Dining at Pea Soup Andersen's

Dining at the iconic Pea Soup Andersen's in Buellton, California has been a time-honored tradition for my family and thousands of travelers and locals to the Santa Ynez region of Central California.  Situated adjacent to U.S. Highway 101, the Danish-style restaurant marked the gateway to the Danish Capital of America. Each time I visited the restaurant, it was filled with customers, the cheerful clatter of dinnerware, and a cauldron flowing with split pea soup. 

So it was a tremendous shock when the century-old restaurant, which opened in 1924, closed suddenly in December 2023, and echoes of sadness waved through the region. However, various media reports cite that this is a temporary closure, while the aging property is redeveloped.  Hopefully, the restaurant will re-open someday, but it won't be in the legendary and charming Danish-style building. My last trip to Pea Soup Andersen's was in November 2022 and I am glad I got to capture some images of the restaurant as I will always remember it.