One of my favorite restaurants in Southern California, Loquita sources its produce locally. And this lively 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.
he 120-seat restaurant transforms a pivotal corner near the ancient Chumash village of Syuxtun into a slice of modern Spain. Chef Peter Lee, formerly of Jöel Robuchon in Las Vegas, delivers Spanish cuisine that feels both authentic and perfectly attuned to Santa Barbara’s Mediterranean climate. 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.
The adjacent tapas bar, cleverly named Poquita (“a little bit”), offers a more casual experience with pintxos, jamón serrano, and manchego cheese, perfect for a quick bite or pre-dinner aperitif.