See the glorious rainbow of local berries, herbs, vegetables and flowers at the Santa Barbara Farmers Market. Here, producers and farmers chat with buyers over freshly picked corn still in the husk, curly wild mushrooms, fresh peaches, homemade marmalades and hive honey. Live music adds a convivial atmosphere to this ritualistic event, now in its fourth decade. Friday’s market is held amongst the gated garden estates of Montecito; on Saturdays it moves downtown. sbfarmersmarket.org (Photography: Jay Sinclair)

If you like to kick into the day with a macchiato or espresso, take your seat at a long, monastic, communal table at Helena Avenue Bakery, where the rustic ambience and scrubbed wood echo the Californian love of all things earthy and natural. Swoonworthy baked goods have made this a brekkie hotspot. Buttermilk biscuit sandwiches are flavour-rich, crumbly textured perfection. Never-boring toppings, such as whipped ricotta swirled with wildflower honey, peach and bee pollen make for an out-of-the-box brunch. helenaavenuebakery.com (Photography: Blake Bronstad)

Heaven comes by the slice in this fun smart-casual eatery, where distinctive pizza is served in a sunny, breezy courtyard. Lucky Penny pizza’s massive pillowy crust, springy textured base and gourmet-style toppings stand out; the dough pre-fermentation is a bonus that lightens digestion. You can keep it simple with a Margherita – the blob of soft burrata on exquisitely delicious nonna sauce is a cult local favourite – or have fun with other ingredients such as fennel sausage, garlic confit and squash blossoms. The coriander lime, parmesan cream and corn of Summer “Street Corn” Pizza embodies the fusion of Italian richness with coastal freshness. luckypennysb.com (Photography: Rob Stark)

The vast wine terroir of Santa Barbara County has enough microclimates to produce an abundance of varietals. Many of these are showcased in Santa Barbara Wine Collective’s lofty industrial conversion with by-the-glass pours, ‘flights’ of themed wines and a library-style floor-to-ceiling wall stocked with the best from small family producers. In a single one-stop tasting, travellers can try wines from all over the region – such as Lompoc, where calcium-rich soil and a concentration of fruit produces stunning cool climate wines, exemplified by Stolpman Vineyards’ chilled 2021 Sangiovese, which comes with a low-fi ‘Love You Bunches’ scrawled on an otherwise completely blank label. santabarbarawinecollective.com (Photography: Rob Stark)

The Lark’s patio dining amongst repurposed industrial glass sets the stage for locavore dining with ingredients that are oh so ready for their close-up. Medjool dates and a heavy garum and lime reduction make the humble Brussels sprout taste spectacular. Caviar orange-coloured salmon sits in an exquisite little forest broth of mini broccoli florets still crispy to the bite, mandarin slices and herb sprigs. Sugar snap peas cut through rich goat gouda melted on triple-width ribbons of curled pappardelle with a burst of green freshness. thelarksb.com

Pop by Loquita’s pretty bougainvillea-festooned courtyard restaurant for fine-dining dessert with huge street appeal. Dip long, finger-like powdered churros in raspberry vanilla, chocolate, and dulce de leche – as nostalgic a childhood memory for Spaniards as Milo is to Aussies. The Basque Cheesecake, lighter and gooier than its New York counterpart, is served on a smear of deliciously dense quince membrillo. Then come back the next day for Loquita’s famous paella. loquitasb.com

Pearl Social’s sumptuous velvet furnishings, richly patterned wallpaper and mixologist extraordinaire add a touch of sophistication to Santa Barbara’s coastal chic. Self-described as a music bar as well as cocktail bar, live artists and DJs get the party started. Cocktails with garden fresh ingredients and edible flowers keep it going. pearlsocialsb.com (Photography: Rob Stark)