Diners' Choice: Healthy restaurants in Santa Barbara

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best overall healthy cuisine in Santa Barbara? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Ca' Dario Cucina Italiana

4.9

4.9 (634)

$31 to $50

Italian

Goleta

About the restaurant

Anything grilled is "divine" and the rest of the menu is "delectable" at the "charming" Italian in Santa Barbara known for its "excellent" execution of "simple" pasta, meats and other classics plus a "fantastic" wine list with many available by the glass; it's a local "favorite", so reservations are a must.

Top review

Amy

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

Our family had a wonderful celebratory dinner here to honor my daughter's UCSB graduation! We took her here the night we moved her in to her dorm and so it was fitting to end her time at UCSB back in the same place! Thank you for being a memory we will never forget! (Food and service were outstanding!)

OKU

4.8

4.8 (1860)

$31 to $50

Asian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Tina Takaya, proprietor, welcomes you to our newest two story restaurant on the water. We feel the key to success is our passion for creating the highest quality food and warm friendly service.

We hope you will enjoy your experience as much as we enjoyed creating it for you.
"We want Locals to feel like Family and Visitors to feel like Locals"

Our menu draws from Asian favorites that inspire and excite such as Wagyu Steak, Japanese Sushi, Chinese Dumplings, Garlic Noodles and fresh local seafood.

We are located in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront and Funk Zone Districts. Come enjoy lunch or dinner, soak in the sun by day at our waterfront rooftop bar while sipping on a refreshing cocktail surrounded by our beautiful ocean vista and by night, enjoy lounging by the fireplace after a delicious meal and a great glass of wine.

Our chef uses the freshest ingredients from central coast farmers and local fisherman to create dishes with the best of what California has to offer.

Top review

CarlosVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Great meal and service. We were outside and very pleasant.

Discover more

Popular dish

Crispy Korean Cauliflower

Masala Spice - Santa Barbara

4.8

4.8 (17)

$30 and under

Indian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

We at masala spice signify the true traditions and culinary treasures of our homeland ,presented to you in our restaurant , where we welcome you to come and try our delicacies , handcrafted by our chef to take you on a soulful journey through our spice mountains and curry streams to the land of incredible flavor and true satisfaction.

Top review

SteveVIP

Dined on Jun 7, 2025

The food was delicious, but the service lacks. Even when the restaurant wasn’t full, we are always looking around for the waiter when we needed something. If they get their service up to bar, this will be one incredible restaurant! Fantastic menu great value great food.!

Convivo

4.7

4.7 (2213)

$31 to $50

Italian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Convivo is a Santa Barbara restaurant and bar with an Italian soul. Chef-Owner Peter McNee's food is best described as ‘Nomad Italian’. It strays from the standard or traditional Italian, sourcing inspiration from many other cultures’ cooking but its soul is thoroughly Italian. The ever-changing menu includes small plates, housemade pasta, wood-fired pizza, rotisserie chicken, fresh seafood and steaks served family-style. McNee’s all-star supplier network provides the freshest produce and local seafood the region is famous for.

Inspired by the bounty of the sea, the lush farms and abundant vineyards nearby and the cooking methods of Italy, Convivo is a festive gathering place for locals and visitors alike inside the newly-restored Santa Barbara Inn.

Top review

Kevin

Dined 1 day ago

Great food and great service, highly recommended.

Discover more

Opal Restaurant & Bar

4.7

4.7 (1863)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

We have inside and limited outdoor sidewalk dining. If you prefer to sit outside, please indicate that with your reservation request.
To accommodate our second seating, early parties should plan for a maximum stay of 1.5 to 2hrs, depending on party size. Please call 805 966 9676 for more details.
A popular local’s favorite, opal restaurant & bar’s Eclectic California Cuisine fuses creative world cuisine influences with American Regional touches, from a 14 oz. Herb-Grilled Ribeye Steak on Tuscan White Beans, to Fresh Pan-Seared Fish & Seafood, Homemade Pastas, Gourmet Pizzas, fresh Baked Breads, imaginative Salads, & Homemade Desserts.
We have a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list, & a full bar with seasonal Craft Cocktails.
Our entire dining room staff assists to take care of each table, enabling exceptional service in a warm engaging manner, properly nuanced to your mood & taste. Our staff genuinely cares about giving you the best possible experience!

Top review

Gil

Dined 2 days ago

Awesome food! Highly recommend! Rachel gave the best suggestions!

Discover more

Popular dish

Filet Angel Hair Pasta

Popular dish

Pasilla Chile Filet Mignon

Lilac Montecito

4.7

4.7 (202)

$31 to $50

Contemporary European

Montecito

About the restaurant

Welcome to Lilac Montecito. We offer an elevated bistro dining experience featuring some of our favorite foods that nourish the body and soul in a full-service dining ambiance. Our menu is inspired by European and Californian cuisine as well as locally-sourced ingredients for a fresh, delicious take on some classic entrees.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Top review

BradVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Amazing service and the ambiance is beautiful and quiet. Thank you for a wonderful experience

LOCAL Montecito

4.6

4.6 (313)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Montecito

About the restaurant

Incredible outdoor seating with two heated patios, firepit, couches, and a 360 degree bar. Featuring local ingredients and exceptional dishes from multiple cuisines paired with an extensive and rare wine collection, LOCAL has it all in the heart of Montecito.

Top review

sharonVIP

Dined on Jun 22, 2025

Very cute! A relaxing experience.! Just off of the Main Street with easy parking. The food and service were very good😊

Gala

4.6

4.6 (362)

$31 to $50

European

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Gala exudes a European meets Santa Barbara charm, where you feel like you’re transported to a beautiful bistro in the Mediterranean. Enjoy shared tapas, farmer's market favorites, pasta and risotto, fresh oysters and the best steak with bone marrow butter & chimichurri. Cozy up for our farm to table craft cocktails, a Pisco sour or martini and a full meal with friends. Curated wine list with local & Spanish wines. Right down the street from the Santa Barbara Courthouse enjoy an evening at Gala.

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, Farm to table, Farmer's market driven, Tapas, Seafood, Steak, Oysters, Happy Hour, Food, Cocktails, Wine, Restaurant, Vegetarian, Friendly, Dog Friendly, Outdoor Patio, Heaters, Warm, Inviting, Hospitable, Modern Design

Top review

WendyVIP

Dined 3 days ago

We celebrated a birthday with dinner at Gala. Besides the consistently good food one of the reasons I love going to Gala is that I always run into someone I know. I knew three tables of guests; a neighbor, a friend of my children and a cycling friend. It is a Santa Barbara gem with a big city bistro feel but in a small town.

Discover more

branzino a la plancha

Bibi Ji

4.4

4.4 (386)

$31 to $50

Indian

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Modern Indian food featuring local produce and seafood paired with a robust low-intervention wine program curated by Alejandro Medina and James Beard Award winner Rajat Parr. Located directly across the street from the historic Granada Theatre in the heart of Santa Barbara's ARTS District. Join us in our lively, signature pastel pink dining room.

Michelin Guide Central Coast Selection 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Top review

SallyVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Excellent food. Gorgeous space. Heavenly cauliflower

Discover more

Popular dish

Crispy Cauliflower

Anchor Rose

3.9

3.9 (108)

$31 to $50

American

Santa Barbara

About the restaurant

Life is better when you're on the water.
Located directly overlooking the historic harbor with 360-degree views of the Pacific Ocean and downtown Santa Barbara, Anchor Rose is the perfect place to share a cocktail, enjoy a fresh seafood dinner, and people watch or catch one of the American Riviera’s signature sunsets.
Come for the drinks. Stay for the tapas.
Drawn from the seafaring roots that have shaped the Santa Barbara area for hundreds of years, our craft cocktails and scratch-made plates are inspired by the sea, the surf, and the laid-back atmosphere for which this area is famous. Flip-flops welcome.
Anchor Rose is Santa Barbara’s best restaurant, with a view of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Barbara Harbor. Whether you’re looking for the best fresh seafood or a restaurant with a view, Anchor Rose has quickly become the favorite Santa Barbara restaurant for locals and tourists alike.

Top review

Laurie

Dined on Jun 19, 2025

We always have a good time and good food at the Anchor Rose.

Explore Diners' Choice best of Santa Barbara

Explore more Diners' Choice lists