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Every big city has its popular road trip destinations, and Los Angeles is blessed to have Santa Barbara , an hour and 40 minutes driving from Downtown and just under three hours aboard Amtrak. Though both routes boast stunning views, Santa Barbara’s landscape is breathtaking. The Pacific Ocean is never far from view, while the town’s buildings ooze with charm and history.
In short, this is one of the best regions for California’s best hotels, seafood spots, and beachside dining amid the city’s rolling hills wrapped around the harbor and beyond. This update removed Tamar and Three Pickles, yet added Bar Lou, Buena Onda Empanadas, and where to find an excellent breakfast burrito. Here are 15 splendid restaurants to try in Santa Barbara.
Click here for a specific guide on planning an ideal day in Santa Barbara, or where to stop if venturing further up the coast . Mona Holmes is an editor at Eater Southern California/Southwest, a regular contributor at KCRW radio, and a James Beard Award nominee. As a multimedia reporter, she covers restaurants, bars, and hospitality in Los Angeles.
Since joining Eater in 2017, she has written about California’s restaurant industry regulations and laws, gentrification, Black and Latino neighborhoods, the cannabis food industry, street food vendors, changing trends, and the deep food history throughout the Southland. Chad's Cafe A view of the Pacific while dining is a must in Santa Barbara, and Chad’s is ideally located overlooking the Santa Barbara Waterfront. Operated by the founder’s grandson, Chad Stevens, classic cafe dishes are plentiful with omelets, chicken fried steak, huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, pancakes (gluten-free is available), club sandwiches, and cobb salads.
Santa Barbara Roasting Company provides the coffee beans, though adults can enjoy micheladas or bloody marys. A post shared by Chad's Cafe (@chadscafesb) The Lark The Lark’s been holding down Santa Barbara’s fine dining scene since 2013. Before sitting down, explore the restaurant to appreciate the built-in booths, patios, and custom outdoor fire pits.
Chef Jason Paluska’s menu features locally sourced oysters and Channel Islands crudo with avocado mousse. The smoky Texas-style barbecue pork spare ribs with bourbon pickled jalapeno, fennel & red cabbage slaw, chives will also do nicely. East Beach Tacos Though carne asada and deep-fried Baja-style fish tacos are bestsellers at East Beach Tacos, the owners incorporate California’s various cultures into a bite.
Try the Korean-marinated steak or banh mi tacos with a serving of ceviche or a flavorful rice ball stuffed with spicy tuna on one of the patio picnic tables while sipping from East Beach Tacos’ beer and wine selections. A post shared by @gluttongallery Bar Lou Montecito For the past 16 years, Warner Ebbink and chef Brandon Boudet have put their full effort into Little Dom’s in Los Feliz, later expanding to Little Dom’s Seafood in Carpinteria in 2020. With Bar Lou, they’ve taken a thoughtful detour from their casual Italian menu into a full-on coastal approach in Montecito, with Boudet’s roasted carrots, crab cakes, meat-and-cheese platters, spaghettini with Santa Barbara sea urchin, and a steak au poivre with fries.
Also featured in: The 18 Best Restaurants With a Fireplace in Los Angeles Lito's There’s no lack of great breakfast burritos options in Santa Barbara, but one of the best in town can be found at an unassuming Mexican spot, Lito’s, a few blocks away from the busy strip of Downtown. The small daytime only restaurant offers breakfast burritos of practically every variety, stuffed with ingredients like eggs, nopales, potatoes, beans, machaca, and more. Guests can opt for practically any ingredient combination in their burrito, making the options almost endless.
A tender warm tortilla holds it all together without being too heavy. If a breakfast burrito isn’t on the agenda, Lito’s also serves burritos, taquitos, and classic Mexican combo plates with carne asada. Sign up for our newsletter.
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Please enter a valid email and try again. Bettina Even though Bettina is adjacent to the 101 Freeway, it’s an oasis with a bright dining room, communal patio, and some of the best wood-fired pizzas in all of Central and Southern California. Also on the menu are local wines, ricotta cavatelli, creamy tomato soup, or whipped ricotta on focaccia.
Locals are patiently awaiting Bettina’s second Carpinteria location which, hopefully, will open in 2025. Also featured in: The Best Road-Trip Worthy Restaurants Along California’s Central Coast The 22 Best Dishes Eater LA Editors Ate in 2020, Mapped Taqueria El Bajio Taqueria El Bajio has been operating for over 20 years near Downtown Santa Barbara. This unfussy spot isn’t as busy as the historic El Super-Rico Taqueria, but the quesadilla adobada with shredded pork, cheese, onions, cilantro, and onion makes this restaurant an essential stop on any Santa Barbara food tour.
A post shared by Geneva Ives (@hi_geneva) Bibi Ji In July 2024, Bibi Ji reopened near the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara’s Arts District. The wonderfully pink dining room now seats double what it used to (70) and serves owner Alejandro Medina’s modern Indian menu, plus a new four-seat chef’s counter for Bibi Ji’s rotating tasting menu. Bibi Ji’s standouts remain on the menu including the dal makhani lentils, barra lamb chop, and tandoori chicken.
Secret Bao Santa Barbara’s pandemic pop-up opened in a permanent space near the Santa Barbara Public Library in 2021 and remains a local favorite. Chefs Peter Lee and Felicia Medina prepare Chinese pork belly or K.F.
C.-inspired bao, honey walnut shrimp, udon carbonara, and a delectable bread milk ice cream doughnut for all to savor. A post shared by Secret Bao (@secretbao) Buena Onda It might be tempting to take away Buena Onda’s freshly made Argentine empanadas to-go, but consider sitting in the charming outdoor dining area.
A dozen empanadas can easily feed a group with compelling flavors like the Caprese empanada stuffed with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. The traditional version with Sunfed Ranch ground beef with onions, bell peppers, olive oil, and boiled egg is always a top choice. Check to see if live music is on the schedule, order some wine, and settle in.
Also featured in: The Best Road-Trip Worthy Restaurants Along California’s Central Coast Kin Bakeshop Tommy Chang and Will Chen’s pop-up regularly sold out of its mochi and brioche doughnuts before opening a permanent space in 2023. Flavors rotate often and might include Dubai chocolate brioche doughnut, or made with matcha strawberry and lychee. Check Instagram to see what the weekly flavors are and always arrive early.
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