Where To Eat (Consciously) in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County has more than 1,400 farms, abundant seafood, and is surrounded by wine country. So you know the restaurants are going to offer up some excellence. Here are a few of our favorites.
Farmer-Owned Dining
Third Window Brewing is helmed by Kristopher Parker, whose family raises Wagyu cattle, feeding them sustainably on spent brewing grains and grape pomace from the family’s Santa Ynez Valley operations. The result is their smash burger: premium Wagyu beef pressed thin on a custom inch-thick steel plancha, paired with American cheese.
The kitchen’s ambitions extend far beyond burgers – Mondays see the team foraging Los Olivos coastal oak to fire their pizza oven, where house-milled patwin wheat becomes naturally leavened sourdough bases, while Saturdays feature Wagyu barbecue smoked for up to sixteen hours over white oak from the family ranch.
Santa Barbara Regional Food
Named for a Chumash dialect, Barbareño is hyperlocal. The staff knows the names of every farm their produce and meat was sourced from, which is always an excellent sign.
Meant for sharing, the menu is made up of small plates and three platters: Whole fish, chicken, and barbecue. The barbecue isn’t your typical Texan style: Barbereño specializes in Santa Maria barbecue, a regional tradition. They do a contemporary cold-smoked, slow-cooked version at dinner and a traditional quick-grilled style at brunch.
Possibly My Favorite Restaurant in SoCal
One of my favorite restaurants in Southern California, Loquita sources its produce and most of its seafood locally. The Spanish restaurant is open later than most in Santa Barbara (probably due to its popular cocktails) and the walnut-wood bar and firepit-warmed courtyard make this restaurant decidedly sexy.
The tapas, wood-fire grilled seafood and meats, and meticulously prepared paellas are all excellent. My favorites are the impeccably grilled octopus and, when in season, a revelatory persimmon salad.
Asian Fusion
Sama Sama Kitchen uses farmers’ market produce, personally selected by the chefs each week. These chefs, a Nashville barbecue expert and an Indonesian native, have translated their expertise into making elevated Asian street food that feels very Californian.
They are known for their chicken wings — both their “Signature Wings” and Vietnamese ones. My friends loved them, but I’m personally not a fan of chicken wings. I am a fan of their gado gado and papaya salad, which is full of herbs and chilies. When available, the Market Fried Fish is non-negotiable – order it.
Best for groups with Diverse Tastes
The Santa Barbara Public Market is a LEED-certified food hall that elegantly sidesteps the “where should we eat?” debate. You can even reserve the large tables for extra-large groups.
The market satisfies both the plant-based and committed carnivores without making either feel like they’re settling. Fala Bar is all vegan, serving an excellent falafel that actually tastes like something you’d find in Tel Aviv – tender inside, crispy outside. Little Heart Cafecito offers Mexican breakfast classics made with farmers’ market eggs and handmade tortillas – both corn and flour. There’s a Rori’s Ice Cream here too, which is handmade with pure ingredients by Rori herself, with innovative flavors and clean ingredients. You’ll also find a variety of natural and local wines.
Santa Barbara Farmers’ Markets
Here, every vendor grows or produces what they sell, from pie makers tending their own berry fields to bakers growing their wheat. This, combined with the region’s Mediterranean climate allowing for year-round growing seasons, has made the markets essential resources for the city’s restaurants. On any given market day, you’ll spot local chefs wheeling their finds between stalls. The Saturday market is the biggest, with 110 vendors, including shellfish, honey, berries, nuts, and the areas phenomenal citrus.
