### [Hitching Post II](https://www.hitchingpost2.com/)

420 E Highway 246

Buellton, CA 93427

Tel. +1 (805) 688-0676

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | AUGUST 16, 2024

### The Food:

Grilled Corn Quesadilla; Jack, Cheddar Cheese, Spicy Corn Salsa, Grilled, Served with Fresh Salsa

Grilled Artichoke; Steamed then Grilled, Seasons and Served With a Spicy Smoked Tomato Mayonnaise

Grilled Texas Quail; Quickly Grilled, Served with Wild Turkey Sweet Potatoes

Grilled Hamburger; Served with Organic Mix Greens Salad with Ranch Dressing and Garlic Bread

Grilled Prime Top Sirloin with Fries

**The Wine:**

2019 Hitching Post Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict 93

Frank and Natalie Ostini bought the Casmalia Hitching Post in 1952 near what today is Vandenberg Air Force Base (then Camp Cooke). Frank Ostini was a carpenter by trade looking for a new career. He spent three months with the former owner learning how to cook over an open flame, and that was that. The Ostini family ran the original Hitching Post with their children for several decades before opening Hitching Post II in Buellton in 1986. A few years later, in 1993, the brothers dissolved their partnership. Son Frank Ostini kept the Buellton restaurant. “I wanted to be closer to wine country and offer a slightly more varied, contemporary menu,” Ostini told me.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1723820393883-Quesadilla1.jpg)

_Grilled Corn Quesadilla; Jack, Cheddar Cheese, Spicy Corn Salsa, Grilled, Served with Fresh Salsa_

Hitching Post II gained considerable fame when it was featured in the movie Sideways, which led to a huge boom of interest in California Pinot Noir and made the places showcased in the movie tourist destinations. “Jim Taylor came up to golf and finished his book,” Ostini explained. “He had the angst of the two guys on a road trip but nothing about wine. He came in here, sat at the bar, and befriended (winemaker) Chris Whitcraft. In doing so, he found out this was a wine region. Later, he also befriended the bartender and said he would write him into the book. We were in the original manuscript. Alexander Payne bought the rights to the book in 1998 or 1999. He didn’t make the movie right away, as he was working on another project. I was a little apprehensive at first, because of how wine was portrayed, but Payne was very sensitive to those concerns. The crew spent six weeks in the area, three in the restaurant, learning about wine. They had no money to market, but the movie ended up to be a huge hit and is now a classic. You could never buy that kind of advertising.”

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1723820453241-Artichoke1.jpg)

_Grilled Artichoke; Steamed then Grilled, Seasons and Served With a Spicy Smoked Tomato Mayonnaise_

Even after all these years, Hitching Post II remains true to a tradition rooted in Santa Maria BBQ, which involves cooking over Coast Live Oak on an open fire in a slightly updated style with less overt influence than in the past. The menu is straightforward, with a few twists that add variety. This is honest American food served with the core values of service, values and quality in a warm, welcoming environment. The wine list features a wide selection of Hitching Post wines, both newer and older vintages, along with a smattering of older wines, mostly Bordeaux, for diners who want to splurge.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1723820518349-quail1.jpg)

_Grilled Texas Quail, Quickly Grilled, Served with Wild Turkey Sweet Potatoes_

The Grilled Corn Quesadilla doesn’t last long on the table. Locals recommended the Grilled Artichoke and Grilled Texas Quail, so they were at the top of our list of things to try. Both dishes are terrific examples of the updated options diners will find here. The Artichoke is steamed, then stuffed with savory herbs and grilled to perfection. Spicy Smoked Tomato Mayonnaise is the perfect complement. Grilled Texas Quail, served partially deboned, is wonderfully tender.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1723820575422-burger1.jpg)

_Grilled Hamburger, served with Garlic Bread and Organic Mixed Green Salad with Ranch Dressing_

The Hitching Post Burger came about by accident. In the early days, ground beef was used mostly for staff meals. One of the chefs decided to run a Monday night special Burger, which was a resounding success. For years the Burger was available only at the bar. Post-Covid, interest surged, and the Burger is now available in the restaurant on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursday nights. It is a great burger, perfectly cooked and seasoned. I did not taste my guest’s Grilled Prime Top Sirloin, but it got top marks.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1723821768281-sirloin1.jpg)

_Grilled Prime Top Sirloin with Fries_

Garlic Bread. What can I say? It’s a guilty pleasure. As is the Salad with Ranch Dressing. I can’t remember the last time I had Ranch Dressing, but it was pretty delicious and perfect with this meal. We did not venture into desserts, as they all looked incredibly rich, especially after a day of tasting wine.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1723820769610-win1.jpg)

I only had a bit of wine, as I try to take it easy during the evenings on tasting trips. The **2019 Hitching Post Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict** is in the early part of its first plateau of maturity. Cedar, tobacco, dried herbs and incense add lovely shades of complexity. As I taste it, what mostly comes to mind is how much the wine has improved since then.

Readers visiting Santa Barbara wine country will want to stop by Hitching Post II. There are plenty of more trendy choices these days, but there is a reason locals speak so highly of Hitching Post II. The classic setting, timeless environment and delicious food embody the essence of 1950s Americana. And you just might feel like you are living your own version of Sideways.

_© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism._



Vinous Table: Hitching Post II, Buellton, CA

Vinous Table: Hitching Post II, Buellton, CA (Aug 2024)

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