Santa Barbara Bars
The key to a great night out during your stay in Santa Barbara is quality drinks. Bars in Santa Barbara are many, offering different atmosphere, foods, and of course, cocktails. This list will inform you of the best Santa Barbara bars, so that you only have to bar hop between the very best.
Gourmet Shops & Markets
Private Chef Catering in Santa Barbara
Preparing food on vacation can be the last thing that you want to do while enjoying Santa Barbara. Going out to eat can also be a drag because maybe you have a beautiful Santa Barbara vacation rental that you want to make the most out of. You also get to pick exactly what you want to eat based on the menus and styles of a variety of chefs and catering businesses. This makes it easier than ever to enjoy something healthy as well as delicious. You will love hiring a personal chef or Santa Barbara catering company, as it will make you feel pampered without breaking the bank.
Restaurants
Santa Barbara Restaurants
One of the ancillary benefits of vacation areas is the great food available. Restaurants in Santa Barbara are customer service oriented and do their best to stand out with quality food and fresh themes. It doesn’t matter the occasion, you’re sure to find the right food. This guide by Paradise Retreats will brief you on the best place to get your fill of calories while you vacation in the Santa Barbara area.
Top Seafood Restaurants in Santa Barbara
No trip to a West Coast city like breathtaking Santa Barbara, California is complete without dining on the finest local cuisine around: fresh seafood, taken straight from the ocean. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of seafood options for visitors looking to experience the culinary delights of Santa Barbara, which can range from traditional dishes with a New American twist to seafood with a Mexican or Asian flair. Below, we’ve listed just a few of our favorite local seafood haunts to visit when you’re looking to have a great time and even greater food. We hope that you enjoy these culinary institutions and their creative offerings as much as we do!
Eat This, Shoot That!
Santa Barbara’s incredible culinary and drinking scene draws foodies and beverage enthusiasts from all over the world. Eat This, Shoot That! is one of Santa Barbara’s most unique food-and-drink-based tour providers, offering a one-of-a-kind spin on your sampling excursions. Read on to learn more!
Arigato Sushi
While some travelers head to the vibrant city of Santa Barbara for the wine tasting and walks along the beach, others make their way to this sunny destination in the name of history and architecture. This versatile central California stop promises to deliver for guests of all vacation tastes and styles whether you’re planning on spending time at the city zoo or can’t wait to take a surf lesson. When it comes to the culinary scene, Santa Barbara takes a similar approach. This multi-cultural and exciting city makes it easy for visitors to find just about everything they are looking for at a moment’s notice. When you’re in the mood for Asian-fusion and can’t wait to enjoy a space that speaks to laid-back California style, Arigato Sushi is calling your name.
Barbareno
Enjoying all the amazing features, views, entertainment and options for fun that California provides starts with a trip to Santa Barbara. This central California city is known for its incredible architecture, shorelines, arts, culture, and entertainment. While a trip this direction guarantees you’ll spend ample time exploring and adventuring, it’s also an opportunity to experience the best flavors the area has to offer! When you’re a traveler with a passion for making the most of new cities through savory stops, be sure to add a reservation at Barbareno to the top of the must-try itinerary during your stay.
Bouchon
Santa Barbara, California is a beautiful vacation destination that hosts some of the best views, boutiques, options for entertainment and culture around! This central California locale has captivated visitors from near and far and first-time visits frequently turn into return stops year after year. Whether you’re one for endless hours spent on the beach or a traveler with a taste for exploring everything from the Santa Barbara Zoo to Stearns Wharf, you’re sure to work up an appetite along the way. Fortunately for Santa Barbara guests, this is also a city that hosts a wonderful variety of savory flavors made to be enjoyed. When you’re ready to indulge in French cuisine with a side of California flair, make your way to Bouchon and prepare to have your taste buds dazzled.
Mony’s Mexican Food
Central California is an oasis of fun, scenic beauty, and options for shopping, exploring and adventuring unlike any other. Of all the delightful locales this region hosts, Santa Barbara has long stood out as one of the top preferred destinations proving to be as fun and exciting as it is versatile. When it comes to food options, Santa Barbara is also a place that can dazzle the palates of visitors from near and far. The multi-cultural population of the city provides options for international flavors that abound while California-focused fare isn’t hard to find either. When you’re here and in the mood for some south of the border inspiration that comes with spice done to taste, be sure to make time for a stop at Mony’s Mexican Food.
Savoy Café and Deli
Travelers from near and far set their vacation sights on the city of Santa Barbara with the hopes of experiencing the very best of the infamous California vibe. Luckily, they don’t have to look far to find it. Santa Barbara is a city teeming over with great energy, amazing architecture and beautiful vistas just waiting to be enjoyed. From upscale shopping to afternoons spent on Stearns Wharf and the wine tasting in between, Santa Barbara does a fantastic job of highlight the best of the central California coast, no matter what your vacation passion or style may be. When it comes to flavor, Santa Barbara doesn’t leave anything to chance. For those visitors to the city looking for a place where organic fare and friendly service are combined in a casual California setting, Savoy Café & Deli is sure to have it all.
Toma Restaurant and Bar
The city of Santa Barbara has a little something for every traveler craving that ideal central California getaway destination. Between the scenic mountain backdrop, upscale boutiques and collection of Mediterranean-inspired architecture, Santa Barbara has long been a place that beckons visitors to come and spend time indulging and exploring from the moment they arrive. When it comes to amazing flavors, Santa Barbara has that too! If you’re craving a culinary stop that combines savory seafood and a waterfront view, Toma Restaurant and Bar checks every box on the list.
Via Maestra 42
There’s nothing like a vacation to Santa Barbara, California to help a traveler relax, unwind and enjoy life to the fullest. Whether you’re an architectural enthusiast who can’t get enough of Mediterranean-inspired archways or one who lives for time spent on the shore, Santa Barbara provides the unique balance of natural beauty and upscale ambiance that makes for a versatile and engaging getaway. When you’re headed this way, you’ll want to take advantage of the amazing culinary scene Santa Barbara hosts as well. When you’re not out exploring and enjoying the landscape, be sure to take time to settle in for a delicious meal that speaks to the city’s knack for all things international cuisine. For those with a taste of authentic Italian, a meal at Via Maestra 42 is definitely in order, it’s one of the best places to eat in Santa Barbara.
Zaytoon
Whether you choose to bask in the beauty of the California coastline, make the most of wine tasting events or can’t wait to explore the many museums, shops and art stops along the way, a trip to Santa Barbara is a getaway that’s sure to inspire. Many travelers take time to head this direction when they need to relax and unwind while making the most of the California energy and vibe. While you’re busy crafting the ideal itinerary for fun and exciting stops, don’t forget to factor in time spent indulging in the many flavors this area hosts. Known for its multi-cultural population, Santa Barbara is home to a variety of restaurants featuring the very best of international cuisine. If you have a hankering for Lebanese fare and can’t wait to combine it with a charming ambiance, a meal at Zaytoon is well worth your time.
Toma Restaurant
The enchanting city of Santa Barbara is situated in the perfect location to allow residents and travelers access to both the bounty of the sea and a variety of cultural influences. Consequently, Santa Barbara is home to countless fine dining restaurants that all deserve your attention. Toma Restaurant is one of the most popular restaurants in Santa Barbara; it is inspired by delicious Mediterranean cuisine with a modern twist. Executive Chef Nat Ely uses fresh ingredients to put together a variety of delicious entrees that are sure to delight your senses!
Opal Restaurant and Bar
When vacationing in Santa Barbara, make sure you get out and explore the city. This includes the many great restaurants in Santa Barbara. A local favorite includes Opal Restaurant and Bar, where you can eat well and live well. Opal Restaurant & Bar features creative cocktails, award-winning wines, and delicious entrees for an exciting night in the city.
The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach
The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach is one of the many great restaurants in Santa Barbara. The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach is located at Arroyo Burro Beach County Park, one of the city’s premier marina and waterfront hangouts. This seafood proprietor specializes in raw dishes, progressive cocktails, and inventive main courses. Guests can enjoy their dinner on an outdoor patio with gorgeous views of the ocean and sunsets, or in a lofted dining room with wraparound windows offering the same beautiful sights.
Brophy Brothers
Brophy Brothers is a concept restaurant that brings the delicious seafood of the marina into a fun and delicious environment. The restaurant lies directly on the marina so that guests have a difficult choice right off the bat: belly up to the clam bar, or sit at one of the giant windows and watch the action that happens in the marina. Either way, we think you will have a great time at this amazing Santa Barbara restaurant.
Los Agaves
If you’re looking for some authentic Mexican food from one of the best Santa Barbara, CA restaurants, then you’re looking for Los Agaves. Here, you can get your fill of first class tacos, enchiladas, and more at this amazing restaurant that is revered by fans as the best in Santa Barbara. Whether you are looking for a quick lunch, a relaxing dinner, or even a new take on breakfast, Los Agaves is the place for you. When you are on vacation to Santa Barbara, Mexican food needs to be on the menu, and there is no place that does it better than Los Agaves.
Opal Restaurant
The people at Opal Restaurant and Bar are less concerned by just giving their guests good food, and more concerned with the overall experience. Don’t get us wrong, their food is amazing, but they were looking to create more than just another restaurant when they opened Opal. The owners are looking to nurture the soul instead of feeding the stomach. If you are looking for an experience and not just a meal, we recommend trying Opal Restaurant and Bar.
The Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
Established in 1979 as a buying station for local lobster and abalone, the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company has evolved into the area expert when it comes to local crustaceans, shrimp, and other seafood options. The result of a fishing and trapping expedition turned craft restaurant, the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company is a Santa Barbara staple that serves some of the best seafood in the area. Whether you are looking for quality shrimp or a great grilled fish, this is one of the best seafood restaurants in Santa Barbara, CA to grab a meal.
The Lark
The Lark is a wonderful local restaurant in Santa Barbara that serves up locally sourced and responsibly grown ingredients to serve you the best meal you have ever had. The Lark is about family, and this is shown in their approach for food. Bring many people to this Santa Barbara staple and enjoy some unique and local flavors that you will not be able to taste elsewhere.
Wine
Santa Barbara Wineries
California is a major exporter of the country’s produce, and one of its star products are the wines made here in California, using grapes grown right here. The climate here enables growers to cultivate all sorts of grapes, providing a rich variety of different wines. Being in the heart of Wine Country, you don’t need to look far to find a great winery to visit. Many wineries offer tours that allow a glimpse into the wine-making industry, as well as tastings that let you sample the sweet (or dry) products of their labor. If you love wine, Santa Barbara is the place to be and Turner Vineyard the vacation rental to book.
Stagecoach Co. Wine Tours
The afternoon sun bathes the rolling hills and vineyards in a warm glow. You take it all in from a cozy patio seat beside tables made of repurposed oak barrels at your vacation home, a glass of crisp Chardonnay in your hand and its buttery smooth finish lingering on your tongue. Content, you think to yourself, “What could be better than this?” But then your next tasting of delicious California wine arrives – this time a jammy Pinot Noir – and your tour guide lets you know that you still have three more stops on your winery tour. You chuckle, remembering your fabulous day in Santa Barbara wine country is just beginning!
Santa Barbara Wine Tours
Santa Barbara has grown from a small town into a nationally renowned vacation destination. Many people come for the beautiful weather and the beaches, but the people who are really in the know come for the amazing wine country that calls Santa Barbara home. Here you will find countless vineyards and wineries speckling beautiful hillsides and valleys. They offer incredible wines in a charming experience. The best way to enjoy this beauty and delicious wine is by taking one of numerous tours of Santa Barbara’s wine country. Here are some of the best Santa Barbara wine tours for enjoying this amazing place.
Polo & Wine in Santa Barbara
Of all of the numerous places in Southern California that you could visit, there are none that match the true class and grace that Santa Barbara has to offer. This culmination of culture is best highlighted in one of the true premier summer in all of Southern California: The Santa Barbara Polo & Wine Festival. Featuring polo by some of the best Santa Barbara has to offer, wine, and delicious food, this truly is a can’t-miss event when you stay in Santa Barbara!
Happy Canyon Vineyard
Santa Barbara is known for many things: amazing views, historical buildings, and the warm and charming people who live here every day and make all visitors feel welcomed and at home, just to name a few. But the one thing that makes our coastal village stand out in a sea of other equally wonderful California towns is the incredible weather that allows for creating the smoothest and silkiest wines in the nation, and Happy Canyon Vineyard is one who takes full advantage of this fact. Tucked away in the shadows of the Santa Ynez mountains, this tranquil vineyard with views that stretch out forever has been a favorite spot for wine connoisseurs for years, and when you take some time out of your exciting journey to Santa Barbara to visit this idyllic place, you’ll soon discover why it’s so popular!
Margerum Wine Company
Santa Barbara is famous for its local wine. It’s the kind of wine you find on every list in every respectable restaurant across North America. But if you’re really looking for that exclusive wine experience where handcrafted wine is an art that has descended through generations, you definitely should pay Margerum Wine Company a visit. Here you can see for yourself how Doug Margerum has managed to elevate the wine industry in Santa Barbara to its current status. And if one person can dedicate so much time, expertise, and hard work, you can only imagine what the wine itself will be like. But why imagine when you can actually taste it and judge for yourself?
Sanguis Wine
Certain websites have a distinct edge to them. They make you think or even leave you spaced out. Now, you might expect that from an art website or a soulful blog, but not a website that sells wine. Yet that’s the first impression you get when you visit Sanguis Wine’s website. There are quotes from Steve McQueen and the book of the Samurai among others. There’s even a scrapbook that offers pieces of wisdom from all corners of the globe, which is all good and dandy if you’re browsing the website while sipping some of their fine wine—the two go well together. But if you haven’t had the pleasure of tasting their wine, then a visit to their winery will remedy that and introduce you to their fine products.
Summerland Winery in Santa Barbara County
In addition to its beautiful beaches and gorgeous year-round weather, one of the best reasons to visit California is the world-famous vineyards and wines that are made there. The fertile soil and perfect climate make California the ideal place to grow grapes for wine. Although Napa Valley, located in Northern California, has the reputation of being the place to find the best of the best wines in the state, Southern California holds its own as well. Summerland Winery specializes in producing some of the best wine in Santa Barbara County, presented with a signature laid-back, West Coast vibe.
Carr Winery
In Santa Barbara, there is a little something for everyone. To understand the opportunities for the people who love the outdoors, you simply need to take a look around. In order to experience some of the unique things about the culture here, you need to go a little deeper. Downtown Santa Barbara is a good place to start, particularly with a visit to Carr Winery. A visit here provides the best look into the amazing wine scene that is woven into the fabric of this community.
I Bike Santa Barbara Wine Tours
Combining some of the best parts of Santa Barbara (i.e. its wine and its bike-friendly atmosphere) into a complete tour package, I Bike Santa Barbara Wine Tours is the ultimate way to experience the stunning scenery of Santa Barbara’s peaceful, pastoral wine country. Read on to learn more about what this one-of-a-kind tour provider has to offer during your vacation in Santa Barbara!