Santa Barbara Restaurants
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Barbareño
Price: Expensive•Californian•4.8(2,015)At Barbareño we seek to help further shape and define Central Coast cuisine. We take our inspiration from traditions and specialties of our area, delicacies unique to our region, and the many outstanding purveyors with whom we are so fortunate to work. In all of our efforts, we hope to capture the essence of a particular place or local flavor, embracing the nuances that make our food and drink unique to our home.Secret Bao
Price: Expensive•Asian•4.8(766)Contemporary Asian American Restaurant from Chefs Peter Lee & Felicia Medina.
"Consider the bao. Chinese in origin, it’s most easily described as a steamed bun filled with something savory. Yet, like the American concept of a sandwich, the bao exploded into a flexible format of untold bounds — served at any meal, filled with you-name-it, completely closed or wide open, with endless regional variants from across Asia and far beyond." - Matt Kettmann (SB Independent)
1 Block From State Street, Easy Parking, Public Lot Nearby, Free 75 Minute Parking, Walking Distance, El Pueblo Viejo Landmark District, Superior Court, Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse, Santa Barbara Museum Of Art, Courthouse Gardens, Bell Tower, Bao, Food, Restaurant, Asian, American, New, Modern, Fried, Chicken, Octopus, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design
Toma Restaurant & Bar
Price: Expensive•Italian•4.8(5,700)Toma Restaurant and Bar a waterfront bistro, located along Santa Barbara's picturesque Cabrillo Blvd. Experience Santa Barbara waterfront's most romantic restaurant. Savor exquisite Italian and Mediterranean inspired dishes from Santa Barbara's seasonal bounty, supporting our local fisherman, farmers, foragers and food artisans. Pour over local and Italian wines along with a full bar of handcrafted cocktails and spirits. Enjoy warm and attentive service while dining window side with a view of the enchanting Santa Barbara harbor.Bouchon - Santa Barbara
Price: Expensive•Californian•4.8(5,581)We are delighted to have added additional outdoor seating but Santa Barbara nights are chilly so bring a sweater or light jacket!
Fresh, local ingredients, prepared with care. Excellent wines that reflect the quality and character of our region and work in concert with the cuisine. Warm, inviting ambiance, service at a relaxed, leisurely pace. Santa Barbara ‘Wine Country Cuisine’ means we source our ingredients using an ‘as-fresh-and-as-local-as-possible’ approach, with fish from the Santa Barbara Channel and produce from the surrounding countryside. We then take into account how these flavors can be presented in concert with our local wines. We believe you’ll taste the difference. Bon Appètit!
Ospi Montecito
Price: Expensive•Italian•4.7(12)Cal-Italian coastal elegance never tasted so good. Ospi Montecito at The Post is Chef Jackson Kalb’s newest destination for your favorite dinner party.
Building on the success of Ospi Venice, Brentwood, and Costa Mesa, we’re serving up our must-try house-made pastas and crispy Romana-tonda pizzas, plus our first-ever breakfast offering, and an exclusive wood-grilled selection featuring locally sourced meat, seafood, and seasonal vegetables from our top-quality vendors. Thoughtfully curated wines and inventive craft cocktails make it the perfect place for a dining destination any time of day.
Ospi Montecito reimagines Italian cuisine with modern sophistication, delivering a dining experience as effortlessly refined as the community it calls home.Holdren's Santa Barbara
Price: Expensive•Steakhouse•4.8(1,154)Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood, located on State Street, serves up a delicious and diverse menu of seafood and steaks, where the portions are always generous and the prices always reasonable. Our surf and turf menu, including our favorite bacon wrapped stuffed shrimp or our USDA prime steaks that are charbroiled over a mesquite grill, is complimented by an extensive wine list, a healthy assortment of premium spirits, and a selection of signature drinks. Daily meals can be enjoyed in our cozy, and dark saloon-inspired dining room, or on our outdoor patio. The indoor dining room is adorned with brown leather booths, dark wood paneling, and funky artwork lining the exposed brick walls. Holdren’s has been voted as the best steakhouse multiple times by the Santa Barbara Independent’s Reader’s Poll and by the Santa Barbara News Press’ Reader’s Choice Awards.
Intermezzo By Wine Cask
Price: Expensive•Californian•4.6(1,876)Intermezzo by Wine Cask
New Menu by Executive Chef Mossin Sugich and Chef de Cuisine, Hector Bonilla
Serving Dinner and Sunday Brunch!
Modern American cuisine with a Mediterranean twist.
A lively atmosphere with an exciting bar, featuring amazing photography of iconic 70's and 80's rock musicians!Arnoldi's Cafe
Price: Expensive•Italian•4.7(819)Oldest Italian restaurant in Santa Barbara! We have two bocce courts on our patio with outdoor dining. Lots of pasta, appetizers, salads, chicken dishes and homemade desserts...Italian wine and local wine on our wine list...indoor or outdoor seating. We are a true local's secret and kid friendly. We are also dog friendly on our patio! Open for dinner 7 days a week! We also host rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, and large birthday parties.
Outdoor dining in California Central Coast
See what locals rave about in Santa Barbara
- DDanielleVIPDenver / Colorado •2 reviews5.0Dined 3 days agoThe service was great. Ceviche was out of this world—the best we have ever had. Pasta dish was divine. A great night out in a beautiful setting.More infoLa Paloma CafePrice: Moderate• American• Santa Barbara•4.3
- CCathyCalifornia Central Coast •3 reviews5.0Dined 3 days agoThe food was excellent. The service was excellent. I would highly recommend this restaurant.More infoThe Black Sheep SB BrasseriePrice: Expensive• Contemporary French / American• Santa Barbara•4.8
- DDanVIPChicago / Illinois •2 reviews5.0Dined 4 days agoThe food was delicious, and the service was friendly and attentive. The patio was a very comfortable and attractive dining area.More infoIntermezzo By Wine CaskPrice: Expensive• Californian• Santa Barbara•4.6
- MMariaVIPLos Angeles •11 reviews5.0Dined 4 days agoGreat twists on the classic dishes. Good wine rec from server. We’ll be back.More infoBibi JiPrice: Expensive• Indian• Santa Barbara•4.5
- CCandiceVIPWashington, D.C. Area •1 review5.0Dined on Jul 17, 2025Our waiter was outstanding. The food was also wonderful. We’ll be back for sure!More infoFinch & ForkPrice: Expensive• American• Santa Barbara•4.4
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Discover Santa Barbara
Only a two-hour jaunt from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is a busy seaside town with a relaxed vibe and proximity to California's booming wine region. Sometimes called the American Riviera, Santa Barbara exudes alfresco charm while benefiting from local, fresh produce and sustainably harvested seafood. From the taco trail to cracked fresh crab at the pier to eclectic wine bars with delicate snacks, Santa Barbara is a culinary delight for a range of tastes. One thing you won't find much of is pretentious, black-tie dining; Santa Barbara prefers it low-profile. Fresh and local is the name of the game here. Copious nearby ranch land, wine country and independent distillers and breweries keep chefs inspired to design their menus with a distinctly local bent.
Frequently asked questions
The best reviewed restaurant in Santa Barbara is SunBar at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
The best vegan restaurants in Santa Barbara are Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch, Convivo and Olio e Limone Ristorante
The best vegetarian restaurants in Santa Barbara are Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch, Secret Bao and Olio e Limone Ristorante
The restaurants with the best service in Santa Barbara are Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch, SunBar at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara and Bouchon - Santa Barbara
The restaurants with the best ambiance in Santa Barbara are Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch, Intermezzo By Wine Cask and Convivo
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