Tag archives: restaurant

Their reopening anxiously anticipated, The Palms Restaurant project at 701 Linden Avenue is scheduled for the Carpinteria Planning Commission on December 2. The project cleared the Carp Architectural Review Board (ARB) in October. Currently it is an 11,453 square-foot lot with a 10,508 square-foot, two-story building on site. Renovations include a new third story addition […]

Soul Bites Restaurant, on lower State Street, is the community-based entertainment space during Black History Month and all year round. The food is served up homemade by owner and actor, Stirling Nix-Bradley and his partner Rose. Their mission: “To feed the soul of our community through the comfort of our kitchen.”  Due to recent financial […]

It was all love and laughter with a unanimous – yet unofficial – ‘yes’ vote from the Carpinteria Architectural Review Board on Thursday, May 30, as it reviewed the project plans for the renovations and reopening of the beloved “Palms” restaurant and music venue, 701 Linden Avenue. The historic venue, in more ways than its […]

Happiest Man Alive is a tough claim to quantify – but when they decide to hand out an honorary statuette for the title, Larry Nobles will be a red-carpet nominee. “The way the stars aligned to make all this happen is just unbelievable,” he exults. Nobles and I are sitting at the gorgeous off-hours bar […]

The newest spot in town for a sexy sipper is, actually, a perennial favorite. The Plow & Angel, the famed watering hole at the San Ysidro Ranch that, for decades, has been a classy yet approachable place to sip, unwind and be seen, reopened last month as a Prohibition Era-inspired watering hole. No secret password […]

“I cooked my way through college. I was the cook in our fraternity for a while because our actual cook quit, along with a couple other guys. So I made meals for 50 guys, six days a week. That teaches you how to cook pretty fast.” Not to worry; “Frat House Epicure” does not define […]

Last week it was quietly announced that a new restaurant called Jemma Montecito is in the works for the Las Aves complex near the Bird Refuge; the complex traded hands last year for $19M, selling to a Los Angeles-based investment group, the Runyon Group, which has big plans to revitalize the complex and bring in […]

Culinary whiz Mitchell Sjerven, owner of the West Victoria Street eatery bouchon Santa Barbara, had a double celebration last week with Bastille Day, which was also the 25th anniversary of his popular restaurant’s opening. “It is a story of enduring relationships,” says Mitchell. “From working side-by-side with my wife, Amy, to having both my daughters, […]

Earlier this week, Ty Warner announced a new partnership with seven-Michelin star chef and restaurateur Thomas Keller, who has been tapped to oversee all food and beverage operations at the iconic Coral Casino on Channel Drive.  “I’m excited to be part of the Coral Casino story,” Chef Keller said in a statement. “It’s an honor […]

I, like many, was heartbroken when it was announced that the Black Sheep Restaurant was up for sale in 2020. Local foodies mourned the idea of losing another beloved downtown restaurant. Even if the establishment lived on under new ownership, it would not have been the same. For me, their white marinated anchovy crostini exemplified […]

Brunch is often the best part of a weekend. Walk along Cabrillo St. on an early (but not too early) weekend day, and the winding lines outside of restaurants will confirm the popularity of this all-encompassing meal that straddles breakfast and lunch. While many locals have their favorite place to brunch, there is a new […]

Montecito’s Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro restaurant, which has been closed since the pandemic, is having a new lease on life. The Charter Oak Restaurant in St. Helena in the heart of the Napa Valley run by chef Christopher Kostow, also of the Michelin 3-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood (TRAM), has just allegedly signed a lease […]

Mesa Burger owner Chris Chiarappa confirms that his Montecito location on Coast Village Road is permanently closed. “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we are announcing the permanent closure of our Montecito location. We will be forever grateful to all our wonderful guests and the entire Montecito community for their gracious support. We […]

Step inside AMA Sushi, Rosewood Miramar’s new upscale dining room, and experience an homage to Edomae – a centuries-old Japanese culinary tradition that has resurfaced in recent years. Named for women who ventured into the ocean to collect seafood for their village, “ama” means “women of the sea.”  The team at this beachside resort is […]

Coast Village Road (CVR), though ceded to the City of Santa Barbara in 1960, remains an iconic pillar of the Montecito lifestyle. The CVR streetscape offers sophisticated dining, boutique shopping, historic hotels, real estate brokers, drugstores, medical offices, professional services, hair salons, banks, business offices – and yes, even a modern, high-priced combination gas station, car […]

Warm summer breezes and longer days beckon diners outdoors to explore the city’s diverse culinary landscape. Although there has been a recent uptick in virus cases, restaurant owners and chefs tempt diners with their summer creations. Several local eateries continue to exercise the same safety protocols at the height of the pandemic. “Our doors to […]

If you’re planning to venture out in town this summer, start a list of some of the new eateries you’d like to visit during your al fresco culinary adventures. From Mexican-inspired bites and beverages to Nashville-style fried chicken, Santa Barbara has some exciting new eateries on its culinary scene. Santa Barbara Public Market has added […]

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 […]

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 […]