clark Ave, Orcutt, CA 93455
(805) 614-7644

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Stay tuned because I will have more about Santa Maria Valley. In the upcoming weeks I will tell you about great places to go wine tasting and how you can add a little bit of adventure to your visit.