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GOURMET TRAVELLER 169

City guide

PHOTOGARPHY GETTY IMAGES (SANTA BARBARA, STATE STREET) & ROB STARK (LOQUITA)

EAT

STAY SEE

Don’t

miss

Channel Islands

National Park

comprises five of eight

small uninhabited

islands, the closest

being20kilometres

offshore. Known as the

“Galápagos of North

America”, this marine

sanctuary has kelp

forests, spectacular

sea caves and more

than 2000 species of

animals and plants.

Takeadaytripor

stay overnight in

campgrounds to kayak,

scuba dive and camp

with Santa Barbara

Adventure Company.

sbadventureco.com

Santa Barbara

Los Angeles’ northern neighbour is a sunny mix of Californian

attitude and cool-climate wine country, writesLUCY E COUSINS.

Santa Barbara

and the Santa

Ynez Mountains.

Loquita

The latest venture by the Santa

Barbara Wine Collective brings

Spanish flavours to the Funk

Zone, serving paellas, hot and

cold tapas and an all-Spanish

wine list. Order the crowd

favourite – seafood paella

with squid ink and Venus

clams – and sit inside or

by a fireplace on the patio.

Or take a bar stool at the

adjacent pintxos bar, Poquita,

for jamón and Manchego

tastings.202StateSt,

loquitasb.com

Barbareño

Twentysomething owners

Julian Martinez and Jesse

Gaddy serve a sophisticated

farm-to-table menu using only

local and organic ingredients

in a smart neighbourhood

restaurant. A reimagined

California roll of spot prawns,

avocado, honeydew, wasabi

and yuzu exemplifies their

work.205 West Canon Perdido

St, barbareno.com

Olio Crudo

For crudo and cocktails, or if

you’re waiting for a table at

Sicilian eatery Olio e Limone,

take a bar seat next door at

Olio Crudo. Expect the likes of

bluefin tuna belly with ginger

vinaigrette and wasabi shoots,

buffalo tartare, and a long list

of cocktails includes the

Olio Margarita, made with

amaretto, and an Italian

Old-Fashioned, with whiskey,

basil and blood orange.11 West

Victoria St, olioelimone.com

Kimpton Canary Santa BarbaraThe

canary theme is evoked by yellow bird

motifs and Mediterranean styling in the

hotel’s97rooms,withhandpaintedtiles,

wall tapestries and dark timber floors. The

rooftop has views of the ocean and Santa

Ynez range, a swimming pool, hot tub and

fireplaces. Complimentary local wines

are served in the lobby every night. 31

West Carrillo St, canarysantabarbara.com

TheFunk Zone(funkzone.net) in the

formerindustrialareaattheendofState

Street is a hub of sleek, modern design

in cafés, studios and boutiques spanning

about10blocks.Andwhileyou’reonfoot,

follow the self-guidedSanta Barbara

Urban Wine Trail(urbanwinetrailsb.com)

linking 29 wineries and tasting rooms

downtown; many venues stage live

music and exhibitions.

Eat, drink and shoot during an El Paseo Food and Photo tour of the historic

El Presidio neighbourhood, or a similar stroll through the Funk Zone – with

guides and the county’s most interesting wines.eatthisshootthat.com

Qantas, United,

Delta, American

and Virgin

Australia are

among airlines

flying direct from

select Australian

cities to Los

Angeles. Connect

to Santa Barbara

on United Airlines

(about an hour),

by train (two

hours 50 minutes)

or by car (one

hour 40 minutes).

Getting

there