Oliver’s of Montecito, an upscale restaurant serving all plant-based vegan cuisine, was one of the first eateries I’d planned to visit while in Montecito, California. However, I almost missed out.

Oliver’s had such a natural presence in Montecito that I could never find its entrance. Even though it was right in front of me. We passed it regularly.

I also wasn’t sure what to wear to Oliver’s of Montecito. Online photos and menu prices indicated that this was quite a fancy establishment that required dressy clothing.

But we were camping. And when we left on this trip, I didn’t pack my luggage or all my things. I thought we’d just camp for a brief bit—I didn’t truly think we’d end up in California.

So I literally just grabbed old clothing that I found stashed on my boyfriend’s boat—clothing I’d bagged up to donate—along with a few other basic items.

Comfort was my priority, not fashion. Which, of course, meant that we did end up in California, and Montecito at that.

Needless to say, I was worried that my clothing wouldn’t pass muster at Oliver’s. I thought I’d be rejected at the door. I thought we’d be booted to the curb.

Then it dawned on us that we needed to find a special way to celebrate Christmas Eve. And we needed a way to order special food for Christmas dinner.

Otherwise, we’d starve, plus feel sad and lonely—something we experience when we have no way to enjoy holiday meals and traditions with family. It can feel brutal.

So, Oliver’s it was. We made a reservation.

After our next trip to the laundromat, I carefully kept a white t-shirt and linen pants neatly folded so they wouldn’t get (too) wrinkly—along with my boyfriend’s old beige pants and collared shirt.

I’m not joking when I say it took a lot of our energy to keep those clothes wrinkle-free for a week, and then change into them right before arriving at Oliver’s.

We almost felt spiffy compared to our camping, but we also knew our outfits were super casual—and, let me clarify, a tad threadbare.

Because Oliver’s opened at 5 pm, which is when we typically start getting ready for bed, our reservation was for 5 pm. Hardly a soul was there (but Oliver’s soon filled up).

I braced myself to receive the once-over from Oliver’s. I might have made a little joke that we were camping down the West Coast and I understood if it wasn’t okay for us to eat there.

Oliver’s staff members were so kind, smiling and telling us we were just fine. They then led us into the dining room and sat us in the corner (yes, I still wonder if that meant something).

Everyone inside the dining room looked dressed for the holiday. However, the patio photos I quickly took as we left show that we weren’t the only casual dressers … a Christmas miracle.

We ordered a variety of items, taste-testing our way through as much of the menu as possible. We left with amazing takeaway food to imbibe in the next night—for our Christmas dinner.

We happily returned to Oliver’s on New Year’s Eve and repeated this routine, leaving with more takeaway food to indulge in the next night—for New Year’s dinner.

The food was amazing. The bills were expensive, yet not as high as we thought they would be. But a word of warning that since then, prices have already increased.

We justified even more visits to Oliver’s, though we didn’t sit inside the restaurant again. Instead, we preferred to order takeaway by calling 805-969-0834.

Because it felt truly exhausting, trying to dress nicely while camping. It was just too much for us. That said, I’m so grateful for those two classy experiences.

Each meal that we ate from Oliver’s was hearty and filling. There were plenty of gluten-free options. And when a dish wasn’t GF on the menu, they explained how it could be made GF.

It seemed Oliver’s prepared their food so it tasted just like the special dishes we all might have enjoyed while growing up—but quietly healthier. You just wouldn’t know it.

Here are my absolute favorite menu items from Oliver’s—food I wish I could always eat…

herb roasted sweet potatoes (so sweet I didn’t need the interesting dipping sauce)
oliver’s apple salad (fuji apple, candied pecan, and vinaigrette perfection)
brussels sprouts (so sweetly caramelized that all other brussels sprouts are ruined for me)
thai curry (so richly delicious and hearty that it hit the spot every time)