Sandwich & Salad Combo @ Park Place Deli

Sorry, fellow Santa Barbarans in the know. I’ve been sitting on this secret for at least three years now, and the guilt is getting to me. The Park Place Deli on Pueblo Street across from the main entrance to Cottage Hospital is the best place for a cheap, healthy, and tasty lunch (and probably breakfast and dinner) in all of Santa Barbara. Owned and essentially subsidized by the hospital, it sells well-considered sandwiches like five-spice pork, fish po’ boy, and “ultimate” turkey along with flavorful deli salads filled with smart grains and snappy veggies for a mere $6. The three-salad combo with a protein is also a solid choice, and then the doors really swing open for dinner, where nightly specials like crab-stuffed salmon and roast chicken with romesco and wasakaka sauce turn up the juice. In a town ruled by $12 sandos and $30 dinner entrées, this admittedly sounds unbelievable. Do don’t believe me. Stay home. Please.