Where: 3305 State Street, Service Deli 805-687-5810, Wolfgang Puck Express 805-687-2617, Jeannine’s Bakery 805-569-3222, gelsons.com
What: Restaurant disguised as a grocery store.
How much? Soup & salad Bar $6.69/lb; specialty sandwiches $8.99 and up; Gelson’s or Wolfgang Puck’s to Go $4.99 – $9.99; gourmet picnic meals $16.99 and up.
The dish: Don’t let the outer grocery store exterior fool you – Gelson’s may look like one, but inside it offers so much more for the food adventurous. It really is a restaurant that just happens to stock the basic grocery items as well. A professional chef oversees all the preparation and offerings for the Service Deli. And, my, what offerings they have! Lobster salad. Santa Barbara barley salad. Roasted red bell pepper hummus. Handmade tamales. Cashew crusted chicken breast. Torte Milanese. The salad bar offers a salad spring mix with a multitude of additions and the soups run the gamut from a Crab Bisque to Italian Wedding Soup. Grab a slice or two of freshly baked pizza from Wolfgang Puck’s Pizza Station. Make a stop at the Mediterranean Olive Bar for a wide selection of the historic fruit. Craving dessert? A slice of cake from Jeannine’s Bakery will soothe any savagely hungry soul. Whether you are in need of a quick meal for yourself, a romantic meal for that special someone, a custom platter for a meeting, catering for an event or a full gourmet dinner for the holidays, Gelson’s is there.