Local ingredients spend less time in transport, decrease a meal's environmental impact, and, as longtime residents, can legally run for city council. Keep it in the neighborhood with today's Groupon: for $20, you get $45 worth of upscale California bistro fare and beverages at Jeremy's on the Hill in Julian, between Santa Ysabel and downtown.

At this Zagat-rated restaurant, 24-year-old chef Jeremy Manley puts an adventurous spin on the California bistro, using an armory of locally sourced organic produce and seasonal ingredients from Julian, Ramona, Borrego Springs, and Valley Center. The ever-changing dinner menu regales diners with bison bratwurst from nearby Star B Ranch topped with speedway stout sauce blended with AleSmith beer and gouda cheese ($18). The california cheddar burger, like an avant-garde portrait of the Hamburglar, provides an exciting new look at the classic sandwich with its smooth coating of avocado butter, mango pico de gallo, crunchy prosciutto, and chipotle aioli ($15).

An effervescent range of sparkling wines, local red and white varietals, and beers replenish overactive salivary glands, and the dessert menu eases stunned bon vivants back into reality with a rotating assortment of confections, including the Earl Grey crème brûlée ($10). The restaurant also offers a weekend champagne brunch, occasional live music, and a breezy outdoor patio.