Ah, Santa Barbara. Is there a more quintessential weekend getaway from Los Angeles? Maybe not.

While I’ve always appreciated Santa Barbara’s seaside splendor and Spanish architecture, its food scene — save for a few darlings — has mostly taken a backseat to the wonders of the Santa Ynez Valley. But over the last year, with a wave of exciting new openings, my attention has shifted away from wine country and to the coast.

I wrote about Santa Barbara’s white-hot dining scene for LAist earlier this month. Below are the standout dishes and drinks making the city an essential culinary destination right now.

Staying smack-dab in the middle of State Street at the Drift was a great call. The hotel’s minimalist aesthetic and on-site cocktail bar and coffee shop provided an ideal backdrop, while the in-room amenities were so excellent that I splurged on a robe, shampoo, and conditioner to recreate the immaculate vacation vibe at home.

As soon as The Astronomer and I checked into our room and dropped off our bags, we headed downstairs to Dusk for a drink. The Drift’s cocktail bar specializes in mezcal and agave spirits served in a come-as-you-are, indoor-outdoor space. My drink of choice was the Dusk Til Dawn — a refreshing peach spritz-style cocktail featuring mezcal.

Nothing transitions the mind from business to pleasure quite like a well-made drink.

While in town exploring some of the latest hotspots, I visited a few neighborhood institutions that have stood the test of time. The Pickle Room charmed me from the second I walked in; dusty dive vibes done right.

To pair with the Pickle Room’s classic cocktails is a menu of Chinese-American dishes. I overheard the woman sitting next to me order a bowl of egg drop soup to accompany her drink — a brilliant combination.

I couldn’t resist trying the Reuben egg rolls, which are served with a horseradish-heavy Russian dressing. The pastrami is sourced from the sandwich shop next door, which shares ownership with the Pickle Room. The egg rolls arrived hot, golden, and bisected on an eye-pleasing bias.

Whenever I asked friends and family where I should eat while in Santa Barbara, Loquita came up time and again. There’s something so fitting about feasting on Spanish cuisine while staying in a city shaped so heavily by its Spanish past.

The most memorable bite from Loquita was the first one to arrive: a spherified Castelvetrano olive. I always appreciate a nod-and-wink look back at culinary forefathers and this homage to El Bulli, the birthplace of Spanish molecular gastronomy, was fitting and fun.

Every morning while in Santa Barbara, I headed downstairs for a hit of caffeine at Dawn. Nothing beats the convenience of an expert coffee bar just a few floors below my room.

Baby’s first espresso tonic.

Santa Barbara is wonderfully walkable. Just a few steps from the hotel was Oat, a Scandinavian bakery owned by a husband-and-wife team. I gasped at the sight of its richly hued, perfectly room-temperature French Bordier butter —what a beaut!

The Astronomer and I shared the cinnamony hygge bun packed with dates and walnuts, a frøsnapper with an almond marzipan filling and sesame-poppy crust. Best of all was the Danish breakfast: a sourdough bun sliced and slathered with French Bordier butter, layered with Gouda, and brightened with apricot-jalapeño jam.

After so many years of eating Santa Barbara sea urchin, I finally tasted it on its home turf at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Co. located on Stearns Wharf.

The sea urchin was so freshly plucked from the ocean that it’s spines were still moving. Incredible.

We took a side quest to Montecito one evening to check out Ty Warner’s San Ysidro Ranch. I bought hundreds of Beanie Babies during its heyday, so I’d like to think that my compulsivity paid for some part of this magnificent resort.

The most memorable drink was the Miso Carajillo made with espresso, yuzu, nutmeg, and a salted miso caramel.

From the Ranch we walked down the hill for dinner at chef Diego Moya’s Little Mountain — one of the buzziest openings this past year.

I’ve been on a big non-alcoholic kick lately, mostly because the offerings have been so interesting and varied. But also, I sleep better without booze coursing through my veins. Ah, the joys of aging! This bubbly Norwegian lingonberry-and-rosemary pour from FJELL 01 tasted like a festive, effervescent collision of Christmas and New Year, in the best way.

God, the seafood in Santa Barbara County is outrageous, and chef knows exactly how to make it shine. I’m still thinking about the gorgeous flank of ruby-red tuna lightly brushed with guajillo, and paired with ripe honeydew and a fermented pepper-and-melon gazpacho.

Even simple koshihikari rice, fortified with house-made butter and white sesame seeds, was something to talk about under the chef’s care.

A wobbly and decadent slice of café de olla cheesecake made for a lovely finish at Little Mountain.

The following night for dinner, we ducked into the newish Dom’s, chef Dominique Crisp’s Central Coast spin on Basque cooking. I started with a pour of owner Raj Nallapothola’s Laie vermouth, served simply on the rocks with an orange slice and a green olive. It was just the thing to perk up my appetite.

I’m not usually a potato person, but damn, these herbaceous smashed papas brava had me going in for more than my fair share.

Name a more fetching finale than a spoonful of whipped Basque cheesecake topped with Osetra caviar.

A glorious Froot Loop-inspired milk punch served at Bistro Amasa at brunch. A full dinner experience here is a must on my next trip up the coast.

Hopped the Amtrak Surfliner home.

Dear, sweet Glendale.

We have Spanish architecture in LA too.