Long in the Tooth, Tasty on the Tongue, Easy on the Wallet
Carlitos, Farmer Boy, and Petrini's Offer Restaurant Anniversary Specials This Month in Santa Barbara
For the next couple weeks, Santa Barbara gets to celebrate the anniversaries of several venerable restaurants so established they’ve been around since before John McCain was a U.S. Senator.
From Thursday, September 18 through Sunday, September 21, Carlitos Cafe and Cantina (1324 State St., 962-7117, carlitos.com) marks its 30th anniversary. According to managing partner Carlos L³pez-Hollis, “Festivities will include live music, commemorative T-shirts, CDs, and half-price margarita specials.” That’s enough to make anyone say viva la, especially on the lovely patio with the picturesque Arlington Theatre across State Street.
But Carlitos, at a mere 30 years old, has nothing on Petrini’s Restaurant (14 W. Calle Laureles, 687-8888, petrinis.com) and Farmer Boy (3427 State St., 687-7011, farmerboy.com). They turn 50, which in restaurant years, especially in a town like Santa Barbara where establishments seem to close if you turn your back on them as you leave, has to be the equivalent of about two centuries. Petrini’s and Farmer Boy will be rolling back to 1958 prices for three days this month on September 22, 23, and 24. Farmer Boy will offer a full stack of buttermilk pancakes for 40 cents; Petrini’s will offer a plate of spaghetti at 80 cents. It’s too bad neither place owned a gas station way back when :
