A foodie haven has opened it’s doors in Santa Barbara, the new Public Market located on the corner of Victoria and Chapala. For those of you familiar with the Ferry Building in San Francisco, this is like a mini version of it. There are a host of purveyors ranging from freshly made pastas to locally grown produce, cheeses and charcuterie, olive oils, meats and seafood. And lets not forget the breads, cupcakes and ice cream. This place is like a dream come true. It is a mini mecca for food and wine. The perfect place to pick up some cheese and charcuterie, grab some fresh baked artisan bread and a glass of wine or craft beer and relax and enjoy while you are contemplating what ingredients are striking your fancy for a nice dinner.
Most of the purveyors have kitchens so you can have a fantastic burger while you are deciding between the Belcampo lamb porterhouse or the Waygu Angus Belcampo Chop. If you’re can’t make up your mind do an oyster tasting over at the Santa Monica Seafood stall or pony up to the bar at the Empty Bowl for a bowl of one of their noodle soups and some handmade dumplings. It’s all part of the fun and experience. Rori’s Artisanal Creamery is not to be missed if you’re an ice cream fan, the rich flavors are worth the extra calories.
Being a coffee snob I’m always skeptical of new coffee places but the guys at Green Star Coffee have got it going on. They use only 100% certified organic fair-trade suppliers and roast all their beans locally. The Americano I had was full bodied with a rich flavor yet very light on the acid. A truly welcome surprise.
One of the other things we decided to do was sample some balsamic and olive oils and boy what a huge selection there was. Il Fustino has a variety of EVOO’s including those from mission, arbequina and ascolana olives. The flavored oils were bountiful as well including Habanero, smoked and blood orange. The vinegars were also a delight with a selection of balsamics both pure and infused with figs, black berries, and more. There were also a host of specialty oils like avocado, truffle and walnut. All these are available on bulk.
I could go on and on about this place but quite frankly you’ll just need to experience it for yourself next time you’re in Santa Barbara. The photos should help you make up your mind.