# Cold Spring Tavern

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{{Short description|Tavern in Santa Barbara County, California, U.S.}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
'''Cold Spring Tavern''' was established as a [stagecoach](/source/stagecoach) stop in 1865.<ref>Meier, Marcia (November 14, 2010) [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-nov-14-la-tr-taverns-20101114-story.html "Keeping the Old West alive in Santa Ynez Valley"] ''[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)''</ref> Originally known as the "Cold Spring Relay Station", it was a horse changeover and meals break station. The [tavern](/source/Taverns_in_North_America) is located 20 minutes north of [Santa Barbara, California](/source/Santa_Barbara%2C_California), in Cold Spring Canyon, which is about a mile off [Highway 154](/source/California_State_Route_154) along Stagecoach Road (in the [San Marcos Pass](/source/San_Marcos_Pass) area).

right|thumb|Cold Spring Tavern in 2010
The tavern serves steak, lamb, [venison](/source/venison), [duck](/source/duck), and [rabbit](/source/rabbit).<ref name="latimes">{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/destinations/santa-barbara/restaurants/cold-spring-tavern/review |title=Cold Spring Tavern |last=Reynolds |first=Christopher |date=Nov 15, 2007 |newspaper=LA Times |accessdate=2008-11-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821220833/http://travel.latimes.com/destinations/santa-barbara/restaurants/cold-spring-tavern/review |archivedate=August 21, 2008 }}</ref>

In 1956, Cold Spring Tavern was the first restaurant to serve Steve Henson's original [salad dressing](/source/salad_dressing). Henson and his wife had recently moved to a nearby [guest ranch](/source/guest_ranch) they renamed “Hidden Valley Ranch”, and decided to try marketing the dressing in the area when it became popular with guests. Audrey Ovington, a friend of the Hensons who owned the tavern at the time, was their first commercial customer, and the condiment has since been known as [ranch dressing](/source/ranch_dressing).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Redmon |first=Michael |date=2015-11-25 |title=Ranch Dressing Originated in Santa Barbara's Mountains |url=https://www.independent.com/2015/11/25/ranch-dressing-originated-santa-barbaras-mountains/ |access-date=2023-08-09 |website=The Santa Barbara Independent |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Recognition==

The tavern was chosen as the “BEST place for a Romantic Getaway” and the ''[Santa Barbara Independent](/source/Santa_Barbara_Independent)'' called it "pure MAGIC!"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.com/places/cold-spring-tavern/|title=Cold Spring Tavern|publisher=The Santa Barbara Independent|accessdate=2008-11-15}}</ref> They have been noted as one of the few (if not only) restaurants serving [bear](/source/Bear_meat).<ref name="10best">{{cite web|url=http://www.10best.com/Santa_Barbara,CA/Restaurants/American_Continental/54709/Cold_Spring_Tavern_Santa_Barbara_CA/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130116034917/http://www.10best.com/Santa_Barbara,CA/Restaurants/American_Continental/54709/Cold_Spring_Tavern_Santa_Barbara_CA/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-16|title=10 Best Editor Review|publisher=10 Best|accessdate=2008-11-15}}</ref>

In 2019, it was featured in a Santa Barbara episode of the [Cooking Channel](/source/Cooking_Channel)'s ''[Man v. Food](/source/Man_v._Food)''.

==See also==
*[Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge](/source/Cold_Spring_Canyon_Arch_Bridge)
*[Santa Ynez Valley](/source/Santa_Ynez_Valley)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.coldspringtavern.com Official site]

{{coord|34.523315|N|119.835408|W|display=title}}

Category:Landmarks in California
Category:Restaurants in California
Category:Buildings and structures in Santa Barbara County, California
Category:Restaurants established in 1865
Category:Tourist attractions in Santa Barbara County, California
Category:1865 establishments in California

{{California-restaurant-stub}}
{{SantaBarbaraCountyCA-geo-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cold Spring Tavern](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Spring_Tavern) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_Spring_Tavern?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.