The Buellton City Council has cleared the way for the partial demolition of the iconic Pea Soup Andersen’s restaurant. The council removed a historical designation on the closed business, allowing the property owner to tear down a portion of the vacant building.
History of the Restaurant
Pea Soup Andersen’s first opened in Buellton in 1924 and was a popular destination for travelers and locals alike. However, the restaurant closed in 2024 and the main building and adjacent structures have since fallen into disrepair.
A City Council staff report described the site as a place where trespassing, unauthorized occupation, and illegal activities such as vandalism, drug use, and drinking have taken place. The city noted that demolition of the entire site is not permissible, even with the loss of the historical designation, and must first undergo environmental review documentation pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
