Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara

From delicious French cuisine to exquisite steakhouses, these California fine dining establishments offer visitors and locals alike a great selection of entrees, wines and desserts to choose from.  Below are the ten best restaurants in Santa Barbara:

1. Epiphany Restaurant – New American Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-564-7100
21 W Victoria St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

The Husband and wife team of Alberto and Michelle Mastrangelo have come together to create one of my favorite dining destinations in California.  This new American themed restaurant combines seasonal specialties with world-class ambiance, the result of which is sure to make for a night out to remember.  One of my favorite facets of this Santa Barbara hotspot is its location, which is set inside a lavish home built in the 1800s and caters to the region’s most exclusive clientele.

2. Square One – New American Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-965-4565
14 E Cota St
Santa Barbara, CA 93190

This Santa Barbara restaurant offers locals and travelers alike with a highly upscale dining experience, serving meals with only the freshest organic ingredients from around the region.  Because the staff chooses its ingredients daily, the menu is constantly evolving which helps to ensure that each trip to Square One is a culinary delight.

3. Stella Mare’s Restaurant – French Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-969-6705
50 Los Patos Way
Santa Barbara, CA 93108

This Santa Barbara gem has garnered praise from around the nation from food celebrities such as Rachael Ray, who featured it on her show earlier this year, and for good reason.  If you love casual French ambiance combined with an exquisite menu and great service, this is the restaurant for you.

4. Downey’s – American Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-966-5006
1305 State St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Winner of numerous local accolades, this Santa Barbara restaurant has been a mainstay in the city for nearly 30 years, serving traditional American favorites.  You will especially enjoy their wine menu, which has one of the best selections of regional wines in the city.  One of the unique features of Downey’s is the stunning artwork the fills the dining room walls, all of which was painted by the co-owner, Liz Downey.

5. Seagrass – Seafood – Click for Profile

805-963-1012
30 E Ortega St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

This coastal cuisine restaurant has one goal in mind, which is to pair mouth watering menu items with the best local wines.  I also enjoyed the location of this upscale dining establishment, which is situated only six blocks from the beach, and I can’t imagine a better way to finish off a great meal then to take a leisurely stroll down to the ocean.

6. Julienne – New American Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-845-6488
138 E Canon Perdido St
Santa Barbara, CA 93190

This contemporary dining destination has a great story of how it began, with both owners, Justin and Emma West meeting in culinary school, and realizing they had a mutual vision for the unique restaurant experience that became Julienne.  With ingredients pulled directly from local farmer’s markets, you can literally taste the freshness in every meal.

7. Lucky’s – Steakhouse – Click for Profile

805-565-7540
1279 Coast Village Rd
Montecito, CA 93108

If you are in the mood for an upscale steakhouse experience, I would suggest you bet on Lucky’s.  From succulent filet mignon to sea scallops in escargot butter sauce, this Santa Barbara restaurant will keep you coming back for more.

8. Bouchon – New American & French Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-730-1160
9 W Victoria St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Combining upscale cuisine with seasonal favorites, you will discover that Bouchon continually is evolving its menu and does a fantastic job of matching locally produced wines with every entree.  This restaurant has been a local favorite for over a decade, winning numerous awards and respect from critics around the nation.

9. Ca’ Dario – Italian Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-884-9419
37 E Victoria St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

If you’re looking for simply the best Italian cuisine, then look no further than this Santa Barbara restaurant.  Founded by nationally renown chef, Dario, you will find a great selection of truly authentic dishes.  This is not a traditional Italian restaurant serving lasagna and pizza, no, here you will discover fine dining as if you were in Venice itself.

10. Stonehouse Restaurant At San Ysidro Ranch – International & American Cuisine – Click for Profile

805-969-4100
900 San Ysidro Ln
Santa Barbara, CA 93108

You will be taken into another world when you step inside this fine dining establishment, which resides in a 19th century structure formerly used as a citrus packing house.  Whether you choose to eat in the lavish indoor dining room or on the deck outside with a view of the ocean, you are sure to have an experience you won’t soon forget.  Since their menu contains both local and International cuisine, Chef John Trotta has made it easy to satisfy practically any ‘taste’.