Best of Santa Barbara

My family moved from Switzerland to Santa Barbara back in 1997 and never looked back. We fell in love with the small town feel, the Spanish architecture, friendly people and adorable downtown, so it’s only right that I share a list of all our favorite spots to eat, drink and play.

Like the Best of San Diego post, this will also be a living post and I will update it as we discover new places and try new menus. Enjoy!

Favorite Brunch/Breakfast Spots:

• Handlebar

• Jeannine’s – any location! They have bomb scones…chocolate chip is my favorite!

• The Andersen’s

• Backyard Bowls – The best acai bowls!

• Renaud’s Patisserie and Bistro

• D’Angelos Bakery

• Cajun Kitchen

• Farmer Boy

• Scarlett Begonia – Don’t forget to try their famous bacon and cinnamon rolls!

• Oat Bakery

Favorite Lunch Restaurants:

• The Nook

• The Habit Burger – Go to the location on Hollister Avenue in Goleta. This is the original location of the Habit Burger chain and is such a different experience than the franchised restaurants. Trust me! I get the Charburger with avocado, no cheese and a side of fries 😊

• Mesa Burger

• Natural Café

• Los Arroyos

• Corazon Cocina

• Panino

• Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch – Their burritos are bomb!

• Southcoast Deli - The chipotle chicken club is the absolute best!! Big enough to share, just FYI :-)

• Cold Springs Tavern – WEEKEND PLACE ONLY! This place is such an icon and features a small wood hut with live music, tons of motorcycles and the worlds best tri tip sandwiches!

• Santo Mezcal

Favorite Dinner Restaurants:

• Rusty’s Pizza

• Jane

• Loquita

• Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen

• The Lark – Great place to go with a bunch of people. Their menu items are meant to be shared, so order a bunch and definitely don’t skip the brussel sprouts.

• Benchmark Eatery

• Santa Barbara Craft Ramen

• Opal

• Pascucci

• Los Agaves

• Sushi Teri

• Casa Blanca Restaurant and Cantina

• Stella Mare’s

Sweet Treats:

• McConnell's Ice Cream

• Lilac Patisserie

• Chocolate du Calibressan – located in Carpinteria but worth the drive.

• Chocolate Maya

• Crushcakes and Café

• Lokum – Yummy Turkish Delights and coffee

• Via Maestra 42 - Authentic Italian gelato

Favorite Breweries/Cocktail Places:

• Check out the Funk Zone for tons of breweries and wineries all within walking distance of each other! This area is at the far end of State Street and within walking distance of many downtown hotels.

• Joe’s Café – Beware, their drinks are STRONG but the place is such a Santa Barbara staple, I couldn’t not list it

• Sandbar – Located on State Street with live music on the weekends

Sightseeing Places to Check Out:

• The Mission Santa Barbara and Rose Garden

• Stearns Wharf – located at the far end of State Street, the wharf offers amazing views of the Santa Barbara Riviera as you enjoy a yummy gelato

• Art Walk - Every Sunday on either side of Sterns Wharf, local artists and artisans set up a beautiful art market with miles of stands and gorgeous artwork to check out. Grab a coffee and browse the offerings.

• State Street – The center of downtown with tons of shops, restaurants and art galleries

• Montecito Downtown – Montecito is the fancier area of Santa Barbara (think Meghan and Harry, Oprah, etc.). The little downtown area is a great place to enjoy a delicious meal or shop your heart out at any of the upscale boutiques.

• Santa Barbara Public Market – For tons of yummy snacks and local handmade souvenirs.

• Funk Zone – Listed above, but if you love beer and wine, you can’t miss this area of lower State Street!

• Arroyo Burro Beach

• Hotel Miramar – Way to pricy to stay there for us, BUT go check it out nonetheless, especially around the holidays for their gorgeous décor. Don’t forget to use the restroom….trust me, you’ll want to see the facilities 😉 They also have several great places to grab a drink and enjoy the sunset!

Hikes:

• Inspiration Point

• Seven Falls

• More Mesa Trail – This is a super easy, but scenic walking trail along the bluffs. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on leash.

• Los Carneros Park – This is a flat walking trail around Lake Los Carneros. Dogs are welcome and even allowed off leash.

• Ellwood Bluffs/Butterfly Preserve – If it’s Monarch season, this area is an amazing place to check out the butterfly colonies while getting a nice flat walk in.

• Lizard’s Mouth

• Cathedral Peak Trail

Golf Course Suggestions:

• Glen Annie Golf Course

• Santa Barbara Municipal Golf Course

• Sandpiper Golf Course – One of the most beautiful public courses in the US!

Out of Area Suggestions:

• Solvang – This is a little Danish town located about 40 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara

• Santa Ynez Valley – if you’re into wine, this is the Napa Valley of the Santa Barbara area with tons of amazing and beautiful wineries. Bridalwood, Firewood, Carr and Gainey are some of our favorites.

• Pismo Beach – If you’ve never been to the Pismo Sand Dunes, definitely put this place on your list and if you need a place to lunch, check out The Grub Shack for yummy burgers and fries.

Other Random Tips and Places:

• Favorite Nail Salon - Lovely Nails and Spa

• Best Place to go for a Run - Start at Shoreline Park and run down towards the water and wharf along Cabrillo Blvd. You can follow the path all the way to the bird sanctuary before turning around and heading back or continue all the way into Montecito for a scone and coffee at Jeannine's.

• If you feel like giving back to the local community, check out the Dream Foundations Flower Empower program! Every Saturday morning, pending schedule and covid restrictions of course, this local non profit needs volunteers to create beautiful floral bouquets that then get delivered to hospice centers and retirement homes.