T A S T E  O F             

Unique wines for unique palates

tercero wines is the brainchild of Larry Schaffer, who is the owner and winemaker. Larry definitely has a different and unique outlook on the wine world. tercero wines concentrates on small lot, hand crafted wines using grapes exclusively from leading Santa Barbara County vineyards and works with grapes from nearly every AVA within the county.

Still one of the most beautiful spots in Ojai, The Ranch House now offers laid back, delicious meals for breakfast and dinner. Thank god they close for a few hours between the two, otherwise you would never leave.

There’s a kind of joy you taste at Taco Roma -  the tortillas come off the griddle and fold themselves around fillings so vibrant they almost sing. The salsas snap with citrus and chile, the meat carries the perfume of smoke and spice, and every bite feels like eating straight off the streets of Mexico City - messy, generous, alive. It’s food made with love, meant to be shared, and impossible not to crave again the moment you finish.

St. Uguzo

St. Uguzo shares its name with the patron saint of cheesemakers, which tells you where owners Jacqueline and Sondra’s hearts are. The two of them put together handcrafted charcuterie in every size: cups to carry around, boxes to share, and platters for a crowd. They also have a mobile charcuterie cart that rolls up to events across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and northern LA counties. Their motto is “curated to share,” so grab a friend, pick a bite, and take your time. It’s exactly how a Sunday afternoon in Libbey Park should be spent.

Shuck Brothers: Oysters, Up Close

This year, Taste of Ojai has a little show for you. Jesse Migchelbrink, chef, co-owner of the Shuck Brothers raw bar, and a champion oyster shucker, is coming to show you how it’s done. Watch him open an oyster in seconds, pick up a few tricks you can try at home, and hear the story behind what you’re eating: where oysters come from, how they’re farmed, and why these humble shellfish matter for the health of our oceans. Then, of course, comes the best part. Step up, take one fresh from the ice, and slurp. The Shuck Brothers’ motto is “Sometimes salty, sometimes sweet,” and the same goes for the conversation.

Revel handcrafts a unique version of kombucha using organic honey, organic green tea, and fresh ingredients—all made right here in Ojai. 

Their canned beverages are found throughout Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, while their downtown Ojai kombucha bar serves seven flavors on tap, nitro coffee, and the best açaí bowls in town.

Pulpoloco Sangría

Sangria in a paper can? Yes, really. Pulpoloco takes Spanish wine, adds orange, lemon, and a little cinnamon, and seals it in a can made mostly from paper and fully recyclable. It’s light, fruity, and made for exactly this kind of afternoon: friends, sun, flavors. Pick from Smooth Red, Crisp White, or Soft Rosé, and raise a can to a sunny Sunday in Libbey Park.

Old Creek Ranch Winery is Ventura County’s only rural winery, located in Ojai Valley, and serves their premium wines. Open Thursday-Monday, 11 am to 5 pm, tasting flights and wine by the glass or bottle are served at an all outdoor venue with seating in shaded areas underneath a vine-covered trellis with vineyard views or at the shaded wine bar lounge.

At Ojai Rôtie, the chicken turns slowly on the spit, perfumed with Lebanese spices that speak of sun-baked landscapes and ancient kitchens.
The bread - sourdough, torn by hand, is a companion to garlic, lemon, and smoke.
Every dish insists on flavor as a bridge between California and the middle east: za’atar, tahini, olives, herbs, each bite teaching us the wonder of another place.

Navarro Vineyards

Navarro Vineyards has been growing grapes and making wine in the Anderson Valley of coastal Mendocino since 1974, when Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn planted their first vines. It has always been a labor of love, and now their children Aaron and Sarah have joined in carrying it forward. Small enough that you won't find their bottles in most stores, Navarro sells the majority of their wine directly from the tasting room and through personal orders, the old-fashioned way. We're glad to have them at Taste of Ojai.

The fine specimen on the label? That’s Mario—“farm-ripped” from years of hard work, and known just as much for his big heart as his strength. Each Christmas, he’d gift family and friends a small batch of his secret Sicilian hard espresso—a tradition so beloved that every bottle was savored until the next year’s came around. Today, Mario’s family carries on that legacy, crafting every bottle with the same love, care, and secret recipe. Crazy delicious and now celebrated with multiple gold medals and top tasting awards, Mario’s Hard Espresso invites you to live hard, love hard, and make every shared moment a little sweeter.

There’s a quiet enchantment in Ojai, and it lives in every leaf and cup at Magic Hour Tea. For more than 30 years, Magic Hour has woven leaves into ritual, guided by one truth: a single cup of tea can heal, connect, and awaken like nothing else. 

Each blend is an invitation-not just to drink, but to breathe, heal, and remember that magic is in shared moments - with every sip you honor regenerative farms, artisan growers, and the journey that brought you this moment.

Himalaya 

“Himalaya” means “abode of snow,” but the food here is all warmth. Since 2011, this has been bringing the flavors of Nepal, India and Tibet together on one menu. Their spices lean toward coriander and cumin, so you taste the depth before the heat. Think fragrant curries, tandoori chicken straight from the clay oven and Tibetan vegetable dumplings made for dunking. They also make naan pizza, which proves good food doesn’t need a passport, just a little imagination. Comforting, generous and a little adventurous: mountain food that feels right at home in our valley.

Imagine rustic panini pressed warm, pastas bathed in garlicky pomodoro, and house-made sweets that melt at first bite - that's Gustos. 

Gustos delivers that deli-style love with fresh grab-and-go freshness. It’s the kind of place where every sandwich tastes like a hug-quick, warm, and unforgettable.

Copa di Vino

Here’s a clever one. Copa di Vino seals single servings of wine right into their own wine glass: a pretty, hourglass-shaped cup with a resealable lid, so you can pop it open, sip, and save the rest for later. No corkscrew, no bottle, no juggling glasses while you balance a plate. The Martin family runs it all, from picking the grapes to sealing the cup, and there are seven varietals to choose from, from a classic Cabernet Sauvignon to a crisp Chardonnay to a summery White Zinfandel. Picnics, concerts, a lazy afternoon in Libbey Park: this is wine made for wandering. Cheers to that.

Boccali Vineyards stands as a living testament to the enduring spirit of the Ojai Valley, with generations devoted to cultivating its sun-soaked vines. For decades they have woven their roots into the valley’s soil, crafting estate wines that reflect its rugged beauty and timeless character. In every glass, Boccali offers not just flavor- but the legacy of a place that has shaped them as much as they have shaped it.

Say hello to Highly Likely - the new all-day spot in town that’s flipping the script on “just another restaurant.” Think your favorite staples, crushed with big flavor, vibes that work from brunch till after dark, and food so yummy you’ll roll out full and smiling. New to Ojai, but already feeling like part of the neighborhood. Come in for the coffee, stay for the drinks, leave planning your next visit.

The Naturalist continues a legacy more than 20 years in the making as the region’s first certified organic winery. Family-run and steadfast in its philosophy, The Naturalist crafts wines that are truly Natural, Pure, and Organic - never manipulated, free from toxins and preservatives, and grown through clean farming practices that honor both land and tradition. Every glass reflects a commitment to authenticity and care, offering a taste of the valley at its most honest and unadorned.

Sundance Catering

The Sundance team brings decades of experience to the table, built in home kitchens, bakeries, and small gatherings before moving on to big celebrations. They cook everything from comforting classics to contemporary flavors, always with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Think cedar-plank salmon with a maple-citrus glaze, Chicken Marbella, or ginger-glazed halibut. Their mission is food that brings people together, and that’s exactly what Taste of Ojai is for.

Side Street Wine & Ojai Valley Brewery are two sides of the same voice — a creative conversation with the valley. 

Our wines are made from fruit grown in Ojai and nearby farms, each a living expression of its harvest. Every year is different, and we embrace the improvisation — “making jazz” with nature’s rhythms. Each label is an original artwork, reflecting the soul of the wine inside.

Sanders & Sons Gelato

A longtime Ojai favorite, Sanders & Sons makes Italian-style gelatos and sorbets by hand, from scratch, with fresh ingredients and flavors that aren’t afraid to get adventurous. Edible Ojai once said they “serve up happiness in a cone,” and on a warm afternoon in Libbey Park, that’s exactly what you’ll want. Since the shop on East Ojai Avenue closed, they’ve been catering events and stocking shops around Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, so grab a scoop here while you can.

Retox

Unfiltered. Untamed. Your ritual. Retox starts with agave, the same spiky plant behind tequila, but takes a different path: instead of distilling it, they ferment it, the way wine is made from grapes. The result is agave wine, with all the earthy, sun-baked character of the plant in a lighter, easier pour. Then they turn it into margaritas with attitude: Classic Lime for the purists, Mango Jalapeño if you like a little heat, and Passion Fruit for pure sunshine. Bold flavor, no pretense, and made for a long afternoon in the park.

Oregon Mountain Vineyards

Pinot Noir from an unexpected place. Oregon Mountain grows its grapes on a 130-acre estate in eastern Oregon’s Columbia Valley, where the vines get around 300 days of sunshine a year and grow in soil laid down by the ancient Missoula floods. Their Pinot Noir clones were chosen by Phil Freese, one of the world’s best-known viticulturists, and for years big Northwest wineries have bought their grapes. Now they’re bottling under their own name, so come taste where all that sunshine goes.

Side Street Wine & Ojai Valley Brewery are two sides of the same voice — a creative conversation with the valley.

Our beers share the same spirit as our wines, expressing Ojai’s terroir through mineral-rich water and local botanicals, from wild chaparral herbs to citrus groves.

Together, we create seasonal love letters to Ojai — shaped by the land, inspired by the moment.

Tucked into the heart of downtown, Ojai Ice Cream has been turning scoops into stories since 1979. Every batch is churned onsite with organic Straus Family Creamery cream, then spun into one-of-a-kind flavors like Valley Lavender, Ojai Orange, and Coconut Toffee—flavors you’ll only find here. For visitors, it’s more than a treat: it’s a chance to taste the spirit of Ojai in every spoonful.

Mental Frosting

With a name like Mental Frosting, you know this isn't going to be your average cup of coffee, and it isn't. These are small-batch artisan roasters with a delightfully offbeat streak and a serious nose for beans. 

They source from all over the world and roast in small batches, so everything is fresh and full of personality. Take their peaberry from India's Pearl Mountain Estate, grown high in the Western Ghats by a third-generation family on a biodynamic farm where cardamom and pepper grow right alongside the coffee. It's washed, dried in the sun, and roasted into a balanced cup full of burnt sugar and cocoa. There's also a bright Kenyan from Nyeri, a Brazilian from grower Tulio Arantes, and a Swiss Water decaf from Papua New Guinea for the evening crowd. 

It's a little quirky, a lot delicious, and exactly the kind of coffee that makes you want to ask, "Wait, what is this?" Go ahead and ask. They'll probably tell you something wonderfully strange.

There’s a tree that has watched generations come and go - weddings, horses, laughter - and today that same oak stands sentinel over every vine, every bottle of the Majestic Oak Vineyard. Majestic Oak Vineyard is family-run, rooted in the land and guided by the hands of those who live here. From harvest to pour, it’s wine made with the joy of sharing something grown at home.

Jim & Rob’s Fresh Grill

Ask anyone in Ojai where to grab lunch, and odds are Jim & Rob’s comes up. For more than 30 years they’ve been feeding the valley breakfast, lunch, and dinner on West Ojai Avenue, and locals have voted them their favorite lunch spot, favorite burger, and favorite burrito too often to count. Their motto says it all: “We don’t serve fast food, but healthy food as fast as we can.” That means house-made salsas, lard-free beans and tortillas, pasture-raised beef, and plenty of choices for vegetarians, vegans, and the gluten-free crowd. And if you know, you know: their house margarita has a following all its own. Come say hi to an old friend.

Hiatus Craft House

Hiatus Craft House in Camarillo makes everything in-house and bottles it by hand, from straight bourbon whiskey to rum, agave spirits, gin, and vodka, plus a few playful specialties that change with the seasons. 

Dawn and Dave Gross took it over in 2024, and they've kept its spirit of tinkering and trying new things. The best part is that every dollar of profit goes to the NewCo Foundation, which supports entrepreneurs and people with special needs in Ventura County. 

We are proud (but not surprised, given their generous hearts) that they are joining us for Taste of Ojai. And, yes - that second pour counts as doing good. Come for a taste of the bourbon, stay for the story, and leave feeling like you've found a local favorite that's worth sharing.

The heart of our project is a deep commitment to the global agro-ecology movement. That’s why we source only organic ingredients—protecting not just the planet, but the health and well-being of both farm workers and the people who enjoy our food. Only in rare circumstances do we make exceptions, because we believe good food should nurture everyone along the way.

Chef Ray of Chef 805

Twenty years of fine dining. Restaurant kitchens, hotel kitchens, country club kitchens, all places where every plate gets checked before it leaves the pass and “good enough” never is. Chef Ray brought that precision with him when he became a private chef, and today he cooks across Ventura, Santa Barbara, and LA counties, building every menu around his clients and the best local ingredients he can find. He has a real gift for local flavors, done with a fine-dining touch. His own motto is simple: “Great taste is the name of the game.” You rarely get to taste his food unless you’re on someone’s guest list. On October 25, you are.

Bonnie Lu’s Café is the kind of classic American diner that feels straight out of a movie - where the service stops to chat with a smile and everyone feels like a local. Since 1995, it’s been serving scratch-made comfort food, from towering stacks of pancakes to hearty sandwiches and fresh salads, all with a side of genuine small-town warmth.

Bluebell Bakehouse is an artisanal bakery based in Ojai, specializing in handmade, long-fermented organic sourdough. Their offerings also include decadent cookies, fudgy brownies, creamy yogurt, and buttery croissants. Bringing Ojai’s warmth and special magic to every table, Bluebell shares each creation with love from their family to yours.