Santa Barbara's restaurant scene is one of the best on the Central Coast. Mexican cooking is a strong point — start with classic taquerias like La Super-Rica on Milpas Street, a Julia Child favourite for agua chiles and house-made chorizo. Seafood from the harbour is fresh and local; the Funk Zone, a few blocks inland from the beach, has the densest concentration of wine bars, breweries, and small-plate restaurants in a stretch of converted warehouses. Reservations are essential at the better tables, especially in summer.