Uptown girl

by geneva Ives

Fun fact: I lived downtown for 10 years and never drove a car. I walked and biked everywhere. I didn’t even get my license until I was 29.

Then I moved to San Roque. A neighborhood with incredible front lawns, happy children playing in the streets, and … very little within walking distance. Welcome to the suburbs.

But recently, the corner of Alamar and De La Vina has taken off. Of course, there have been some long-established businesses there, like Edomasa and Chicken Ranch. Then, nine years ago, Yellowbelly, a woman-run tap and restaurant, picked up the torch, followed by the second location of Handlebar Coffee Roasters

Now there’s a whole new crop of businesses to check out, and yes, I’m doing a lot more walking again.

Let’s start with Bree’Osh, the yummiest smelling French bakery cafe you could hope to stumble into. Within a few years of opening a wildly popular location in Montecito in 2015, owners Nelly and Pierre Henry needed a bigger kitchen. They found a perfect fit in the old Restaurant Mimosa space.

“We didn’t want to be on State Street,” shared Nelly. “We want to serve the community. And this is just such a great location to serve the community.”

While the brioche breakfast sandwich is perpetually their best-selling menu item, Pierre recommends trying the beef bourguignon sandwich, a decadent concoction of slowcooked beef roasted over a period of nine-10 hours then shredded and piled on a savory Comté roll. “There’s so much flavor,” he said After my standard order of a rosemary latte and salmon tartine, I like to pop into Westward General next door. This cute gift, home, and vintage shop run by stylist Naomi Strauss has something for everyone, from handmade vases and angora socks to old Saab pins and new kids’ toys.

And at lunch time, Maiz Picante is a must. It’s a new fast casual street taco spot by Monika Draggoo and David Back, helmed by chefs

Paco Cavazos and Manuel Sanchez. “Being in Santa Barbara for 40-plus years, we wanted to start our taqueria in the middle of town to make it convenient to all,” Back said.

No matter where you are in the 805, you should make the drive to try these tacos. The perfectly seasoned al pastor is cooked on a trompo (vertical rotisserie), just as it should be, before it’s sliced into freshly made tortillas, then topped with pineapple.

Vegan or vegetarian? They’ve got four tacos options and six specialty dishes that can be made with Beyond Meat or roasted veggies. Basically an unheard of level of choice for a taqueria in Santa Barbara.

Even if you’re full after pastries and tacos, don’t leave the neighborhood just yet. Duck into Mayo’s Taqueria Y Carniceria for a container of their fresh salsa to go. You won’t regret it.