Dining in the Dirt

Santa Barbara Independent
May 27, 2026
You know that magical feeling when a meal feels like it’s part of the landscape? According to the *Santa Barbara Independent*, the beloved farm-to-table dinner series **Outstanding in the Field** is coming back to the 805 on June 24—and this time, they’re heading to Ojai. Chef Diego Moya of Little Mountain will be cooking, which means we can expect a menu that tastes like the hillsides themselves: bright, earthy, and deeply local.
It’s easy to think of Ojai as just a quick drive up the 33, but for Santa Barbara folks, it’s really part of our same food-and-farm family. These dinners aren’t just about eating—they’re about sitting right where the food grew, with dirt under the table and the sky overhead. If you’ve never been, think of it as a slow, sun-soaked evening that reminds us why we live here. Tickets will go fast, so mark your calendar and maybe carpool with a friend.
This summary was written by AI based on the original article from Santa Barbara Independent.
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Santa BarbaraPublished
May 27, 2026
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