The Traditional Santa Maria Spread
A Santa Maria BBQ isn’t just tri tip on a plate. It’s a full spread that’s been served the same way on the Central Coast for generations: tri tip, pinquito beans, salsa roja, green salad with ranch-style dressing, and grilled French bread rubbed with garlic butter. Every element plays a role and the combination is greater than the sum of its parts. For the history behind this tradition or the simplest way to eat it all - piled on a roll - see the tri tip sandwich.
Building the Plate
For a traditional Santa Maria plate, serve the sliced tri tip alongside a scoop of pinquito beans, a pile of salsa roja, a wedge of green salad, and a piece of grilled garlic bread. The bread goes on the same plate - it’s meant to soak up the bean juice and the meat drippings that pool at the bottom.
For a more modern spread, mix and match. Two sides plus the tri tip is usually the right amount. Three sides if you’re feeding a crowd and want variety. More than that and the plate gets cluttered. For what to pour alongside the spread, see our guide to the best wine and beer pairings for tri tip.