Restaurants in Buellton, CA, where Highway 246 meets US-101 in Santa Barbara County, are spread out, so plan to drive, and pick by what's open. Book Hitching Post 2 for red oak-grilled steak (closed Tuesday). Industrial Eats fires wood-oven pizza daily from noon, and Firestone Walker and Fig Mountain need no reservation. Breakfast is Mother Hubbard's, daily from 7:30am.
The short version
- Sideways pilgrimsHitching Post 2, book ahead
- Refueling between poursIndustrial Eats, from noon daily
- Beer people, no plansFirestone Walker, no reservations
- Early startsMother Hubbard's, from 7:30am
- Dodging a closed doorEvery kitchen's hours, day by day
This week
- Nov6–8Buellton Fall Festival · Visit Buellton
Avenue of the Flags; Fri 4-10pm, Sat-Sun 12-10pm; carnival rides, live music on two stages; Ales on the Avenue beer and wine tasting Sat (tickets) · Free · by City of Buellton
- FriNov 6NatureTrack Film Festival · Visit NatureTrack Foundation
8th annual; reception 6pm, program 6:45pm at the SYV Grange Hall · $25 · by NatureTrack Foundation
- SatNov 7Alma Rosa Fall Harvest Dinner · Visit Alma Rosa Winery
Winery event; check access on the listing · Not published · by Alma Rosa Winery
- SatNov 7SYV Historical Museum Vaquero Benefit Dinner & Auction · Visit Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
42nd annual · Tickets (early bird from Aug 1) · by Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum
Go for
- Groups: Vega Vineyard & Farm
- A patio: Mother Hubbard's Restaurant
- Families: Hudson's Grill at Figueroa Mountain Brewing, Vega Vineyard & Farm and Mother Hubbard's Restaurant
- No reservation needed: Firestone Walker Buellton Taproom & Barrelworks
- Bringing the dog: Hudson's Grill at Figueroa Mountain Brewing and Vega Vineyard & Farm
Map
Map loads here. Each listing also has a Directions link.
Scroll the list and the map follows.
Which Buellton restaurants are open today?
Mother Hubbard's opens first, at 7:30am every day, and Industrial Eats, Firestone Walker and Fig Mountain all serve seven days a week. Tuesday is the gap: Hitching Post 2 and its tasting room close. Today's column is marked.
| Restaurant | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitching Post 2 | 4:30–9pm | Closed | 4:30–9pm | 4:30–9pm | 4:30–9pm | 4:30–9pm | 4:30–9pm |
| Industrial Eats | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–8pm |
| Firestone Walker Buellton Taproom & Barrelworks | 11am–8pm | 11am–8pm | 11am–8pm | 11am–8pm | 11am–9pm | 11am–9pm | 10am–8pm |
| Hudson's Grill at Figueroa Mountain Brewing | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–8pm | noon–9pm | noon–9pm | noon–8pm |
| Vega Vineyard & Farm | 11am–5pm | 11am–5pm | 11am–5pm | 11am–5pm | 11am–8pm | 10am–8pm | 10am–5pm |
| Mother Hubbard's Restaurant | 7:30am–2pm | 7:30am–2pm | 7:30am–2pm | 7:30am–2pm | 7:30am–2pm | 7:30am–2pm | 7:30am–2pm |
| Giorgio's at Parkway | 11am–3pm, 4–8pm | 11am–3pm, 4–8pm | 11am–3pm, 4–8pm | 11am–3pm, 4–8pm | 11am–3pm, 4–8pm | 11am–3pm, 4–8pm | Closed |
Closed by day: Monday: everything on the grid is open. Tuesday: Hitching Post 2. Wednesday: everything on the grid is open. Thursday: everything on the grid is open. Friday: everything on the grid is open. Saturday: everything on the grid is open. Sunday: Giorgio's at Parkway.
Hitching Post 2: last seating 8:30pm; the tasting room next door serves lunch Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30am–3pm. Vega: brunch Saturday and Sunday 10am–1pm. Not on the grid: AJ Spurs Saloon & Dining Hall, Ellen's Danish Pancake House, Rudy's Mexican Restaurant. AJ Spurs' own site says "Call for Hours" for Buellton (805-686-1655), Ellen's has no working website, and Rudy's site lists no hours for its Buellton kitchen (805-686-5268), so call first. Holidays and private events can change all of this; Hitching Post 2 closes on eight holidays a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas among them.
What are the best restaurants in Buellton?
You'll drive between these, because they're spread around town: on Highway 246, on Avenue of Flags, on Industrial Way (home to Industrial Eats and Fig Mountain), on McMurray Road and out on Santa Rosa Road. Each listing carries real prices from its own menu. Between meals, see things to do in Buellton.
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Missvain, CC BY 4.0 Editor's pickSanta Maria-style grill · Buellton
Hitching Post 2Reserve
Eater LA Eater LA's best places to eat around the Santa Ynez Valley
Buellton's best-known dinner, open since 1986, with roots in the Casmalia Hitching Post of 1952. Meat, seafood and vegetables are grilled over red oak, Santa Maria-style, and served with the house's own Hitching Post wines. Book ahead: it's dinner only, and closed Tuesdays.
- Open
- Dinner Wed–Mon 4:30–9pm (last seating 8:30); bar from 4pm
- Price
- Filet mignon, the house specialty since 1986, $56 (5 oz); prime top sirloin $44 (7 oz); grilled artichoke $20. Entrées include a vegetable tray, garlic bread, salad or soup and a side
- Booking
- Closed Tuesdays; reservations strongly encouraged (phone after 10am or OpenTable)
More details
Press Eater LA's best places to eat around the Santa Ynez Valley: "A Buellton institution just off the highway". Eater LA, Aug 18 2026
- Burger nights Mon, Wed & Thu
- Tasting room next door: Wed–Sun 11:30am–5pm, lunch 11:30–3
406 E Highway 246, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-688-0676
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“Some of the finest sandwiches in the Santa Ynez Valley”
Eater LA, Aug 18 2026 Editor's pickWood-fired & butcher shop · Buellton
Industrial Eats
Eater LA Eater LA's best places to eat around the Santa Ynez Valley
Two wood-fired ovens, communal tables and a butcher shop, all in a converted warehouse on Industrial Way. The menu is seasonal and the doors open at noon every day, which makes it the easy answer for lunch between tastings.
- Open
- Open every day. Open daily 12pm–8pm
- Price
- Margherita pizza $20; beef and ricotta meatballs $22; the burger $20
More details
Connections Jeff and Janet Olsson ran New West Catering for years before opening Industrial Eats in 2013. Jeff, who died in 2023, also opened Eye on I in Lompoc; Janet runs Industrial Eats today. Source
Press Eater LA's best places to eat around the Santa Ynez Valley: "some of the finest sandwiches in the Santa Ynez Valley". Eater LA, Aug 18 2026
- Communal tables; craft butcher shop on site
181 Industrial Way, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-688-8807
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Brewery gastropub · Buellton
Firestone Walker Buellton Taproom & Barrelworks
No reservations, so just turn up. The big, multi-level gastropub has a menu built to go with beer, two outdoor patios and Barrelworks, Firestone Walker's wild ale cellar.
- Open
- Open every day. Sun 10am–8pm; Mon–Thu 11am–8pm; Fri–Sat 11am–9pm
- Price
- 805 Smash Burger $19; Lion's Fish 'N' Chips $24; Thursday tri-tip plate $22; Taco Tuesday, 3 chicken tacos $12
- Booking
- No reservations (group inquiries 25+)
Go for A drop-in visit
More details
- Two outdoor patios; Barrelworks wild ales
620 McMurray Rd, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-697-4777
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Missvain, CC BY 4.0 Brewery taproom & grill · Buellton
Hudson's Grill at Figueroa Mountain Brewing
Bring the kids, or the dog. Fig Mountain's original taproom and main brewery now has Hudson's Grill serving food, plus an outdoor area and live music, and it's family and dog friendly. Tuesday is trivia night.
- Open
- Open every day. Open daily from 12pm (to 8pm; to 9pm Fri–Sat)
- Price
- Hudson Smash Burger $8; Margherita pizza $16; tri-tip sandwich $12 (Hudson's Grill online menu)
Go with The dog · The kids
More details
- Family friendly, dog friendly, outdoor area, live music
- Head Games Trivia Tuesdays 6pm
45 Industrial Way, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-350-9435
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Editor's pickWinery farm restaurant · Edge of Buellton
Vega Vineyard & FarmReserve
94 pts Vinous on the 2023 Dal Prato
Farm animals to feed, a kids' play area and, Friday through Sunday, tractor rides: this Santa Rosa Road winery, restaurant and working farm is built with families in mind. Lunch is daily, brunch is at weekends, and dogs are welcome under its posted dog policy.
- Open
- Lunch daily from 11am (to 5pm; 8pm Fri–Sat); weekend brunch 10am–1pm
- Price
- Margherita flatbread $22; Vega Burger $30; 12-hour braised short rib $38
- Getting there
- Just south of Highway 101 on Santa Rosa Rd, about 2 min by car from Avenue of Flags
Go for Brunch
More details
Press Billy Norris gave its 2023 Dal Prato 94 points. Vinous, Aug 29 2025
- Kids' play area, animal feeding, tractor rides (Fri–Sun)
- Dogs welcome under posted rules (max 2 dogs for groups of 8+)
- Kids must stay at the table in the tasting and dining areas
9496 Santa Rosa Rd, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-688-2415
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Breakfast diner · Buellton
Mother Hubbard's Restaurant
Go for breakfast: omelets, corned beef hash and chicken-fried steak. The Avenue of the Flags diner has been serving classic American food for more than 40 years, with outdoor seating, a kids' menu and vegan options too.
- Open
- Open every day. Daily 7:30am–2pm
- Price
- Ma Hubb's home-made corned beef hash $21.70; chicken-fried steak $27.50; short stack $16.25 (online order menu)
Go for Patio time
More details
- Breakfast-focused American menu; kids' menu and vegan dishes
- Outdoor seating; pickup and delivery
373 Avenue of Flags, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-688-3912
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Jim Moore, CC BY 2.0 Family-style steakhouse · Buellton
AJ Spurs Saloon & Dining HallReserve
Every family-style meal starts with vaquero soup, tequila beans and homemade salsa, and Discover Buellton suggests mixing all three together. The huge log cabin on Highway 246 has been open since April 1990. It’s also in Sideways: Jack meets the waitress Cami here.
- Price
- 8 oz top sirloin dinner $36.50, with vaquero soup, tequila beans, salad, spuds and a root beer float; the 35 oz Gambler $62.99
- Booking
- Family-style dinners; reservations available
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Danish pancakes & all-day breakfast · Buellton
Ellen's Danish Pancake House
Danish-style pancakes and breakfast served until closing, in a Buellton dining room Discover Buellton dates to 1947. Insider tip from the town's own sandwich roundup: order the Monte Cristo and a basket of onion rings for the table.
- Open
- Open every day. Open daily 6am–2pm
More details
- Breakfast all day; hot and cold sandwiches with house potato salad
272 Avenue of the Flags, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-688-5312
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Italian: handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza · Buellton
Giorgio's at Parkway
Handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza on Avenue of the Flags, for lunch or an early dinner. A pepperoni pizza is $45 and the chicken piccata $20, and everything comes to go or delivered too.
Go if you're feeding a family in Buellton and everyone's done with pancakes and tacos.
- Open
- Mon to Sat: lunch 11am to 3pm, dinner 4pm to 8pm
- Price
- Pepperoni pizza $45; chicken piccata $20; polpettone (meatballs with ricotta) $14
More details
- Dine in, takeout or delivery
265 Avenue of the Flags, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-693-2509
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Mexican: crispy tacos, enchiladas, burritos · Buellton
Rudy's Mexican Restaurant
Rudy and Alma Alvaro opened the first Rudy's on Montecito Street in Santa Barbara in 1976, cooking with pots and pans from their own kitchen. Their kids run the five locations now, and the crispy tacos are what Santa Barbara knows them for.
Go if you want crispy tacos fast on Highway 246, then straight back to tasting.
More details
- Main and vegan menus online
- One of five Rudy's locations
234 East Highway 246, Buellton, CA 93427 · 805-686-5268
Is the Hitching Post 2 worth it?
Yes, if you want the dinner Buellton is known for. Discover Buellton describes red oak-fired Santa Maria barbecue as a style native to the area [1], and Hitching Post 2 has been cooking it here since 1986. Dinner runs Wednesday to Monday from 4:30pm, with burger nights on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The filet mignon, the house specialty since 1986, is $56 for 5 oz, and every entrée comes with a vegetable tray, garlic bread, salad or soup and a side. The restaurant strongly encourages reservations. For something more casual, the tasting room next door serves lunch Wednesday to Sunday with no reservation needed, unless you're a group of 8 or more. Hours, the menu and the Sideways story are in our Hitching Post 2 visitor's guide.
Where to eat in Buellton without a reservation?
Firestone Walker isn't taking reservations, so just turn up. Industrial Eats is open daily from 12pm to 8pm, and Hudson's Grill at Fig Mountain opens at noon every day and is dog and family friendly. Fig Mountain is also on Industrial Way, so you can easily do both. Live in the valley? Firestone Walker takes 25% off beer, food and gear every Monday for Santa Ynez Valley residents who show ID with a valley address. For every taproom in both towns, see breweries in Solvang and Buellton. If you're tasting nearby, see the Buellton tasting rooms in our Sta. Rita Hills guide.
What are the best breakfast spots in Buellton?
Mother Hubbard's on Avenue of Flags is the old-school choice, open daily 7:30am to 2pm, with Ma Hubb's home-made corned beef hash ($21.70 on its online menu), outdoor seating and a kids' menu. Vega serves brunch from 10am to 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Solvang is next door and has more choice: see breakfast in Solvang.
After Pea Soup Andersen's
The restaurant isn't. In its own words, Pea Soup Andersen's Inn says "The neighboring Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant has closed for redevelopment." The inn is separately owned and still takes guests [2]. See Buellton hotels. In July 2026 the city cleared most of the old restaurant complex for demolition; the dates and sources are on our closed and renamed page.
Where to eat off Highway 101 in Buellton
Three places sit on Avenue of Flags, within a minute's drive of each other: Mother Hubbard's for breakfast until 2pm, Ellen's Danish Pancake House for Danish pancakes, and Giorgio's at Parkway for pasta and pizza (closed Sunday). Firestone Walker on McMurray Road is a minute's drive from the same block. Allow extra time on the way: Caltrans is rebuilding about ten miles of US-101 through Buellton, with work due to finish in March 2027, and Discover Buellton advises planning for delays of up to 10 minutes in the work zone.
Can you walk between Buellton restaurants?
Only along Avenue of Flags. Buellton spreads along two highways, so plan to drive between most of these; nothing here is more than 4 minutes from Avenue of Flags by car. Walk times from the 500 block of Avenue of Flags:
- Avenue of Flags, 3 to 6 minutes: Mother Hubbard's at No. 373, then Giorgio's at Parkway (No. 265) and Ellen's (No. 272), about 5 minutes.
- McMurray Road, 10 minutes: Firestone Walker's taproom and Barrelworks.
- Industrial Way, 14 to 21 minutes: Industrial Eats (14) and Fig Mountain (21), 2 to 4 minutes by car.
- Highway 246, 14 to 21 minutes: Rudy's (14), AJ Spurs (18) and Hitching Post 2 (21), each 2 to 3 minutes by car.
- Santa Rosa Road: Vega Vineyard & Farm, 3 minutes by car.
Staying over? Buellton hotels covers the motels and inns on the same few streets.
Where is Buellton, CA?
This is Buellton, California, ZIP 93427, in Santa Barbara County, at the western end of the Santa Ynez Valley where Highway 246 crosses US-101. A Buellton mailing address can sit miles from town: Peake Ranch on Santa Rosa Road uses one and is 5.8 miles, 14 minutes out. Drive times to Avenue of Flags, without traffic:
| From | To Avenue of Flags, Buellton |
|---|---|
| Solvang (Solvang Park) | 3.8 mi, 7 min |
| Santa Ynez (Sagunto Street) | 7.5 mi, 14 min |
| Los Olivos (the flagpole) | 9.2 mi, 14 min |
| Los Alamos (Bell Street), on Highway 101 | 14.0 mi, 17 min |
| Lompoc (City Hall), on Highway 246 | 17.4 mi, 26 min |
| Santa Maria (Town Center), on Highway 101 | 32.4 mi, 39 min |
| Santa Barbara (County Courthouse), on Highway 101 | 43.3 mi, 53 min |
| San Luis Obispo (the mission), on Highway 101 | 62.8 mi, 74 min |
For the rest of the day, see the Buellton town guide and things to do in Buellton. Solvang is next door: which Solvang restaurants are open today.
Plan your day
- MorningBreakfast first: Best coffee in the Santa Ynez ValleyBy town, plus where to work
- MiddayGo tasting: Sta. Rita Hills wineriesCold-climate Pinot, 1971 vines
- EveningBook dinner: Best pizza in the Santa Ynez ValleyWood-fired to delivery
- LateNight out: Solvang happy hoursSpritzes, Industry Night, 8pm deals
- OvernightFind a bed: Buellton hotelsA windmill check-in, pea soup lore
Good to know
Where can I eat in Buellton without a reservation? Firestone Walker's taproom doesn't take reservations at all, Industrial Eats is open daily from noon to 8pm, and Hudson's Grill at Fig Mountain is open from noon every day. The Hitching Post tasting room lunch (Wednesday to Sunday) also needs no booking unless you're a group of 8 or more.
Which Buellton restaurants are open on Tuesday? Almost all of them. Hitching Post 2 and its tasting room close on Tuesday, but Industrial Eats, Firestone Walker, Hudson's Grill at Fig Mountain, Vega, Mother Hubbard's and Giorgio's at Parkway all open. Tuesday is Taco Tuesday at Firestone Walker (three chicken tacos for $12) and trivia night at Fig Mountain at 6pm. On Sunday, Giorgio's is the one that closes.
How much does a meal cost in Buellton? From an $8 smash burger to a $56 steak, on the menus we read. Hudson's Grill at Fig Mountain lists its Hudson Smash Burger at $8, Firestone Walker's 805 Smash Burger is $19, a Margherita pizza is $20 at Industrial Eats, and a 7 oz prime top sirloin is $44 at Hitching Post 2, with salad, sides and garlic bread included. AJ Spurs' 8 oz top sirloin dinner is $36.50 with soup, beans and a root beer float.
Can you walk between restaurants in Buellton? Only on Avenue of Flags. From the 500 block, Mother Hubbard's is a 3-minute walk and Giorgio's at Parkway and Ellen's Danish Pancake House about 5 minutes. Firestone Walker is 10 minutes on foot, Industrial Eats 14, and Hitching Post 2 and Fig Mountain about 21, so most people drive: nothing on this list is more than 4 minutes away by car.
Quick answers
What are the best restaurants in Buellton?
For dinner, Hitching Post 2, the Santa Maria-style grill open since 1986. For lunch, Industrial Eats, a wood-fired warehouse kitchen open daily from noon. For beer and food, the Firestone Walker taproom or Hudson's Grill at Fig Mountain. For a farm lunch with kids, Vega Vineyard & Farm.
Is the Hitching Post 2 worth it?
If you want classic Santa Maria-style barbecue grilled over red oak, with wine from the house's own label, yes. The filet mignon has been the house specialty since 1986 ($56 for 5 oz), and every entrée comes with a vegetable tray, garlic bread, salad or soup and a side. It serves dinner only, Wednesday through Monday, and is closed Tuesdays, so book ahead: the restaurant strongly encourages reservations.
What are the best breakfast spots in Buellton?
Mother Hubbard's on Avenue of Flags, the town diner for more than 40 years, serves breakfast daily from 7:30am to 2pm: Ma Hubb's home-made corned beef hash is $21.70 on its online menu. Vega Vineyard & Farm does brunch from 10am to 1pm on weekends.
Where can you eat in Buellton now that Pea Soup Andersen's is closed?
The restaurant closed in January 2024, and in July 2026 the city approved demolishing most of the old complex. Highway 246 still has two old-school dinner houses: the Hitching Post 2, grilling over red oak since 1986, and AJ Spurs, a log dining hall where every steak dinner comes with soup, beans and a root beer float. For lunch, Industrial Eats does wood-fired pizza from noon daily.
What is the ZIP code for Buellton, CA?
93427. Buellton, California, is in Santa Barbara County, at the western end of the Santa Ynez Valley where Highway 246 meets US-101. Solvang is 7 minutes east, Lompoc 26 minutes west and the Santa Barbara courthouse 53 minutes south on Highway 101, without traffic.
Sources
tap to open
- Discover Buellton, Hitching Post 2
- Pea Soup Andersen's Inn
- Each restaurant's own website, linked in its listing above.
- Pea Soup Andersen's Restaurant closure (January 2024) and the July 9, 2026 city council vote to demolish most of the property: KSBY and Noozhawk (checked Oct 27, 2026).
- Hitching Post 2: dinner menu (steaks $44 to $85, grilled artichoke $20) and hours page (dinner Wednesday to Monday 4:30 to 9pm, burger nights Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, closed Tuesday), checked Oct 27, 2026.
- Open-today hours: each place's own site, read Oct 18, 2026, linked from its listing. Menu prices, Oct 18, 2026: Hitching Post 2 dinner menu, Industrial Eats, Firestone Walker Buellton, Hudson's Grill at Fig, Vega (fall 2026 food menu), Mother Hubbard's, AJ Spurs, Giorgio's at Parkway.
- Highway 101 work: Caltrans District 5, Jul 29, 2026 and Discover Buellton.
- Walk and drive times: OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data, Oct 18, 2026, from the 500 block of Avenue of Flags.
- Source log with supporting quotes kept on file for every name, hour and price.
Last updated Oct 27, 2026. We list what each place publishes. We haven't eaten at every one, and we never copy reviews. Confirm hours before you go.
