The Hitching Post and The Hitching Post II are upscale American

steakhouse A steakhouse, steak house, or chophouse refers to a restaurant that specializes in steaks and chops, found mainly in North America. Modern steakhouses may also carry other cuts of meat including poultry, roast prime rib, and veal, as well as ...

restaurants located in

Santa Barbara County, California Santa Barbara County, California, officially the County of Santa Barbara, is located in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 448,229. The county seat is Santa Barbara, and the largest city is Santa Maria. Santa Barba ...

, in California's Central Coast region. They are best known for their Santa Maria-style barbecue restaurants popular in the area.Christine Delsol
"Santa Maria, Calif.-style barbecue"
''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The pa ...

'', October 3, 2010.

History

The original Hitching Post was purchased in 1952 by the Ostini family in

Casmalia, California Casmalia (Chumash: ''Kasma’li'', meaning "it is the last") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Barbara County, California located just outside the borders of Vandenberg Air Force Base about southwest of Santa Maria. The ZIP Code is 93429 ...

, in a building that was previously the Casmalia Hotel before it was converted into a restaurant in the 1940s. Its sister restaurant The Hitching Post II was opened in 1986 in

Buellton, California Buellton is a small city in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. It is located in the Santa Ynez Valley, west of Solvang. The population was 5,161 at the 2020 census, up from 4,828 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U ...

. The restaurant also makes its own brand of wines under the Hartley Ostini brand.

In popular culture

The Hitching Post II is known for being featured in the

Rex Pickett Rex Pickett (born July 9, 1952) is an American novelist and filmmaker best known for his novel ''Sideways'', which was adapted into a 2004 movie of the same name directed by Alexander Payne. Career Education and early career Pickett was born ...

novel ''

Sideways ''Sideways'' is a 2004 American comedy-drama road film directed by Alexander Payne and written by Jim Taylor and Payne. A film adaptation of Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, ''Sideways'' follows two men in their forties, Miles Raymo ...

'' and the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

winning 2004

Alexander Payne Constantine Alexander Payne (; born February 10, 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for the films ''Citizen Ruth'' (1996), ''Election'' (1999), '' About Schmidt'' (2002), '' Sideways'' (2004), '' The D ...

film adaptation of the same name.MSNBC
/ref>

Gallery

Hitching Post II - Sarah Stierch 04.jpg, Famous grilled artichokes Hitching Post II - Sarah Stierch 05.jpg, Mussels

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hitching Post Restaurants in California Steakhouses in the United States Restaurants established in 1952 1952 establishments in California Santa Barbara County, California