••• I hear that all-day L.A. restaurant Highly Likely, with branches in West Adams (above) and Highland Park, is taking over Beacon Coffee’s old space in Ojai—although it remains unconfirmed.
••• Wexler’s Deli set an opening date of April 8 for its outpost at the Santa Barbara Public Market. The hours to start will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
••• No word yet on who will be opening in the former Metropulos space, but the building and business were not sold separately, as rumored. Instead, an existing business in town is moving there, and the buyer of the building is a partner in said business. Any guesses?
••• The Independent profiled Silvers Omakase.
••• Noozhawk profiled Via Gelateria in Solvang.
••• On April 9, the Rhone Rangers—”dedicated to the education and the promotion of domestic Rhone varietals and blends”—will be at Soho pouring “a selection of 100-plus wines from 20 Rhone Rangers wineries [from Paso Robles to Ojai] representing esoteric varietals such as Clairette Blanche, Picpoul Blanc, Cinsault, and Counoise to the more well-known Rhone varietals Viognier, Grenache, and Syrah.” Tickets and more info are here.
••• The Starbucks at 120 State Street, between the Santa Barbara Visitor Center and Melville Winery, has apparently opened. —Restaurant Guy
••• A welcome addition to Buellton: Grace Gates and Ryan Dobosh, alumni of Companion Hospitality (Bell’s, Bar Le Côte, et al), have opened the spiffy, stylish Little King a couple of blocks off the 101. It has a small menu of beverages and baked goods from Wayward Baking in Los Osos, and it was buzzing when I stopped by yesterday morning.
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Don’t let it be 3 Pickles
I heard it’s going to be a Rusty’s.
Oh God no. I’d sooner eat Dominos.
3rd Window Smashburger?