Comfort food reigns supreme at Peasants Feast, where burgers, tacos, and what may be the best fried chicken sandwich in a 100-mile radius headline the menu. Owners Michael and Sarah Cherney approach each dish with care, a connection to local farms and producers, and an eye toward feeding regulars and travelers alike. This small cozy corner of Solvang buzzes daily, especially on weekends.

Good Seed might as well be Solvang’s city hall. Part coffee shop, part bakery, the busy Mission Drive space is packed with locals, tourists, and passersby, all eager for an espresso drink or cup of drip coffee. The bakery doesn’t disappoint either, with a variety of vegan and gluten-free pastries and toasts. It’s the kind of food and location that makes everyone show up on a busy Saturday morning.

This classic steakhouse serving Santa Maria-style barbecue prepared over red oak is a must-stop for first-time and long-time visitors alike. The steaks are dependably great, but don’t overlook the immensely juicy grilled quails, and be sure to pair them with locally produced wine.

The ultimate IYKYK spot in the Valley is Santa Ynez Billiards & Cafe, a pool hall serving an under-the-radar menu of falafel, shawarma, kababs, tabouli, and more. Originally from Syria, the Abdulaziz family moved to the area from Michigan in 2015 to run the pool hall and sports bar, and slowly introduced Middle Eastern foods using family recipes. For a best-of-both-worlds experience, try the tri-tip sandwich rubbed with Syrian and Santa Maria spices and grilled over red oak.

Cynthia Miranda’s adorably appointed Lucky Hen Larder is the ideal stop for picnic provisions in the Valley. The to-go lunch menu is full of satisfying sandwiches, like the tri-tip on ciabatta and the antipasto with ham, fennel salami, prosciutto, olive salad, and more, while the takeout cheese and charcuterie platters are expertly curated for parties large and small.

Head to Maverick Saloon for a break from the wine crowds. The dusty wooden semi-dive is popular with locals, featuring dollar bills on the ceiling, live music and events most weekends, plus a full slate of classic cocktails and pub grub, like wings, onion rings, and pepperoni-topped flatbreads.

Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, Little King Coffee is the latest spot to caffeinate well in Buellton. The understated yet stylish cafe is owned and operated by wife-and-husband team Grace Gates and Ryan Dobosh. The two hospitality vets managed the dining rooms at Bar Le Cote and Bell’s before opening Little King. The shop brews Coastal Coffee Collective and serves pastries from Wayward Baking in Los Osos.

Pastries, sandwiches, and other bready delights are the order of the day at Bob Oswaks’s Ballard outpost of Bob’s Well Bread. This Ballard standalone has proven to be a hit with wine country visitors, so don’t be surprised to find some weekend lines — and Oswaks himself working the counter.

Chef Luca Crestanelli’s Nella Kitchen & Bar in Los Olivos is a gorgeous mix of Italian flavors and coastal California sensibilities. The hotel restaurant has a sturdy bar for wine sipping and chatting, a patio for catching sunny rays, and a robust menu of pinsas, seafood snacks, and meaty mains. The Verona-born chef also oversees S.Y. Kitchen in Santa Ynez, which is known for its scratch-made plates of pasta like the wild mushroom pappardelle.

Swing in for lunch, happy hour, or dinner at Bar Le Côte, the seafood-focused sister restaurant to Michelin-starred Bell’s in Los Alamos. Executive chef and co-owner Brad Mathews is behind the stove at this Los Olivos gem. The menu is chock-full of local seafood and European nods that pair exceptionally well with wine. The peel-and-eat shrimp and saffron buns with sea urchin butter appear on nearly every table.

It can be a tough task reimagining a historic establishment like the restaurant at the Inn at Mattie’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection, but chef Rhoda Magbitang deftly balances meeting the expectations of longtime guests with making the menu her own. Start with the warm focaccia served with butter before settling into platters of squid ink rice and delicate Central Coast abalone. A chocolate souffle to finish is a must.

Full of Life Flatbread has been holding it down on Bell Street in Los Alamos since 2003, when Clark Staub opened the quirky pizzeria. Whether your pizza is topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, or caramelized onions, every ingredient is well-considered and sourced. Order the hush-hush Beast for dessert.

After years of operating in Bell’s backyard, Priedite Barbecue has a permanent home at Bodega. The Saturdays-only operation from Nick Priedite and Brandon Dwan attracts a good-sized crowd that queues up early for outstanding brisket, sausages, and pork ribs; the seasonal buttermilk pudding for dessert is a must. The duo runs an appealing smash burger menu called Bandito Burgers on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.