Il Fustino, Santa Barbara

The old ways still reign supreme at il Fustino. The store’s interior is lined with rows of stainless-steel containers called fustis, all of which hold flavor-infused and extra-virgin olive oils and aged vinegars. Used in the Mediterranean for centuries, fustis keep oils fresh in bulk or can be used to store a stack of unread Mediterranean diet books. As shoppers browse fruity oils and vinegary vinegars, staffers kick open the taps to dispense samples of them as requested. The fustis empty newly purchased liquids into bottles that can be brought back for refills, long after their contents liven up salads, pizzas, and water-balloon fights.