Eating Out in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara has over 500 bars and restaurants. It’s a gourmet’s paradise and offers delights to please any taste. In Santa Barbara, folks dress pretty casual and wear shorts at lot. As a rule you may want to dress a little smarter in the evening, but don’t stress on it. These are a few of my favourites:
American/Californian Cuisine
Brigitte’s
1361 State St, Santa Barbara
Eclectic Californian cuisine featuring appetizers of crab cakes on gourmet greens, classic ceaser salad and black-peper encrusted ahi tuna. Main courses include homemade tomato linguini with chicken, grilled New zealand lamb chops and lemon grass salmon with a Thai curry sauce.
Brigitte’s serves lunch featuring appetizers, salads, sandwiches and pizzas.
This restaurant is owned by Tina Takaya & Richard Yates, 2 very hardworking people who exemplify quality service. The restaurant is open for lunch Mon-Sat starting at 11.30am and dinner 7 days starting at 5.30pm.
Moderate-somewhat spendy.
Shoreline Beach Cafe
801 Shoreline Dr, Santa Barbara (805)568.0064
Tables in the sand, or enclosed on a heated deck overlooking the ocean. If you want to get in with some surfers, why not hang out here for a while. Definately a local spot. Take the Shoreline bus from the downtown station.
Inexpensive.
Endless Summer Bar-Cafe
113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara (805)564.1200
View of the harbour as well as the mountains. Right next to the marina, it’s a good place to hot for lunch as it near Leadbetter Beach. Also, if you want to watch people skate the bike path in the late afternoon and check out the marina, it’s cool.
Inexpensive.
Woody’s Bodacious BBQ
5112 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara (805)967.3775
A local barbeque shack complete with buckets of beer and sawdust floors. This place is pretty fun, though quite far from downtown. A nice change from generic fast food, and gets lively in the evenings. Located in the Magnolia shopping center on Hollister Ave. Take the bus to Goleta and get off at Magnolia.
Inexpensive.
Main Squeeze Cafe
138 E. Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara (805)966.5365
A Santa Barbara favourite. Fresh, healthy Californian and vegetarian food. Just a block from State St, this is a quiet place where you can relax and enjoy healthy food cooked with style.
Moderate priced.
Paradise Cafe
702 Anapamu St, Santa Barbara (805)962.4416
Another local hang out. Cozy patio restaurant and bar serving steaks, fish, salads and burgers. This cafe is a busy place during lunch hour with the smartly dressed locals making a regular appearance. It’s a famous launching pad at happy hour, especially on Friday/Saturday nights.
Moderately priced.
Chinese
China Castle
1202 Chapala St, Santa Barbara (805)962.6602
Located close to the bus station, serving Santa Barbara for many years. Lunch specials are the way to go. A family owned place with fast service.
Inexpensive.
Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens
126 E. Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara (805)962.7582
Conveniently located downtown. Located close to the Main Squeeze, Jimmy’s offers unbelievably exciting dishes from southern China. A cosy setting if you fancy a change from western grub.
Moderately priced.
ShangHai
830 N. Milpas St, Santa Barbara (805)962.7833
A newer establishment, over on the East side. Hey, if you and your friends have just been to the Mecca for some hard drinking, then this place is right there for you.
Inexpensive.
Deli’s
Greek & Italian Deli
State & Ortega St, Santa Barbara
On the corner of Ortega & State St, this deli has been here for years. Poor boy subs, custom made sandwiches and huge pickles. Right downtown with some seating inside.
Inexpensive.
Good Neighbour Market & Deli
207 W. Anapamu St, Santa Barbara (805)962.0300
This is a place I used to go all the time for lunch. A beef sandwich and a Moosehead was my preference. Prices are reasonable and they have a back garden with tables. A very relaxing place to spend lunchtime. Definately a locals’ spot.
Fast Food
RG’s Giant Burgers
State & Ortega St, Santa Barbara (805)963.1654
Right there on State St, waiting for your hungry taste buds. RG’s is a very well known burger joint, famous for it’s monster burgers, with all the trimmings, nice and greasy, just how they like them back in Chicago. It’s great to take a snotty date and watch her get it all over the place. Some well known Santa Barbarians such as Bo Derek frequent this place. They also have framed photos on the wall of movie stars for sale.
Inexpensive.
Freebird’s
879 Embarcadero Del Norte, Isla Vista (805)968.0123
Out there in Isla Vista, right next to UCSB, Freebird’s has been a student’s favourite for years. Serving delicious chicken, beef or vegetarian burritos with rice, beans, BBQ sauce and cilantro salsa. These things fill you up and they’re damned good, I tell ya! Take out or seating is available.
Inexpensive.
Cliff’s & Co.
1919 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara (805)965.7757
Up there on the Mesa, close to my aunt’s house is Cliff’s & Co. Bus #5 takes you up to the Mesa from downtown and Cliff’s is located near the corner of Cliff & Meigs Rd. Serving an assortment of burgers, curly fries, onion rings ,shakes etc. this has become a favourite with locals. Been doing a little surfing on Henry’s beach? Then climb the wooden staircase and head along Cliff Dr. for a belly full . Cliff’s has an assortment of surfer type photos and stuff hanging up.
Moderately priced.
French
Napoleon French Patisserie Boulangerie
808 State St, Santa Barbara (805)899.1183
Next to the Granada theater (the tallest building in Santa Barbara) this hole in the wall place serves some pretty tasty little treats for passers by. I usually manage to grab something when I’m in a hurry.
Inexpensive.
German
Heidelberg Inn Restaurant
230 E. Victoria St, Santa Barbara (805)962.1650
Ooh Ja! If home is the Fatherland and your feeling lonesome, give this place a try. Very cozy little hideaway for a romantic date! No date? Well then enjoy some hearty German food with a couple of steins (beers).
Moderately priced.
Italian
Palazzio
1151 Coast Village Rd, Montecito (805)969.8565
Coast Village Rd will make you feel like you’re in Beverly Hills. Palazzio is known for its good food served in a fun atmosphere. Pour your own wine from giant decanters. A short cab ride from downtown will get you here in several minutes.
Moderately priced.
Aldo’s
1031 State St, Santa Barbara
Aldo’s on State & Carrillo St is very conveniently located for a lunch or dinner date. With seating inside or on the sidewalk dining area, you can get cozy or enjoy the crowds out for a party. My ex-girlfriend loved Italian food and we hit Aldo’s on many occasions. I remember their ravioli was good.
Moderately priced.
Japanese
Kyoto
3232 State St (805)687.1252
Up by Las Positas Rd, Kyoto is a great dinner location. Affordably priced, with good sized portions and tatami rooms (traditional paper walled rooms with low tables and cushions) at no extra charge if you spend over $20. With 2 people and some drinks that’s going to happen anyway. Only problem is if you and your partner get too friendly after a few jugs of saki, there’s no way to lock a tatami room. They also have a selection of sushi. I had a salmon dish which was very generous with plenty of vegetables. Catch a cab for a ride lasting several minutes from downtown after dark.
Moderately priced.
Azuma
24 Figueroa St. (805)966.2139
Just west of State St, Azuma is a tranquil place with a gracious host. Mrs Sato, the owner makes sure quality is assured. A little more spendy than Kyoto. I had ‘oyako donburi’ (rice, egg, chicken, onion) and it was delicious. Azuma also does sushi although, as usual, this will run up the bill quite a bit. Within 5 minute walk from all the bars/ nightclubs.
Moderately priced.
Mexican
Casa Blanca
509 State St (805)966.5814
The Casa Blanca is a real Mexican restaurant, complete with Mexican patrons, mariachi musicians who stroll up to your table and blow your head off with their trumpet and a grease pit kitchen. It’s affordable, handy and they give very generous portions. If you can’t make up your mind, the Casa Blanca is always there for you.
Moderately priced.
Rose Cafe
424 E. Haley St. (805)966.3773
The Rose Cafe on Haley St is a small local joint that is known for its authentic Mexican food. My uncle Jose, 78, goes there as well as the Rose Cafe on the Mesa (Cliff & Meigs) and that’s a pretty good recommendation. The decor sure ain’t flashy, but the food will bring a smile to your face! A short walk from State on E. Haley.
Moderately priced.
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