Los Olivos Grocery
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
17 Reviews for Los Olivos Grocery
LOVE IT HERE. An authentic trip to wine country must entail a nice little picnic at your favorite vineyard while admiring the beauty Santa Ynez has to offer...and there is no better place to pick up the necessities than at Los Olivos Grocery. All the cheeses, meats, sandwiches and salads from the deli and goodies you could want. Pick them up here, not somewhere like Ralph's on your trip up, for heaven's sake. The locals come here and it is such an easy and yummy option to help balance out the wine that will be filling up your tummy.
On my first trip up to Los Olivos, I was told lunch would be had at this little grocery before hitting Grand Avenue and the town's tasting rooms. Frankly, I couldn't think of a better introduction to the area than having a tasty meal in this quaint little space.
As one would expect from a grocery store from a little town like Los Olivos, the entrance of the store is flanked a myriad of cute garden adornments available for purchase, and beyond that are two screened patio eating areas. Once inside, you're presented with a small space of narrow aisles of things a grocery typically has, and in the back is the real gem of the place: the deli-like ready-to-eat portion of the restaurant.
The menu has a great selection of delectable sandwiches, as well as a nice selection of salads, pastas, and the like in the deli case below. The people behind the counter are quick and courteous, and once you place your order, you take your slip, nab a beverage on the way to checkout, find a table to sit, and your food comes to you not long after you've settled down.
Paying about $9 for a sandwich may seem a bit steep, but for the size and quality of sandwich you get (plus, let's not forget you're in BF Wine Country), they are well worth the price. I had the Figueroa Fat Boy (You can take the Angelino out of LA...), which had pastrami and roast beef with Swiss, red onion and romaine lettuce between two tasty slices of rye. Although a double slice of Swiss was a bit overpowering, every bite was very, very good, with the slices of meat sliced near paper-thin and piled to a modest and tasty level. Across the table (I believe) was the Tuscan Treasure, which as one may guess was an Italian deli meat medley, which included prosciutto, a meat I don't really like, but was very excellent in this large sandwich. The balance of the meats with the fresh onion made me almost envious I didn't choose that sandwich as mine. Shared was their Mediterranean salad, which was a fresh mix of feta cheese, olives, parsley cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. which was a nice accompaniment to the sammies, though I half hoped that there were a bit more olives in the mix, especially being where we were and all...
If your meal didn't fill you up enough, they have some pastries and gelato for sale off near the checkout stands, which was not visited this trip, but am curious to sample.
Long review short, if you're not planning on dining at one of the spots on Grand, or need food for an impromptu picnic in this beautiful valley, Los Olivos Grocery is a much needed stop - as well as a great place to stretch your legs if you're coming from LA or thereabouts.
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A necessary stop for anybody wine touring around the Los Olivos area especially if you didn't plan ahead and bring any snacks or food for a vineyard picnic. The selection of fine foods is very impressive. Great produce, delicious meats, fancy cheeses, great deli items, etc, etc.
Prices are high for a normal grocery, but that should come as no surprise. What are you going to do? There is one place in all of Los Olivos to buy good stuff like this. Your fault for not stopping somewhere before you got up here. Just suck it up.
Simply put, one of the best small markets of it's kind anywhere.
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Short Version: An oasis in wine country.
Long Version: This small and folksy grocery store is perfect for stocking up in the middle of wine country. You can buy everything you might want for a fantastic picnic out in the vineyards, or order a very tasty salad or sandwich from the counter at the back. And of course, they have a clean public bathroom, which I guarantee you will find necessary. The employees are low-key and friendly, and you're in the middle of sheer, natural beauty.
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The tri-tip sandwich is the BOMB! No joke. Call ahead and save yourself a hassle, although the wait is generally not bad. Panini's are good as well.
A fun little grocery store on the 154 on the way to the Grand Avenue wine tasting rooms. The types of items they stock remind me a lot of an Andronico's or maybe Whole Foods, but the real reason to come is for the restaurant inside. You order your food at the counter in the back of the store, and then sit out on the front porch and enjoy your lunch in the beautiful Santa Ynez valley.
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This is a cute grocery store with all the fancy cheeses, meats, produce and other treats would make up a nice summer picnic. But we went straight back to the deli counter to order sandwiches. The tri-tip was the perfect for a hot summer day, served with a sides of sweet BBQ sauce and mild roasted tomato chutney. Under the ceiling fan on the patio we watched folks come and before the backdrop of the impressive golden-brown Santa Ynez mountains.
TRI TIP!!!
TRI TIP!!!
TRI TIP!!!
That's really all you need to know. Get it with the ribs if you need variety. Go on the weekend --- when they have the wood-smokin' BBQ rolling. The PORCH restaurant is open on weekend nights. The wine selection is great... the cheese selection is TO DIE FOR. BREAD is FRESH!!! The prices are okay --- but it's delicious so just grin and bear it.
There's also yummy gelato --- and their cakes look delicious as well!
Really --- all you need to know is TRI TIP TRIP TIP TRIP TIP!
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Good little grocery run by an ex-Whole Foods executive as his "2nd career in wine country" project. Nice selection of gourmet treats although prices can be high and you should check the dates/freshness of some items, like dairy, because the turnover seems a little slow.
Nice baked goods section and good deli in back. Also, they have decent BBQ out front on many weekends.
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Los Olivos Grocery (known as LOG to the locals) is a pleasant little grocery store/restaurant located in the heart of beautiful San Ynez Valley - an earshot from the central coast.
Reminiscent of a smaller Whole Foods, it ups the ante with its large stock of local beers and wines. It is always a surprise going in there because they seem to find the new foods to stock all the time.
Make sure you try the restaurant though. They offer a full serve dinner menu out on the "Porch" which overlooks rolling vineyards across the highway. Everything I have had there is delicious, but here are a few select things I would recommend (just because you asked so nicely). My personal favorite is the Cachuma Chicken Sandwich. Named after a local lake in the area, this sandwich features a wonderful grilled chicken breast, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and pepperonis on toasted sourdough bread (I sound like the menu, ha). It is perfect. SUPER tasty. I am also a fan of the Tri-Tip sandwich (which is what the central coast is famous for), but make sure you try it on the weekend when they offer full serve BBQ (try it with some of their signature, homemade BBQ sauce). I haven't ever been disappointed so don't be afraid to be adventurous and try something new.
This place is a great place to mellow out and relax. The weather is always nice and the view never ceases to amaze. With the occasional car driving the quiet highway, or the family out for an afternoon horseback ride, you can be sure that your visit will be quiet and refreshing.
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Cool place, like a mini country Whole Foods, and nice sitting area.
I felt like the advertisement of "serving local wines" was misleading, though-- they don't pour by the glass; you have to buy a bottle from the cooler (they have splits) and they charge a $5 corking fee.
Beckmen Vineyards was our first stop which was perfect as I was informed to stop and eat there with a picnic lunch. Ah, but where to get the picnic lunch to accompany Beckmen's world-class wines? If you've been to Napa, you know about Dean and Deluca's- the ultimate gourmet picnic shop. I sensed there must be the same thing for Los Olivos so I called the winery on my way up and asked where I should pick up the picnic lunch. I could not have asked for better- Los Olivos Grocery is an upscale gourmet deli with a Mediterranean flare offering dishes such as Sonoma Orzo Salad, Venetian Veggie served on massive ciabata, Calabrese sandwich on banguette, grape leaves, and quinoa-stuffed eggplant. And of course they have more traditional California-style offerings such as the Turkey with avocado and white cheddar and Cobb Salad. The store is filled with aisles of wine, cheese, specialty foods, and produce- both local and imported.
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Matthias, you're review is spot on. This is a great area to visit, and Los Olivos is a nice little slice. This grocery/restaurant has that small town feel, but with fancy baby vegetables and goat cheese.
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This so much more then a grocery. They have a small restaurant on the porch which has great Californian dishes (try the artichokes and the lamb with potatoe gratin). On the weekends they have BBQ. Also a great place to buy snacks to go for a picknick in Santa Ynez valley (a la Sideways).
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The grocery store's patio morphs into a fine dining restaurant after sundown.
The big drawing card is that the store's entire wine section is offered on the wine list, at retail, plus five dollars corkage. This is an incredible value for wine lovers.
The food is ambitious and well presented. All entrees come with a choice of two sides, to be chosen from a list which includes jasmine rice, sauteed haricort verts, broccoli and mushrooms, and several others.
Entrees I can recall include rack of lamb, NY steak with gorgonzola butter and balsamic glazed onions, amd roast duck breast with orange chutney. There were also a few fish specials, and some pasta dishes available.
Both the steak and the duck were very good, and the sides were delicious.
I love the wine program, and would return just to take advantage of that.
Service was spotty at first but recovered and was more than adequate overall.
Recommended.
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A great little grocery store that reminds me of Robert's in Woodside; but smaller and quainter. You would expect to run into your friends here. The store stocks some basics, and has a plethora of local wines and beers.
It's the deli in the back though that is really great. Super food from Sandwich's to small meals. The BBQ outside on the weekends is great, and the deck out front to sit and enjoy is super. Highly recommended.... oh yea, not the cheapest, but your in Santa Ynez Valley.
fresh off the wood burning grill, tri tip sandwich and drink for 7.99.
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