Coast Village Mesa Burger Closes 

Mesa Burger owner Chris Chiarappa confirms that his Montecito location on Coast Village Road is permanently closed. “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we are announcing the permanent closure of our Montecito location. We will be forever grateful to all our wonderful guests and the entire Montecito community for their gracious support. We will miss you!” Chiarappa said in a statement. 

The burger joint opened in July 2020, during a time when indoor dining was restricted due to the pandemic. The original Mesa Burger, located on Meigs Road on the Mesa, was opened in 2016 by Chiarappa and celebrity chef Cat Cora, who was the driving culinary force behind the quick casual-yet-gourmet menu. The restaurant offers an array of gourmet burgers served on locally-made brioche buns, finished with scratch-made sauces and all the accoutrements, as well as salad and a kids’ menu. The Coast Village location, which was the former home of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, was in the works over a year. 

“As Mesa Burger looks to the future, we are very excited to see what lies ahead for our desired continued expansion. In the meantime, and always, we greatly appreciate your continued support of our Mesa and Goleta locations,” Chiarappa said. For more information, visit mesaburger.com. 

 A public notice of ownership change for Lilac Pâtisserie, a dedicated gluten-free bakery and café, recently went up in the window, although no opening date has been announced. The bakery, which is owned and operated by chefs Gillian and Alam Muralles, has its first location on State Street, and serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch entrees as well as gluten-free cakes and baked goods. For more information about Lilac Pâtisserie, visit lilacpatisserie.com.