Best restaurants in Santa Barbara

Silvers Omakase

★ Michelin$$$$Sushi

With just a handful of seats and a small staff, this omakase from Chef Lennon Silvers Lee is ever-changing. Some things change daily, while others change weekly, but one thing you can always expect is well-executed dishes made with rice from Japan that is milled in house, and fish that is sourced both locally and from Japan and then dry aged.Arrive early and enjoy a glass of sparkling wine before being called in, as all guests are seated and served at the same time. Enjoy one or two small dishes before a parade of nigiri, which may include hamachi, shima aji, as well as bluefin tuna. Their uni

Caruso's

★ Michelin$$$$Californian, Italian

Located within the posh Rosewood Miramar Beach and fronting the Pacific Ocean, Caruso's has an enviable location. The dining room is beautifully set with leather booths, linen-robed tables, and white chairs, but make no mistake: Chef Massimo Falsini's seasonally driven, seafood-forward, and Italian-leaning prix-fixe takes center stage. From Santa Barbara uni sourced from a local diver to produce grown in the restaurant's onsite garden, there is a strong commitment to regional products, evidenced in dishes like pasta with diced abalone and halved Santa Barbara spot prawns topped with uni in a r

Corazon Cocina

Bib Gourmand$$Mexican, Seafood

The Santa Barbara Public Market is full of alluring eateries, but after your first taste of this charming taco stand, you’ll want to pledge your heart. Chef/owner Ramon Velazquez mastered the craft of handmade tortillas and zesty salsas at the feet of his Guadalajaran mother and grandmother, but he also has a few tricks of his own that often involve additions of delightfully unique local produce.Standouts include a cheesy, griddled taco piled with grilled octopus, white shrimp and avocado, as well as a veggie-packed Oaxaca cheese quesadilla bursting at the seams with confit tomatoes, broccolin

Sama Sama Kitchen

Bib Gourmand$$asian

This eatery in the heart of downtown is not only good fun but also good for the wallet. Here, the Chefs/partners bring their disparate expertise—one is a barbecue aficionado from Nashville, the other is Indonesian, and together they turn out a menu of thoroughly pleasing Southeast Asian food. Attractions include a well-spiced rendition of green papaya salad, mixing aromatic herbs, chilies and peanuts. Bao can be ordered fried or steamed, which yields a pillowy soft bun to be filled with crunchy fried chicken in a tangy sauce. The interior is appealingly simple, but the back patio is a hidden g

Loquita

Bib Gourmand$$spanish

Loquita is located just blocks from the beach and inside a cream-tinted building with a red-tiled roof. Small and stylish, the space oozes with creative flair—picture colorful tiles, a humming bar framed by soft pink stools, and starburst light fixtures. Find a perch at the beloved wood counter or outside in the inviting and attractive patio. Servers know the menu by heart, so follow their lead and start with tapas like crusty pan con tomate, before digging into hearty chorizo y pollo paella. An homage to the El Bullí olive is a contemporary signature, while carpaccio garnished with pickled mu

🕐 Mo-Th,Su 17:00-21:00; Fr 17:00-22:00; Sa 16:00-22:00

Bettina

Bib Gourmand$$pizza

After making a match at NYC’s Roberta’s, Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan took their pizza-powered love affair to the West Coast to a gleaming perch in the Montecito Country Mart. Each night, the pair dishes up a bevy of pie varieties tattooed with the delicate char of their wood-fired oven. Even staples like pepperoni are exceptional, thanks to the slow-fermented dough, house-pulled mozzarella, and tangy, ripe tomatoes from Bianco DiNapoli, and seasonal options like a creamed leek pizza with pork sausage and crispy shallot are equally satisfying. Pastas, like a hand-cut tagliatelle with bra

🕐 11:30-14:30,16:30-21:00

Bibi Ji

$$indian

With their name emblazoned in pink, this trendy Indian from co-owners Alejandro Medina and noted sommelier Rajat Parr makes quite the splash. Inside, the space is small but well appointed, with vaulted ceilings and chandeliers; the patio outside is a verdant, summertime delight. Harnessing the best of land and sea, these dishes are born for sharing. Behold such inventive bites as crispy cauliflower tossed with chili-garlic sauce and finished with sesame. Barra kebab highlights intensely spiced tandoor lamb chops with mint chutney; while vegetables like baingan bharta (eggplant with ginger) are

🕐 Mo-Tu,Th-Su 17:00-22:00; We off

Yoichi’s

$$$$Japanese

This quaint little house run by a husband-wife team just happens to be one of the area's favorite spots for traditional Japanese dining. This should be no surprise, as Chef Yoichi Kawabata’s background includes cooking at Nobu Tokyo. The dining room is quiet and serene, filled with white walls and dark wood tables—there is no sushi counter. Service is both friendly and informative.The seven-course menu respects all the rules of kaiseki dining, using top seasonal ingredients and pristine, top-class fish. Meals begin with an array of four appetizers (zenzai) including delectable Wagyu beef that

Barbareño

$$Californian

Smoke lures guests to the covered patio or casually cool dining room, set just steps from downtown Santa Barbara's hustle and bustle. Start with a local craft beer or wine to accompany any one of their diverse small plates. Dishes are bold and flavorful, and the kitchen showcases their distinct vision with attention to detail and a touch of whimsy. Grilled avocado is unapologetically Californian, balancing creamy with a subtle, smoky char. Eggamuffins, or cornmeal blini with a piped whipped seascape cheese foam, speck and grated, cured egg yolk, are as adorable as they are tasty. Five differen

The Lark

$$$Californian

This former fish market is located in the Funk Zone arts district, just a stone’s throw from the oceanfront. The vibrant dining room has become one of the trendiest places in town, thanks to the urban scene it fashions through an edgy décor and vintage lighting. Service remains cool and laid-back as ever, while also taking very good care of each guest. Meals are served as large, family-style portions that are meant to be shared and spotlight the central coast’s finest ingredients. Well-mastered original creations may unveil brown butter rosemary cornbread with wildflower honey; blistered shish

🕐 Tu-Su 17:00-22:00

Blackbird

$$$$Mediterranean Cuisine, Contemporary

Blackbird, tucked inside the waterfront Hotel Californian, is as polished as its surroundings. The dining room blends art deco and midcentury influences with an old-club atmosphere, while arched doors and a long bar keep the space feeling breezy and relaxed. Creative cocktails remain a focus, but the kitchen keeps one foot firmly planted in coastal California cooking. Seafood leads the menu with dishes like yellowtail crudo brightened with lilikoi aguachile, kiwi and cucumber, as well as Santa Barbara cioppino loaded with crab claws, mussels, clams, shrimp and local fish. Larger plates range f

Los Agaves

$mexican

Serving generous portions of hearty south-of-the-border favorites by way of California, along with a relaxed, family-friendly vibe, this place deserves every bit of praise lavished upon it. The staff may bring chips immediately to your table, but salsa and drinks are both self-service. Remember to order at the counter and collect a number before taking a seat. Start with the likes of lime-marinated halibut ceviche tostada with cilantro and avocado. Then pick from a variety of sizeable burritos or go for the satisfyingly cheesy and crispy costra taco al pastor, with pineapple, marinated pork, a

🕐 11:00-21:00; PH off

Monte's

$$$Californian, Korean Contemporary

Chef Daniel Kim, a veteran of fine dining restaurants, now leads this California-minded kitchen that infuses a Korean flair. Monte's embodies the farm-to-table ethos, sourcing the majority of their produce from their own regenerative organic farm and local farmers' markets. This is cooking that's approachable and delicious yet prepared with clear skill. Kick off the meal with locally caught halibut crudo with broccolini or prawn toast with charred lemon aioli and house-made prawn furikake. Perhaps the best example of the Cal-Korean mashup is the bone-in pork chop katsu, breaded with panko and

Sushi by Scratch Restaurants: Montecito

$$$$sushi

In sun-kissed Santa Barbara right by the tony Montecito Inn, this convivial counter is out to make sushi on its own terms. Though the group counts at least six other locations in the US and Canada, the setup is largely the same: Guests start with a cocktail in the lobby before finding their names written in chalk at their seats. The chefs, always talkative and ready to have a good time, work in tandem to deliver creative combinations that go beyond the realm of traditional nigiri. The likes of brown sugar, pineapples, chili ponzu, olive oil and fried onions find their way onto frequently blowt

Little Mountain

$$$Californian

Chilean-born Chef Diego Moya cut his teeth working in kitchens around the globe before opening Little Mountain in Montecito. The rustic yet elegant dining room draws inspiration from the region's Spanish Colonial history, with tall, white walls, brick floors and wood beams. The intimate ambience makes it a natural fit for date night; be sure to make reservations (though the bar accepts walk-ins). Meanwhile, the menu uses local ingredients to tell a globally inspired story. To begin, a tile fish ceviche with yuzu kosho and sweet peppers is a perfect choice. It's hard to go wrong with any of the

AMA Sushi

$$$$Sushi, Japanese

Located at the Rosewood Miramar, AMA Sushi is straight out of Japan. The name is a nod to the famed female divers and the space resembles a typical Japanese house with a moody nautical appeal (think dark wood walls with lantern-like light fixtures and a scalloped sushi bar). Then there is the edomae-style sushi, available à la carte or as an omakase. It's worth going all in on the omakase to sample the chef's artistry, which begins with a trinity of bites from soba noodles and fried eggplant to sesame tofu. A seared scallop with wasabi vinaigrette paves the way for nigiri, with standouts inclu

The Stonehouse

$$$$American

San Ysidro Ranch is a dreamy setting for this rustic stone "house," punctuated by lush gardens, creekside views, rough-hewn beams and a wood-burning fireplace. In the kitchen, hyper-local regional cooking rules, with many of the herbs, fruits and veggies harvested on the property. Arrive early to walk the grounds before your meal. There is exclusivity in the air, which seems to match the affluent diners and informed servers. Regulars aim for seats on the patio along with simpler bites, like the burger or crab cakes; while others may delve into such finer things as a three-course prix-fixe, sta

🕐 Mo-Sa 07:00-10:00,11:00-15:00,17:00-21:00, Su 07:00-09:00,17:00-21:00