SANTA BARBARA SPECIALS

Sea urchins

The waters off the coast of Santa Barbara are rich in uni, or sea urchins, which are harvested year-round and dished up at restaurants across the city. You might see them served with raw scallops and slices of lime at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, or as part of a biryani at modern Indian restaurant Bibi Ji. shellfishco.com bibijisb.com

Merlot

Despite the ‘merlot slump’, you’ll still find some top-notch merlot produced in the area around Santa Barbara. For a taste, pay a visit to The Valley Project winery, or Conway Family Wines’ Deep Sea Tasting Room, both of which offer wines by the glass and bottles to take home. thevalleyprojectwines.com conwayfamilywines.com