Tag archives: local restaurants
Montecito’s newest restaurant, Local, opens next week, located on the lower level of Coast Village Plaza (1187 Coast Village Road). The new, vibrant eatery is the brainchild of owner Michael Sheldon, who retired from his role as CEO of Goleta-based Curvature in 2017. “I’ve always loved food, cooking, wine, and the experience of eating in […]
Last week Montecito Country Mart announced that its newest eatery, Alma Fonda Fina, is scheduled to open in June. The restaurant is the latest offering from Ramon Velazquez, a local Santa Barbara chef and Michelin Bib Gourmand winner, and the owner of the popular Corazon Cocina in the Public Market in downtown Santa Barbara. Alma […]
Philip Stein doesn’t fit the standard mold of a polo club chef. For starters, his warm and friendly personality is devoid of the stuffy airs that one might assume is mandatory among those in close orbit to the regal sport. Now the Fieldside Grill’s executive chef, he was completely unfamiliar with the game – and […]
The Harbor Restaurant/Longboard’s Grill, one of Santa Barbara’s most recognizable waterfront dining destinations, sold last week, according to Hayes Commercial Group, which brokered both sides of the deal. The iconic restaurants on Stearns Wharf have been operated by the Scott family along with longtime Santa Barbara restaurateur Dave Perry for more than four decades. The […]
Sea urchin have been a known aphrodisiac in Japan for thousands of years. Uni, as the Japanese call it, rose to popularity in North America in the late twentieth century, with Santa Barbara Uni becoming the most sought-after in the world. Uni has much to offer from a nutritional standpoint, fully loaded with a healthy […]
Picnic benches, orange blossoms, and warm soft breezes. These days, dining is an outside affair as restaurants continue to exercise safety precautions and give diners a chance to indulge in one of the most celebrated days of the year. Although restaurant owners and chefs are focusing on both patio dining and takeout options this Valentine’s […]
The Santa Barbara City Council has adopted an ordinance that will provide an additional 22 months, until December 31, 2023, for businesses within city limits –including on Coast Village Road – to operate expanded outdoor business facilities and parklets. The ordinance also authorizes the continued closure of downtown State Street to vehicles while regulatory changes […]
In response to our reporting in last week’s edition that the City of Santa Barbara is considering adopting an ordinance that would extend operation of restaurant parklets on Coast Village Road until December 31, 2023, we heard from several local business owners and Montecito residents, all with differing opinions, who said they would like the […]
It all started with a desire for a well-made cappuccino. I was headed to a work meeting and needed a quick jolt of caffeine. I crossed the street and followed my curiosity to the French-inspired bakery that opened last summer adjacent to the Presidio. That morning, the first of my many visits to Alessia Patisserie […]
If you look closely, you might catch a scant glimpse of red, yellow, and orange leaves on the trees as you walk through town, but if you’re really hungry for a sign of autumn, look at a menu. Local chefs have begun introducing new dishes for fall and winter and the fare isn’t just inspired […]
After all the holiday gatherings that were cancelled last year, Thanksgiving will take on extra special meaning in 2021. More pressure, perhaps, to find that perfect wine to pair with turkey and all the trimmings. But a sigh of relief, for many, that someone else is willing to do the cooking. Here are a few […]
Buena Onda, a family-run eatery on the Eastside, serves Argentinian wine alongside empanadas, chimi papas, and canoncitos. Whenever someone mentions Argentinian food, I immediately think of Nacho Figueras, the Argentinian polo star who dips in and out of Santa Barbara during summer’s polo season. Thinking of Nacho and his swashbuckling polo conjures up images in […]
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. […]
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 […]
A couple of months ago, we published a column with the intent to educate newcomers to our community on being a good neighbor, adapting to the Montecito lifestyle, and respecting what makes this community such a wonderful place to live. Part of that “wonderful” are the businesses and local staff that help keep our restaurants […]
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 […]
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 […]
At a hearing on Tuesday, the Santa Barbara City Council considered modifying aesthetic guidelines related to the outdoor dining in the public right-of-way on State Street, and on parklets in other areas of the city, including Coast Village Road. Many in the community were under the impression that the meeting was to consider removal of […]
