Tag archives: local restaurants

The Monarch Closes at Montecito Inn
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   October 24, 2019

The owners of the Montecito Inn on Coast Village Road announced last week that a new restaurant concept will be coming to the historic hotel, expected to open in Spring 2020. The announcement comes after the closure of The Monarch and Silver Bough, two restaurant concepts by Scratch Restaurants, a Los Angeles-based restaurant group, which […]

Successful Taste of Coast Village
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 19, 2019

Nearly 500 people turned out for the inaugural Taste of Coast Village event this past Saturday, September 14. Thirty eateries, breweries, and wineries from Coast Village Road and beyond participated in the event, which took place in a cordoned off and tented area of the parking aisle on the 1100-1200 block of Coast Village Road. […]

Taste of Coast Village
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   September 5, 2019

Over the last few years, Coast Village Road has seen the arrival of more than a handful of new eateries, offering Montecito’s lower village an array of exciting dining options, the majority of which are locally owned and operated. In an effort to showcase its burgeoning restaurant scene, the Coast Village Association presents the inaugural […]

Once More for Mollie
By James Buckley   |   August 22, 2019

She’s been the toast of the town, friend of Oprah and Ellen, been to the White House with President Obama. Her list of notable customers ranges from Katy Perry, the aforementioned Ms Winfrey and Ms DeGeneres, Kirk and Anne Douglas, and, well let’s put it this way: they didn’t come for the publicity; they came […]

Ain’t it Grand?
By Richard Mineards   |   July 18, 2019

The Stonehouse, the San Ysidro Ranch’s award winning eatery, has added another accolade to its long list. Under the direction of Todd Smith, wine director, the restaurant’s robust collection has just earned the Wine Spectator Grand Award for the fifth consecutive year. The underground wine cellar houses nearly 12,000 bottles of the most premium and […]

lululemon Pop-up to Open
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   June 20, 2019

Fitness clothing company lululemon is opening a seasonal pop-up shop in Coast Village Walk, marking the grand opening next week with a trio of fitness events. The pop-up, which will stay at least through the holiday season, is slated to open on Friday, June 28.  The store will offer women’s and men’s athletic clothing and […]

Anniversary at Alito’s
By Richard Mineards   |   May 30, 2019

Social gridlock reigned at restaurateur Ali Ahlstrand‘s new State Street eatery, Alito’s, when John Thyne and Kevin Goodwin celebrated the 15th anniversary of their real estate company, Goodwin & Thyne Properties. More than 270 guests turned out for the boffo bash, with 1,138 properties sold in the last decade and a half. “It is amazing […]

Merci Montecito Opens
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 23, 2019

Saturday, May 18 marked a grand opening celebration at Merci Montecito, the newest eatery at Montecito Country Mart, located in a portion of the space once home to Xanadu Bakery. Owner and chef Elizabeth Colling had a smaller iteration of the concept, a pop-up called Merci To Go, a few years back in the 168-ft […]

Food Wars
By Richard Mineards   |   April 25, 2019

The Carriage & Western Art Museum was socially gridlocked when more than 300 Family Service Agency supporters participated in the 5th annual Cooking Up Dreams. The sold-out culinary spectacular raised more than $100,000 for long established mental health and family support programs. Celebrity judges included KEYT-TV anchor Joe Buttitta, food and drink writer George Yatchisin, […]

Little Alex’s Celebrates 30 Years
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   April 25, 2019

Next month marks a special anniversary for Coast Village Road’s longest running restaurant: Little Alex’s in Montecito Country Mart marks 30 years in business on May 8. “We’re still the same as we’ve always been, and that’s why we are around thirty years later,” says Lynette Briner, who owns Little Alex’s with husband, Dan. Still […]

Sushi|Bar to Open on Coast Village Road
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   April 18, 2019

Sushi|Bar, located inside the Montecito Inn, is the second location of Monarch owner Phillip Frankland Lee’s critically-acclaimed omakase restaurant. Omakase – a Japanese phrase that means “I’ll leave it up to you” – is a free-form, interpretive take on the traditional sushi counter experience; this new location will have a heavy emphasis on Santa Barbara […]

Hola Alito’s
By Richard Mineards   |   April 11, 2019

Just ten months after opening their new State Street outpost, Mollie’s, next to the Granada theatre in the former Tupelo Junction space, culinary dynamic duo Mollie Ahlstrand and her son, Ali, have launched another eatery, Alito’s, further downtown on the busy thoroughfare. However, unlike their former nosheteria on Coast Village Road which closed in August, […]

Twenty Years of Tony’s Tacos
By Richard Mineards   |   February 28, 2019

Los Arroyos, the popular Mexican eatery on Coast Village Road, is celebrating 20 years in business. Owner Tony Arroyo opened his first location in downtown Santa Barbara on West Figueroa Street in 1999 and launched his outlet in our rarefied enclave in 2004. The chain now has branches in Camarillo and Goleta, with a nosheteria […]

The Silver Bough
By James Buckley   |   February 21, 2019

Chef Phillip Frankland Lee and his wife-baker, Margarita Kallas Lee, in addition to having opened The Monarch in the space occupied by Montecito Café for nearly 30 years, recently opened the most audacious restaurant experiment on the Central Coast. It’s called “The Silver Bough” (the name revolves around a Celtic legend), and it’s an eight-guest […]

Eatery Updates
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   January 10, 2019

Several Coast Village Road restaurants have announced new offerings for the new year, including extended hours.  At Coast Village Plaza at 1187 Coast Village Road, Renaud’s is now serving dinner with a “fast casual fine dining” service. Owner Renaud Gonthier said it has been a dream for many years to expand upon his patisserie and […]

Los Arroyos Opens in Solvang
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   December 6, 2018

Earlier this fall, one of Santa Barbara and Montecito’s most popular restaurants expanded north, opening a location in Solvang in the Santa Ynez Valley. “The Valley has needed a Los Arroyos for years, and we are happy to finally have made it happen,” said co-owner Maria Arroyo, who sat down with us recently to show […]

Vamos to Vicenta’s
By Richard Mineards   |   November 29, 2018

Vicenta’s is the latest eatery from prolific restaurateur Carlos Luna, who opened his first nosheteria in 2008 aged just 27, and now includes five branches of Los Agaves and Santo Mezcal on State Street. The 160-seat Mexican restaurant in Goleta was quite bustling when I went for lunch with my trusty shutterbug, Priscilla, and dined […]

Roost
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   November 29, 2018

The State Street locale that was home to Downey’s for 35 years has been quietly operating as a fresh new concept since May of this year. Owned and operated by Jim Mishler, Roost offers a fresh and simple menu for both lunch and dinner. Mishler has been a mainstay in the local restaurant scene for […]

New Offerings at The Monarch
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   November 15, 2018

Four months after opening for business in Montecito Inn, the owners of The Monarch restaurant announced November 1 that they have expanded their operations to include brunch, which is now available seven days a week.  The menu, which is available from 7 am to 2:30 pm, includes breakfast items that will be offered for the […]

Khao Kaeng Opens on Coast Village Road
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   November 15, 2018

Khao Kaeng, the newest concept from the owners behind the widely popular Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar at the Santa Barbara Public Market, has opened on Coast Village Road. The eatery is located in Coast Village Plaza (1187 Coast Village Road), in the lower space formerly occupied by Here’s the Scoop.  “People are excited we […]