Lucky Penny

•$$$

After a day of exploring the wineries in the Santa Ynez Valley, we stopped at Nella Kitchen & Bar…read morefor dinner, and after experiencing it firsthand, it's easy to understand why it's consistently ranked as one of the top restaurants in Los Olivos on Yelp. From the moment we walked in until the moment we left, we were genuinely impressed. The service was warm, attentive, and welcoming without ever feeling overbearing. Every member of the staff made us feel like guests in their home rather than customers in a restaurant. The food was just as memorable. I ordered the filet mignon, which was cooked perfectly to my requested temperature, and I really appreciated that they were happy to substitute the vegetables on the plate to fit my preferences. We started with Nonna's meatballs, served with fresh bread, and they were absolutely outstanding--rich, comforting, and the perfect way to begin the meal. To finish, we shared the ice cream for dessert, and it was the perfect ending. It was incredibly fresh and creamy, and the garnish of fresh mint elevated such a simple dessert into something that felt thoughtful and refined. What stood out most, though, was the atmosphere. Nella has a whimsical charm that instantly makes you feel comfortable. Rather than feeling like a busy restaurant, it felt like being welcomed into someone's beautiful home for dinner. That warmth, paired with exceptional food and genuine hospitality, made this one of the most memorable meals of our trip. If you find yourself in Los Olivos, do yourself a favor and make a reservation at Nella Kitchen & Bar. It's absolutely worth the visit.

Juan was the best - seriously one of the best waiters I've ever had! He was so friendly and…read moreknowledgeable about the menu and went above and beyond to accommodate gluten-free needs and food allergies. Only rating based on a lunch visit but it's a great spot for lunch. We sat on the patio which was a beautiful vibe. We ordered the salmon salad and the artichoke special and everything was great! Artichoke dish could have used a squeeze of some citrus on top but other than that it was great. Salad was very fresh and salmon was great quality.

Dinning room

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Shaded front patio on Grand Ave side

Los Olivos Cafe

4.1(1.1k reviews)

Los Olivos Cafe used to be the Wine Merchant, but has now rebranded their name…read more This place left a lasting impression on me ever since I came here for the first time with my friends. I finally made it back and again, it did not disappoint! The food here is outstanding and so flavorful. This time I tried the seasonal pasta of the day. A roasted red pepper pasta with shrimp. The pasta was delicious and I especially enjoyed the roasted red pepper sauce. Made with fresh veggies like peppers and zucchini and the shrimp were nice and plump. I like how they didn't skimp on the number of shrimp in this dish. I also ordered their focaccia and dipping oil. The bread was nice and crusty on the outside yet maintained its softness on the inside. The dipping oil was amazing!! Our waiter said it's liquid gold and it truly is. It had a lemony vinegary taste to it and I absolutely loved it!! I could easily drink it because it's so good. A must order to start with. My friends ordered the cafe turkey sandwich. They both said it was tasty and it's also served on freshly baked focaccia bread. I tried the cucumber gazpacho my friend ordered and it was very refreshing. It reminded me of a cucumber Agua Fresca, but in a soup form. Just a little different though. On my previous visit, I've tried the burrata, pizza, little gem salad, and roasted radishes. Everything was delicious and flavorful. I haven't had anything bad here. Totally worth the visit if you're in the area. Customer service is friendly and they make you feel right at home here. I can't wait to come back already. I recommend you make a reservation if you want seating outside or in the front of the restaurant. We didn't have reservations and got seated in the back area. It was still nice, but would have preferred the front or outside. So plan ahead! Overall, my favorite restaurant in Los Olivos.

Absolutely delicious food with a very kind staff…read more The pasta, that I ate here, is the best I have ever had in my life. I wish I could give more than 5 stars.

Outside the wine merchant- so cute!

Grass-fed beef Skirt Steak with seasonal preparations.

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Classic house made pizzas with fresh Mediterranean twists. Try the Alba!

Leonardo's Ristorante & Pizzeria

4.3(803 reviews)

4.6 mi

•$$$

I was visiting in the area and a local recommended this restaurant. The restaurant is big and…read morespacious on the inside and also had outside seating. We went for lunch to try out a couple things. We were seated immediately and offered menus. We ordered a seared ahi salad, calamari, bolognese, and mushroom pizza. The ahi salad was delicious. The vinaigrette was delicious and refreshing. The ahi was seared just right. The calamari was flavorful and crispy. It also came with some shrimps which was a nice surprise. The bolognese was nice and hearty. The pizza had the perfect crust thickness and tasted even better when I baked it for dinner later in the day. Overall, we enjoyed everything we tried and would like to come back on the next visit.

Last year, our visit was great! This year, not so much. They sat us in a room in the back which was…read morejust ok. It didn't have the energy that the main dining room has but our party was 9, so we understood! The service was not that great. Didn't like our snotty waitress and the food servers were also rude. The food was meh this time. The bruschetta was salty, the ceasar salad was tasteless, the chicken piccata was lousy. It barely had any sauce, the potatoes were dry and looked like Terds, and the spinach had a long, black hair wrapped in it. The chicken parm was great and so was spaghetti. The pane cotta was pitiful. They cut back on the portion size. Tiramisu was bleh and they served us melted spamoni! All around bad night, August 4th! Unfortunately we will not return.

Interior

Calamari

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Austin Hope Cabernet

Four Brothers Wine

4.8(65 reviews)

Love it. Great service, great ambiance, great wine, great music…read more We were all around very happy

Cute and intimate winery. Mark was amazing!!!! Sparkling is spot on. Highly recommend!!!! AND free…read morepopcorn

Tasting room.

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Figueroa Mountain Brewing

4.0(109 reviews)

•$

I loved the long L-shaped bar, and the beer tender was knowledgable and recommended just what I was…read morelooking for. Only disappointment was they don't have a bar menu. But other good options near by and you can bring outside food in.

This place was open a little later than it's posted time super grateful since majority of places…read moreclosed early. Great service. Great vibes!!! Had the hoppy poppy IPA, House Cabernet Sauvignon, and Agua Santa Cerveza.

Photo by : https://lacedingrain.mypixieset.com/

Hikers high

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So many options

Giorgios At Parkway

4.5(160 reviews)

5.8 mi

Wildly great food. I wanted to lick my plate. The caprese salad was huge and so delicious…read more Spaghetti and meatballs - great sauce, tasty meatballs and again a nice portion. My wife and I split them both and had room for a cannoli that was the best I've ever had before! The walk up is weird. It's in the back of a liquor store but keep walking to the back. There's a cute little dining room. Ask for a Greg and Luis. They are the balm.

The pastas are hand made and sauces all made in house. The bread fresh out of the oven. The owner…read moreis taking the orders and she is so very nice. The crazy part is, this restaurant is in the liquor store. Ambiance is the only reason it is 4 stars because the Shirt Rib tortellini was definitely 5 stars. Just remember it is in Parkway Liquor Store. I drove by it 3 times before I figured it out.

Not much room but it's perfect

Italian Sandwich

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Inside

Industrial Eats

4.3(2k reviews)

6.1 mi

Noisey & hot. Eclectic menu. Food was tasty. Staff different like the menu. Hidden in Bueltonread more

I was a bit disappointed not to spot the previously mentioned T-shirt with explicit language nor…read moreanyone disparaging rump supporters. If you don't have tolerance, you still might not enjoy the vibe. Alas, I didn't even encounter a surly employee but I overcame my disappointment to enjoy the food and drink. I didn't realize that one of the founders was near death on our last visit or I would have held my review. This time the service and food were back on point. The sausage pizza is still my favorite but the Banh mi and the tempura asparagus were also delicious. We'll visit next time we're in the area.

...walking in

Beef tongue Reuben

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Front entrance

Toscana Italian Restaurant

3.9(661 reviews)

5.1 mi

Food was fresh and fast. They made a delicious cheese pizza…read morefor the kids. Had some gluten free options. Nice indoor/outdoor space

Spent a week in Milan in June…read more Pretty close to that! Great pizza and service. Outside looked nice. But inside had great music playlist.

Wild flowers on outdoor patio

Pesto pasta

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Outside the restaurant in the courtyard area

Gino's Pizza Buellton

4.2(427 reviews)

5.8 mi

Very friendly staff great food great scenic, atmosphere and very welcoming a great place to stop…read moreand grab a bite

This is my go to pizza place. I also like the salads and sandwiches. We usually get the…read moretraditional crust. I find the toppings generous (i get mushroom/onion), my husband says the pepperoni is good, not mind blowing. Vegetarian friendly. The veggie sandwhich is so good - grilled mushrooms, onions, peppers. We also call in our order. Staff is always friendly.

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Chicken parm

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Calzone

Pizza Shack

4.0(76 reviews)

4.1 mi

Found this place randomly... we drive through this area and stop at other places in the area often…read morebut never knew this place was hiding around the corner. We ran in at 7:45 and they were just getting ready to close at 8. I hate being that gal... but we were craving pizza AND we made sure they were ok with us ordering to go! The staff was very nice, very accommodating and assured us that they did not mind making us food! The pizza is fantastic! I usually don't like bbq pizza, but definitely stole a slice of my boyfriend's. The pepperoni is my jam! Slightly crispy pepperoni, just the right amount of sauce and delicious crust! Salad was also yummmm!!! We will for sure be back! Thanks for the great service!

I have the dumbest allergies in the world. The staff was super helpful with helping me make sure…read morethat everything in my pizza was safe-- including catching that one of the ingredients we all thought would have for sure was safe had one of my allergens in it! Based off of this I can't help but think that they treat all of their customers super well! Oh, the pizza hit the spot as well. I'd highly recommend Pizza Shack!

"Small" pie = $24

A large pizza half loaded and half pesto primavera.

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Matthew P.

164

3 months ago

The Lucky Penny absolutely lived up to the hype! From the moment we walked in, the staff was genuinely friendly, welcoming, and attentive. You can tell they take pride in both their service and the food they serve. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Every bite was excellent, and it's easy to see why this place is so popular. The standout, though, was the coffee. It was hands down some of the best coffee I've had in a long time--rich, smooth, perfectly balanced, and made with real care. It's the kind of coffee that makes you want to come back even if you're not hungry. If you're anywhere near the area, The Lucky Penny is absolutely worth the stop. Great food, outstanding coffee, and exceptional service. We'll definitely be back! The kids live the space! Playing outside it was beautiful! read more

Lucky Penny - pizza - Updated October 2026

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Stica

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Pizza was the most delicious I have ever eaten; fresh and healthy…read more Wonderful selection and variety to choose from. Selections of pizzas change every day, with the exception of the Marguerita pizza and a few others. Store is very clean and organized and the staff are friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about the choices.

As a local, I really wanted to love and support this place, which is why I'm so disappointed…read more Their pizza is absolutely delicious, there's no question about that. Unfortunately, the customer service does not match the quality of the food. They rarely answer their phone, making it incredibly frustrating just trying to place an order, and the overall service is anything but professional or exceptional. When you live locally, you want to support the businesses in your community, but good food alone isn't enough when ordering becomes this difficult. At this point, I'd rather go to another local restaurant with "Trattoria" in the name, where the pizza is just as delicious, the prices are much more reasonable, and the overall experience is far more welcoming. Great pizza, but sadly, a very disappointing experience for a local customer who genuinely wanted to support them.

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Very friendly staff great food great scenic, atmosphere and very welcoming a great place to stop…read moreand grab a bite

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(727 reviews)

I've seen such an incredible improvement since the new general manager came in. I honestly haven't…read moreseen Flatbread flourish like this in a long time. The staff is attentive, professional, and the restaurant no longer feels understaffed. It's clear that the previous management took the restaurant in the wrong direction, but it's refreshing to see it turning around. I was genuinely worried about this place, and now I'm excited to watch it continue to grow. Great job to the new general manager Chris and the entire team--keep up the amazing work!

Do NOT ever reserve a table here. We reserved a table for 10 people and were told it would be $350…read moreto secure the table assuming that would be reimbursed (to make sure we show up). My friend who made the reservation said that Chris said it would not be part of the bill. We were told after we ate and got the bill that we would not be reimbursed that 350 and it was just added to the bill. Not to mentioned they charged the 20% gratuity on the table "rental" as well. That alone was $70. I don't think I'll ever be back here. To top it off we could have just shown up without making a reservation at all as there were plenty of tables. I'm sorry, but nobody in their right mind would pay $350 just to reserve a table. EDIT: We did make a fuss and were going to dispute the 350 with the credit card after we asked him to reimburse us and separate the 350 and he ended up removing the 350 fee altogether so we are very appreciative. Since I can't reply to a review that was made by Salvador in response to my review, here is edit #2 and response to Salvador. Hi Salvador, very noble of you to come to the restaurants defense. Since you felt the need to insert yourself in our business, I will explain to you how you do not have the whole story and how you are actually wrong in your assessment Even though you think you observed and heard everything, you still did not get the whole story as an "outsider". I would also like to say that I did not talk bad about the staff, the food, or the service. This was specifically about being charged $350 just to reserve a table for dinner. We didn't reserve an entire space or anything and Chris did not make it clear over the phone that this was a non-refundable fee. I think that needs to be the highlight of the message. She had him try to explain it to her several times over the phone and she still left the conversation with the belief that we would be getting that 350 back or she would have never made the reservation (as I'm sure you wouldn't either). My friend who made the reservation is very smart and extremely sweet and I'd also like to note that she said nobody followed her to the counter so you must have been creeping somewhere or are friends with the staff. For the record, she did not "apologize for the confusion". She told him that he was not clear over the phone that this was a non-refundable fee. He kept saying it "would not be applied to our bill" She did ask after the fact for the 350 to be billed separately to her so she could dispute it with her credit card (which I said in my initial edit). Also, he didn't comp us anything. He didn't apply the $35 cash we included to our bill. So...technically...the restaurant came out ahead. And we are still watching to make sure that all of our pending charges are corrected so it's yet to be determined. Oh, and nice dig about old days bringing out the wrong crowd. We weren't there for old days and we are from the local area just celebrating a friend's birthday, which is why we wanted to make sure we had a table in the first place. Just a note: Many restaurants require a reservation hold fee, meaning that if a guest cancels after a specified deadline or fails to show up, the restaurant charges a cancellation or "no-show" fee. In the absence of a written contract or any disclosure from the restaurant stating that the fee paid to reserve our table was non-refundable, we reasonably understood Full of Life Flatbread to be following this common restaurant practice.

Feather & Fire

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We wanted something to eat but not get too much food where we would be overly full, so a quick bite…read moreand this place hit the spot! It's nice because its right on the RV report so we walked right over. The staff was nice and helpful since we have never eaten here before. We didn't wait long for the food and it was delicious. The pizza was cooked in a stone oven, great thin (but not super thin) crust and perfect amount of toppings. I'm so glad we were able to try this place out and cant wait to try it again in the future!

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Toscana Italian Restaurant

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Loved it! Best Italian food we've had! Armando is a great server and the entire crew? Daniele is…read morealways friendly and is a great host.

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