This Historic California Restaurant Started Out As A Stagecoach Stop

Just off what's now California's Highway 154, there's a weathered roadside stop frozen in stagecoach infamy: Cold Spring Tavern. Opening in 1868 as a relay station for stagecoaches and weary travelers crossing the San Marcos Pass, many a hot meals have rolled out of the rustic kitchen, sustaining sojourners and offering respite while changing horses and resting up for onward journeys. Believe it or not, the original buildings still stand, eerily preserved as a testament to hand-hewn logs and the hard work of Chinese laborers facilitating Westward expansion.  

Through the dedication of the local Ovington family, who acquired the property in the 1940s, diners can experience Cold Spring Tavern cloaked in the history of bygone days. Creaky wood floors, hearty stone fireplaces, and antique lanterns throwback to a far different version of California that exists outside its 160-year-old structures. The tavern nestles in a shaded canyon on Stagecoach Road, situated beneath the Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge. Lest you imagine roaming a dusty desert in search of this meal, that's far from reality: It sits only 15 miles from downtown Santa Barbara. 

If live blues, country, or bluegrass music and family-style picnics don't pull you toward Cold Spring Tavern, the food itself will. On good-weather days, which is almost always in Santa Barbara, you”ll want to visit the small wooden shack for local California wine and the tavern's famous tri-tip sandwiches – served fresh from a smoky outdoor barbecue pit, it is one of the West Coast sandwiches that are worth the trip.

The priceless ambiance and history at Cold Spring Tavern is reason enough to visit, but the food is in a league of its own. It's unpretentious and authentic to the environment, mixing classic comfort fare with frontier-inspired meals such as wild venison, lamb shanks, and slow-braised rabbit medallions. None of it feels gimmicky, just a genuine meal in a candlelit dining room or outdoor patio that's unashamed of its age. Even still, the menu doesn't completely cling to the past, offering soups, salads, Angus beef burgers, and filet mignon. There's also vegetarian options including a grilled veggie salad. 

However, nothing at the Cold Spring dining room steals the spotlight from its renowned oak-grilled tri-tip, available. The outdoor grills crank up at 11 a.m. on weekends and keeps smoking until 5 p.m., with first come first serve seating and a walk-up window for easy access. Other sandwiches served inside during the week feature authentic brioche buns, and include BBQ pulled pork, grilled salmon, smoked duck bacon BLT, and buffalo burgers. Desserts lean old-school with warm apple cobblers and brownie ice cream sundaes — but don't miss trying the Jack Daniel's pecan pie. 

It's worth noting that weekends are when things at the tavern are really pumping, including the food, the music, and the drinks from the Log Cabin Bar. You'll have plenty of company when weekend road-warriors on roaring motorcycles join the fun. Otherwise, lunch is served daily except Tuesday and Wednesday.