WINE+DINE
Dining Guide alcazartapasbar.com; open Mon.-Sat. for dinner, Sat.-Sun. for brunch. Head to this cool Mesa boîte for Cal/Mexinfused Spanish-style nibbles. ALCHEMY ARTS CAFE 35 W. Haley St., Santa Barbara, 805-899-8811, alchemyartscenter.com; open daily for breakfast and lunch. Serving food that cleanses the body, the cafe at the Alchemy Arts Center offers vegan and gluten-free items. AMERICAN ALE 14 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara, 805-845-6226,
americanale.net, open Tues.-Sun. for dinner. This all-American spot offers
daily for dinner. This new American restaurant with an expansive beer and wine bar uses local ingredients such as produce from the farmers market and seafood from the fish market.
BISTRO 1111 1111 E. Cabrillo Blvd.,
Santa Barbara, 805-962-5394, arnoldis.com; open Sat.-Sun. for breakfast, daily for lunch and dinner.
Santa Barbara, 805-730-1111; open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
BROPHY BROS. 119 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, 805-966-4418, brophybros.com; open daily for lunch and dinner. Locals and tourists flock to
Try the signature crab cake ($15) at this Hyatt Santa Barbara restaurant.
the harbor for sturdy cocktails, fish ‘n’ chips, grilled seafood, and great chowder.
THE BLACK SHEEP 26 E. Ortega
CA’ DARIO 37 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, 805-884-9419, cadario.net; open daily for lunch and dinner.
Honest Italian cuisine and bocce ball out back—that’s been the Arnoldi’s story since it opened in 1937. From the twin 7-Up neon signs framing the front door to the lively bar, this joint is as genuine as it gets.
burgers and beer, and a wood paneled Americana aesthetic to match. ARCH ROCK 608 Anacapa St.,
and fine art on either patio of the Sullivan Goss art gallery.
neighborhood seafood spot has delicious weekly specials and popular early and late happy hours every day. ARIGATO SUSHI 1225 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-965-6074, arigatosantabarbara.com; open daily for dinner. Arigato (“thank you” in Japanese) to the owners of this superb State Street sushi restaurant. ARLINGTON TAVERN 21 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, 805770-2626, arlingtontavern.com; open BOUCHON
BARBARENO 205 W. Canon
Perdido St., Santa Barbara, 805-9639591, barbareno.com; open Wed.Sun. for dinner. This California-style bistro celebrates the surrounding terrain through its decor, menu, and name, which is derived from one of the extinct Chumash languages spoken in the Santa Barbara area. BELCAMPO MEAT CO. 38 W.
Victoria St., Santa Barbara, 805770-7800, belcampomeatco.com; open daily. This counter-service restaurant at
BLIND TIGER 409 State St., Santa
Barbara, 805-957-4111, blindtigersb .com; open daily for dinner. Housed in one of downtown’s historic buildings dating back to 1889, this multilevel venue offers drinks, dining (ranging from charcuterie plates to flatbreads and sliders), dancing, and live performances. THE BLUE OWL 5 W. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara, 805-705-0991, theblueowlsantabarbara.com; open Tues.-Sat. for lunch and Fri.-Sat. late night. Starting as a “night owl” pop-up, this eatery with Asian influences quickly became a local staple. For a midnight snack, try favorites like the Thai basil cheeseburger ($8) or bahn mi ($7.75).
This charming locale offers true northern Italian dishes such as the crespelle trevisane ($15), a gratin of homemade crêpes filled with ricotta cheese and radicchio. CA’ DARIO PIZZERIA 29 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, 805-957-2020, cadariopizza.net, open daily for dinner, Monday through Saturday for lunch. Three doors down from the original Ca’ Dario, this pizzeria specializes in only the best creative yet authentic Italian pies. CADIZ 509 State St., Santa Barbara,
805-770-2760, cadizsb.com; open daily dinner. Enjoy chef Alex Bollinger’s upscale, modern Italian and Spanish cuisine on a heated open-air patio facing State Street. CARLITOS 1324 State St., Santa
BELLA VISTA 1260 Channel Dr.,
trendy restaurant serves up innovative versions of classic American favorites.
BLUSH RESTAURANT & LOUNGE
BOATHOUSE AT HENDRY’S BEACH 2981 Cliff Dr., Santa
Barbara, 805-962-7117, carlitos .com; open Sun. for breakfast, daily for lunch and dinner. Enjoy refreshing margaritas and sophisticated Mexican food at this casual patio restaurant right across the street from the historic Arlington Theater. CAVA 1212 Coast Village Rd.,
Resort Biltmore’s chef Alessandro Cartumini prepares elegant Italianinspired California coastal cuisine.
Barbara, 805-898-2628, sbfishhouse .com; open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Head to Hendry’s Beach to
Montecito, 805-969-8500, cava restaurant.com; open Sun. for brunch, daily for lunch and dinner. Sip on
dine on local seafood.
BENCHMARK EATERY 1201 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-845-2600, benchmarkeatery.com; open daily for lunch and dinner. Get comfortable in
BOUCHON 9 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, 805-730-1160, bouchon santabarbara.com; open daily for dinner. Farmers market ingredients star in
sangria and enjoy a chile relleno ($14.50) or any of the many Spanish-influenced recipes served at Cava.
a family-friendly environment with a broad menu consistent with their motto, “Just B.E.”
elegant seasonal French-inspired dishes.
Hollister Ave., Santa Barbara, 805-
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dinner destination with an innovative menu, the ramen is a fan favorite.
630 State St., Santa Barbara, 805957-1300, blushsb.com; open daily for lunch and dinner. This upscale
THE BISTRO AT BACARA 8301
S A N TA B A R B A R A
St., Santa Barbara, 805-965-1113, theblacksheepsb.com; open Tues.-Sun. for dinner. At this lively and intimate
the butcher shop located in the Santa Barbara Public Market serves seasonal meat-based dishes as well as grab-and-go favorites to takeaway.
Montecito, 805-969-2261, four seasons.com; open daily for breakfast and lunch, Wed.-Mon. for dinner, Sun. for brunch. The Four Season
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Enjoy sweeping ocean views and menu highlights such as pastas and brick-oven flatbreads or lighter coastal cuisine.
Brasil Arts Cafe shares Brazilian culture through food and dance, featuring original creations such as juice from the superfruit cupuaçu.
ARNOLDI’S CAFE 600 Olive St.,
ARTS & LETTERS CAFE 7 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, 805730-1463, artsandletterscafe.com; open daily for lunch. Enjoy bistro fare
Santa Barbara, 805-845-2800, archrocksantabarbara.com; open daily for lunch and dinner. This
571-3018, bacararesort.com; open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
BRASIL ARTS CAFE 1230 State St., Ste. C, Santa Barbara, 805-8457656, brasilartscafe.com, open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
C’EST CHEESE CAFE 825 Santa Barbara St., Santa Barbara, 805965-0318, cestcheese.com; open daily for breakfast and lunch. This recently opened cafe is connected to the cheese shop of the same name; naturally their grilled cheese ($8.50) is to die for, but so are the seasonal salads, soups, and pastries.
P H O T O G R A P H : B O U C H O N , S H E L LY V I N S O N
ALCAZAR TAPAS BAR 1812 Cliff Dr., Santa Barbara, 805-962-0337,
BEST OF 2015
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