This was probably one of my favorite experiences as a result of walking into a random store. I…read morewasn't sure what to expect when I walked in but I was immediately greeted by Carolina who welcomed me to try anything in the store. I knew Ojai was famous for its olive oils, but Carolina especially embodies mastery and craftsmanship as reflected in her offerings of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. As I was the only patron in her shop at the time, I was privileged with her showing me various unique combinations of balsamic and olive oil. She certainly lives up to the Italian stereotype of having good taste. She suggested against me buying food for my mother for Mother's Day, but she understood when I insisted that my mom is a foodie (where I get it from). Carolina herself is classy and refined, yet still so open and welcoming, all of which also is reflected in her store. It is thus no surprise that her shop has been around for over a decade. I hope her shop is there when I am 100! If there was ever a place to stop in Ojai, I would recommend this place. A truly unique experience, unparalleled. I am bringing my mom and all my other loved ones here.

It's a cute little store. It was quiet since we were the only ones there. They have samples in a…read moreglass covered sampler. We were also told that we could sample anything even if it was closed, which was great. We were focused on the balsamic vinegar. We tried the Blackberry Reserved Balsamic, and it was amazing. I didn't ask, but they have like a salad recipe that it would be paired with or possibly sell salad there as well. So glad we decided to stop by. The lady who helped us was kind and friendly. Overall, we will be returning since the service and tasting was a pleasant experience.

We arrived towards the end of the market as they were starting to pack up and put things away…read more Still there were plenty of vendors still there offering their goods but slowly shifting and packing up. It's located in a parking lot behind the main strip and in a residential area. All street parking but it tends to be pretty easy. There's a bakery vendors that I've had a few times but they do sell out quite fast. Their fresh baked bread and sweets are one not to be missed. This visit, they weren't there in their usual section so I assume they were pretty much sold out fast. Loads of fresh organic vendors with all their goods. As it was summer, there were so many vendors with amazing tomatoes. Heirlooms, grape tomatoes and so all. Everything all looked so fresh and I'm sure it was straight from the farm that morning. Also loads of other vendors selling their homemade goods, like soap to candles to everything in between. Majority of the vendors are fresh produce so you know you'll be picking up fresh farm products. Also fresh flowers are always a must when a visiting the farmers market. Can't forget the fresh berries and fruits. Doesn't scream summer without all the fresh berries straight of the plant. Regardless what you're looking for or not, I'm sure you'll always leave with plenty of fresh things at this market. Their items are always so fresh. A must whenever I'm Ojai. It's always on a Sunday morning.

First timer to this Farmers market. I usually go to the Oxnard Harbor one but it was nice to see…read morewhat Ojai has to offer. There were a lot of flower, veggies and fruit vendors. Prices are a bit more than Oxnard prices but I do think it's great to support local especially seeing the quality difference between local vendors and grocery stores. $13 for eggs still seems a bit steep for recovering from the egg hiked prices where they are now back to $6-7 in grocery stores. There was a vendor that sells sourdough breads and she was quite popular has she always had a line. Caroline's preservative jams are amazing in flavor and quality. I also appreciated that Centri Coffee was there so that I could buy some whole beans.

I was visiting the area and found this beautiful place! So peaceful when you walk in ( try parking…read moreon the other side so you can walk down the lavender path) It was so quick but customer service was amazing! We tasted from the counter and amazing taste that we had to bring some home! The balsamic vinaigrette, the herbal and garlic oil came home with me!!! I definitely recommend and I have to be back not so rushed to enjoy all the things. They also have a small shop

I cannot recommend Olive + Lavender Farms highly enough. From the moment you arrive, it feels like…read morea hidden gem tucked into the heart of Los Olivos. They offer a complimentary olive oil tasting, allowing you to truly appreciate the depth and character of each variety. The fresh bread served alongside the tasting is crafted from scratch in nearby Los Alamos at Bob's Well Bread Bakery, and it is delicious. A few of my personal favorites were the Santa Ynez, Garlic, and Habanero olive oils. The Garlic was so outstanding that I immediately purchased a bottle to take home. It is incredibly versatile. The setting itself is just as memorable as the tasting. There is ample charming outdoor seating beside a small creek, and the gentle sound of flowing water creates a peaceful, almost meditative atmosphere. The vibes are truly immaculate. Inside, the shop is beautifully styled and filled with thoughtfully selected gifts and, of course, an impressive array of olive oils available for purchase. Hayley (sorry if it's spelled wrong) was especially warm and helpful, making the visit feel welcoming. They also offer WiFi, which allowed us to linger a bit longer and get some work done. It is rare to find a place that combines quality, hospitality, and atmosphere so seamlessly.

I have to start by saying that having an experience like going to Olivella is not something we do…read morefrequently. For us, this is reserved for birthdays or anniversaries. This visit was actually to celebrate my birthday. We were slightly hesitant because of the set course menu, not knowing if we'd like the offerings and leery of the value. Let me put this to rest right of the bat, it was totally worth it. We left very satisfied with both the offerings and the portion sizes. We were seated promptly and were immediately greeted by Alana who was our server. She was warm and knowledgeable, friendly yet professional, attentive but never intrusive. I had notified the restaurant during the reservation process that I needed to avoid onion and garlic because I get intense reflux. Alana confirmed this before we began discussing the courses. She assured me that she would guide me away from offerings that would upset my system. There are actually 6 courses, not just the 4 on the menu. They bring an amuse-bouche and then bread to start, before the first course. I won't get deeply into our courses because the menu changes daily, but there were a couple of things we were told that are often on the menu that were soooo good. For the pasta course, both the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe and the Rigatoni Bolognese were phenomenal. We both had different fish offerings for our main course which were excellent as well. We were so impressed with Alana that I asked to speak to the manager on our way out to express our gratitude. I feel that so often people only speak to management to complain, so when we receive exceptional service, I feel it's important to express appreciation.

I missed a couple of photos of items we ordered, but this might be the best restaurant I have ever…read morebeen to. We were given complimentary appetizer of fried artichoke hearts with lemon. Which was a perfect bite to start the meal off while we enjoyed our cocktails. My girlfriend and I each ordered an appetizer, pasta course, and entree. Each of which came out within a reasonable time of each other to enjoy the food and have some time to discuss the course. Also enough time to build up anticipation for the next course! Our server Keegan was super knowledgeable about all of the items on the menu and was able to accommodate my girlfriend's dietary restrictions. Additionally he gave me the perfect recommendation for a glass of wine to accompany my pasta course! For me the highlights were the Rigatoni Bolognese, The Elders cocktail, and the Pacific White Prawns (unfortunately not pictured). Highly recommend to anyone looking to have a special night out.

This is a somewhat small grocery store, but has a good variety of specialty foods including fresh…read moreproduce, frozen meats, bulk grains, fresh dairy, baking and cooking ingredients as well as some personal health items like vitamins and essential oils. A few odds and ends but mostly groceries. I appreciate that you can find things for dietary restrictions here, and the products all seem high quality. Love that I can buy Rancho Gordo beans here. Prices are not cheap, so I usually only go here when I need something specific, but they do tend to have what I'm looking for. I haven't ordered at the deli counter before, but the selection there looks good too. Store is clean and well stocked, and the staff has always been helpful for me. Last time I went in I needed some freeze dried strawberries and couldn't find them on my own, and when I asked at the cash register, the young woman walked me to them herself. I would recommend stopping in to see if this is the kind of store you want for your grocery needs. I like it. :)

I visited Rainbow Bridge Natural Foods in Ojai and while the food was great, the service was very…read moredisappointing. Three employees saw us at the register and ignored us. I had to call one over, and she asked me to walk to her instead of coming to the cashier. I ordered a hamburger with just cheese and a juice (which I repeated twice). The juice never came, and the burger arrived with lettuce and tomato. The attitude from the staff was not friendly, and even others in line noticed. Great food, but service is part of the experience. I hope they improve their customer service.

I absolutely adore this shop!! The vibe is very charming, intimate, and warm. I have never seen so…read moremany different infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars before. I really appreciate that you can taste the products. I found so many I loved and tasting the notes helped me better envision what I could use each one for and how it fit into my cooking style. I also like how they offer each product in two sizes. The people here are so warm, friendly, and knowledgeable as well. They were so ready to help and give information about their store and their products.

I love olive oil stores, especially the ones in California have wonderful products. Viva Oil on…read moreState Street in the heart of Santa Barbara didn't disappoint! The store has a nice decor, airy, it's welcoming, has a wide variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars with nice flavors (some fruit based - fig anyone?), nice staff and reasonable prices. Great place to shop at, you can get a set for a nice gift or a couple of bottles for dipping and salads at home!

This was our third trip to Olive Ventura. We actually remembered to bring our empty olive oil…read morebottles to be refilled. You save money that way. I tried some new varieties and can't wait to use them. It's also a great place to do some gift shopping. They have all sorts of olive oil themed soaps and creams plus candles. It's right on Main Street.

I had been wanting to stop by for awhile now located in Downtown Ventura . New year ... so NEW me!…read moreI was looking for a good balsamic to make my salads more exciting! After tasting just about most of the balsamics in the shop- I bought the strawberry balsamic. OMG I am so excited . I joined their free loyalty club and I'll be back for more goodies soon! Highly rec, if you're a foodie looking to spruce up your meals! They don't just have balsamics - They have pastas, honey, teas, sauces, gift sets and so much more. Such friendly staff and the shop is kept clean / well organized. It was not busy at all when I stopped in.

We're back at Boccali's! Last time we did a driving cruise through Ojai and we stopped by here for…read morelunch. This time, we're camping in Ojai and we decided to come here for lunch before heading to our campground at Dennison Park. This time around, we ordered: - Antipasto Salad (good) - Medium Spinach Pizza (yummy and cheesy) - Lasagna (good and cheesy) - Pasta Alfredo (yummy and creamy) - Ravioli in Pesto Sauce (ok, we could have skipped this) - Strawberry Shortcake (yummm) Before we got seated, we had a long wait since they skipped our name on the wait list. Booo! We went up to ask them and got seated shortly after. By then, we were all hungry for food! Good thing that the food was delicious.

Boccali's in Ojai was on our list to try during our first visit to Ojai, especially since it's a…read morefamily-owned and operated restaurant. We were already pretty full from spending the afternoon in town, so we ordered a pizza to share, the scampi pasta, and a Caesar .The pasta was delicious. The pizza had a slightly off taste to me personally and the toppings seem to slide off, although the rest of our group seemed to enjoy it. The staff were very friendly and accommodating throughout our visit. The restaurant is situated on a main road and the seating outside is really nice. We also ordered the strawberry shortcake, and it was amazing. The strawberries were fresh and it was definitely a highlight of the meal. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and a nice spot!