Tag archives: food
Just a few weeks after Cava leaving its longtime post on Coast Village Road, another community cornerstone is being shown the door by its landlord, as Little Alex’s has been told it needs to vacate the Montecito Country Mart by November 22. Jim Rosenfield, the retail center’s landlord, delivered the news via a letter, with […]
Quickly and quietly opening in time to capture the summer tourism rush, Jeannine’s at the Shore, which opened early July, is the latest – and the largest – outpost opened by Alison Hardey of the Hardey Family, who have operated the locally-owned family bakery business for over 30 years. “We’ve always wanted to be at […]
Twenty-seven California restaurants were awarded Michelin stars earlier this week, and for the first time ever, three eateries on the Central Coast made the list, including Montecito’s Sushi Bar, located in the Montecito Inn on Coast Village Road. “This is all I’ve wanted for a very, very, very long time,” owner Phillip Frankland Lee said. […]
How many of these claims about Monsanto and/or GMOs have you heard? Monsanto sues farmers for having GMO crops on their land due to wind-blown pollen? Monsanto uses a terminator gene to make their seeds infertile? Monsanto’s policies in poor countries are causing widespread suicide of farmers? GMOs favor large agribusiness over small farmers? GMOs […]
Although National Dog Day came and went on August 26, it’s never too late to celebrate your furry canine companion. Which leads to a question: when is the last time you took your favorite tail-wagger out for a tasty meal? Downtown, Coast Village Road, and the Funk Zone are chockfull of outdoor eateries that cater […]
After 24 years of serving up elevated, authentic Mexican food on Coast Village Road, Cava Restaurant & Bar closed its doors on Wednesday, September 15. “It’s certainly sad to see this wonderful chapter close, but we are absolutely making the right call,” said owner Carlos Lopez-Hollis. “There is virtue in decisiveness with a difficult but […]
This Saturday, September 11, marks the 20th anniversary of Montecito Deli on Coast Village Road. Owner Jeff Rypysc closed escrow on the purchase of the business on the fateful day of September 11, 2001, and since then has been feeding Montecito locals and tourists at the casual deli. Rypysc has always attributed his success to […]
One of the newest spots to eat in town is a longstanding destination all its own. The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is one of the oldest of its kind in the U.S., and its polo season, which runs May through October and lures a sophisticated crowd to both play and watch from all […]
Customers at Montecito’s quaint upper village grocery store may notice a new face behind the meat case: Don Fortin is the store’s new meat manager and butcher. “I have big shoes to fill,” he told us during a recent visit. Fortin was brought on the team to fill the position left by longtime butcher Tony […]
Joey Castanon, the Santa Barbara Bristol Farms store director,and his team are celebrating their one-year anniversary on August 21. With a last-minute pivot to adhere to the updated mask protocols, they are proceeding with in-store special events and freebies, like having their chef make your guacamole order with ingredients you select, 40% off meats from […]
Love for Pascual Mamahua’s Dining Commons breakfast burritos may be a unifying factor among Westmont students. These culinary creations are in high demand, as students crave the delicious combination of eggs, cheese, tater tots, and a choice of bacon, ham, chorizo or vegetables expertly wrapped in a warm tortilla. But students appreciate more than just […]
There are few ingredients in gastronomy that have become the object of widespread controversy and debate in recent history quite like foie gras. Beloved by many chefs and gourmets for its rich flavor and smooth texture, foie gras is made from the fattened livers of geese or ducks, with the fattening typically achieved by gavage, […]
As foodies return to dine-in service, one local eatery is commanding attention with its authentic and flavorful approach to Spanish-Mediterranean cuisine and robust wine selections. Sevtap Winery is a new tasting room in the Presidio that lures food and wine lovers on its breezy umbrella-shaded patio or inside, a naturally lit and airy dining room. […]
Tucked along Coast Village Road, Mesa Burger’s crowd is equal parts hipsters on-the-go and preppy families taking a respite from a day at the beach, which makes it very Montecito indeed. They all queue happily for Cat’s Cobb Salad and bodacious burgers and sandwiches like the San Roque (fried Chicken Sandwich) made with house-battered fried […]
For some of us, the pandemic was all exploring new food and discovering the convenience of delivery services. Remember that mouthwatering chicken marsala paired with a glass of Babcock chardonnay that you and your partner shared on the patio? Or the gourmet burger with grilled onions, goat cheese, and truffle aioli that you enjoyed while […]
The pandemic has inspired sweeping culinary changes throughout Santa Barbara, and notably at several area hotels where executive chefs work diligently to provide a refreshing new take on this unique era in dining. And hospitality is making a slow comeback as city nears the yellow tier of COVID reopening. Some hoteliers are utilizing their indoor-outdoor […]
It’s still amazing to me how photos posted on Instagram can bring unexpected responses. Instantly! It happily happened to me last May and my green, yellow, orange, and red creative juices started flowing. I had just posted a photo of the nasturtium pesto I’d made from the flowers and leaves in my garden. I was […]
A few weeks ago, I read a Los Angeles Times article featuring an interview with Marianne Faithfull and Courtney Love. The two celebrities are close friends, though they’re from different generations of rock artistry and debauchery. Who can forget Londoner Faithfull clad in leather in “Girl on a Motorcycle” or her generation-defining performance in The […]
Some of Santa Barbara’s finest takeout options aren’t coming from established restaurants. The best gourmet grocers, delis, and bodegas are sprinkled throughout Santa Barbara’s diverse culinary neighborhoods. From classic sammies, subs, grinders, heroes, and hoagies (the subs’ Italian cousins), local deli owners continued to serve beleaguered foodies during the pandemic, combining the traditional art of […]
When it comes to preparing the perfect spring salad, there’s no better place to start than your local farmers’ market. There you’ll find an abundance of lettuces, spring peas, green beans, apricots, artichokes, asparagus, fennel, radishes, cherries, mangoes, rhubarb, strawberries, Swiss chard, and zucchini in season. Popular herbs include basil, chives, cilantro, dill, mint, rosemary, […]
