Best of Santa Barbara® 2020 Eating

Being named the best “makes us proud to be selected by our customers, and, on behalf of my team, we are honored to serve the Santa Barbara community,” said Store Director Bryan Feil. Lazy

Acres has been part of the community since 1991. Because of the pandemic, he explained, “Our food bar business had to shut down. With customers cooking more meals at home, the meat, seafood,

and produce areas have had modest increases, but we have managed to keep our stock levels very high.” 

“[This year] has been especially challenging for everyone, and grocery stores being named an essential service forced us to work even harder to provide for our community,” said Santa Cruz

Market owner Tom Modugno. “We endured some angry, frustrated, and unhinged people needing to blame someone for all this madness. We also witnessed some local Samaritans providing for their

neighbors anonymously with huge acts of kindness. Being voted Best Corner Store this year means a lot to us, more than ever.”

Indy readers’ choice for best fresh fish once again, the Santa Barbara Fish Market is on the harbor, about 30 yards from the ocean. It’s been a popular spot to buy fresh-off-the-boat seafood

since it opened back in 2000. With the pandemic sending many of us into our kitchens more often, they now offer a Santa Barbara Seafood Box, featuring three to four species of the freshest

fish available per shipment, with free home delivery within 10 miles.

With so many hitches in the food chain as a result of the pandemic, it’s comforting to see our local bounty still going strong. The first farmers’ market was held at the Santa Barbara

Mission in 1979 and was among one of the first 20 farmers’ markets in the State of California. The nonprofit Santa Barbara Certified Farmers’ Market Association was founded in 1983, and

today the 120 grower members have six markets throughout the county, six days a week.

Farm Cart Organics was your pick for top CSA, a new category. “We are super stoked,” said owners Katherine and Jason Lesh, who gave props to our farms and businesses that are all pushing and

supporting our local agriculture at a deep level. “CSAs are such an important tool for the sustainability of our local food systems, and we are super proud just to be a part of their growth

and success, let alone to be named the best one.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your vote is really for the amazing people at this company. Thanks for voting for all of them,” said co-owner/CEO Michael Palmer. “It’s challenging. In a

business dominated by investor-owned companies, most of whom don’t even make their own products, we’re a family business who does, just as we have since 1949.” One of the newest flavors —

Honey & Cornbread Cookies — recently won the sofi Award, which is like the Oscars for the food industry.

With dozens of flavors (Birthday Cupcake Batter, Rocket Pop Sorbet, Iced Coffee NSA, and the new Honey Roasted Peanut are but a few) and a delightful assortment of toppings to choose from,

the possible combinations at Yogurtland are endless. They even have a new “froyo it forward” program to donate special treats to frontline workers and everyday heroes. It’s no wonder that

Yogurtland has been our readers’ choice for best frozen yogurt shop for several years running.

“Getting this recognition in the Santa Barbara Independent is so exciting and rewarding for our teams,” said CEO Pat Egan. “Our two shop managers from the Santa Barbara stores have been a

part of the See’s family for a total of 49 years combined and have a loyal customer base. They work hard to be the best, and it’s great to see it recognized. We truly appreciate all of our

See’s fans and could not be more honored to receive this recognition.”

“I still remember when we first opened, and we had this customer who came in for a chocolate croissant. She left, and then came back to the store 30 seconds later asking for four more. She

was super excited and wanted to share this novelty with her friend,” said CEO/Executive Pastry Chef Renaud Gonthier. “This is what we are trying to do every day, create an experience.”

“Being the best for us means achieving a high standard of quality and service, which has always been our goal,” said GM Alex Natrielli. “It’s also an incentive to continue improving and

offering a unique product and service to our customers. The relationship with our customers has been built over the years to offer a warm and familiar environment. We are honored and

grateful for everyone who voted for us. You are the reason for all our efforts to always do the best.”

Co-owners John Burnett and Denisse Salinas were excited to win Best Doughnut Shop for the second year in a row. “Hopefully it means we have succeeded in making our customers feel like

family, which is something we always strive for,” said Burnett. “Yes, we make doughnuts and serve coffee, but what we really aim to provide is a welcoming, happy place to enjoy special

moments with friends and loved ones.”

Crushcakes crushed our readers’ votes once again! Though the Carpinteria location closed this year, owner Shannon M. Gaston said the Goleta and Santa Barbara cafés have been going strong.

“We stayed open through COVID doing our entire menu as takeout and delivery, and we added additional patio space for outdoor dining.” After their Black Lives Matter artwork was defaced,

Gaston started a new project called C2C (Crushcakes 2 Communities), donating the profits from specific baked goods to social justice organizations.

Consistently earning best bagel bragging rights since it opened in 1995, Jack’s Bistro & Famous Bagels is your go-to spot for yummy wheels of deliciousness in every flavor imaginable. “Great

food. Fast service. Great outdoor seating,” said reader Zoe. “It’s cheap and easy to grab in the mornings to start the day, and the selection is broad and fresh,” said reader Kailyn. With

locations in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, Jack’s is the closest thing you’ll get to New York here at home.

After 36 years as Goleta’s favorite beachfront spot, Beachside Bar Café has certainly nailed its winning combination of food, fun, atmosphere, and ambience. This perennial winner sits just

above the sand and Goleta Pier, and serves expertly prepared fish and other items for lunch and dinner in the tropical-style dining room, on the glass-walled open-air patio, at the oyster

bar, or in the big, full-service bar — all with wide views of the ocean and sandy beach.

“Their food is always delicious and beer is always refreshing,” said reader Diana. “During this pandemic they have proven to place the health of customers and staff above everything to

ensure we can still dine in and feel some sort of normalcy. I appreciate them so much.” She’s obviously not alone in her gratitude for Rincon Brewery, which opened its doors in Carpinteria

in 2014. This summer they opened a craft tap room in the Funk Zone, as well.

Catering to the late-night cravings of hungry college students since 1987, the original branch of this now successful chain is still locally owned and still churning out some of your

favorite grub year after year. With readers’ comments like “the best burrito in the world,” “build your own, no comparison anywhere else,” “fresh and good,” and “good food, good mood,” it’s

no surprise that Freebirds is once again the Best Isla Vista Restaurant pick.

With reader comments like “excellence in flavor, ingredients, preparation, presentation, and customer service,” “everything on the menu is delicious,” and “the staff loves to smile,” it’s no

wonder that The Honor Bar is your pick for Best Montecito Restaurant. The patio at The Honor Bar, which is part of the nationally acclaimed Hillstone Restaurant Group, has cemented itself

as the go-to place for eating, drinking, and being seen in Montecito.

Beckoning foodies to Buellton since Jeff and Janet Olsson opened Industrial Eats in late 2013, they’re still going strong, despite the global pandemic. When asked how they pivoted, Jeff

(owner and self-titled busboy and trash can emptier) said, “Moving to our new parking lot dining room, loss of sales, loss of staff, trying to make food look nice in a cardboard box — but

it’s nothing every other restaurant hasn’t had to deal with.”

“Thank you to all who voted for us for Best Appetizers/Tapas. We truly appreciate it. We would not be here today without your continued support, and for this we are truly thankful,” said GM

Stephanie Perkins. “The community of Santa Barbara has always supported Loquita, so we want to be here to support our community during these challenging times. We are thankful and honored to

serve you, and we look forward to hosting you again soon.”

“It’s a great honor to be voted as Best Breakfast for another year,” said Operations Manager Jorge A. Peralta. Being named the best “confirms and validates our entire team’s hard work and

dedication. We could not be in the position we’re in without them. Thank you from the front of the house, with their exceptional customer service, to our back of the house, with their strong

work ethic and production to be able to pump out amazing dishes at a lightning-fast pace.”

“Your support means the world to us,” said Cynthia Reynoso, Dave’s Dogs manager and wife of owner Dave Reynoso. “‘Never give up’ is a quote that Dave lives by. You will find this on the

walls of his restaurant, and when he started his food cart, he had this quote on his cart. Five years later, here he is winning Best Late-Night Eats and feeling overjoyed with this news.”

This year has been a roller coaster ride for restaurants. “I would never have guessed that we would have a window display of toilet paper and hand sanitizer to entice people into our café,

but that’s exactly what happened during the initial shutdown, and it’s what helped keep Savoy alive during those difficult first few months,” said owners Paul and Kathy Shields. “From all of

us at Savoy, we warmly and gratefully say thanks for voting, and more importantly, thanks for your business.”

“We want to thank those who took the time to vote for us. We understand that the honor comes with an undertone of responsibilities and challenges to continue the vigilance and innovation

necessary to be worthy of the same honor next year,” said owner Peter Chen. “The pandemic has hit restaurants particularly hard, and we’re no exception. We’ve had to cut staff as we pivot to

a 100 percent takeout/delivery business. Revenue is way down, and the name of the game is survival.”

With a focus on local, fresh ingredients and wines with a French culinary influence, bouchon once again wins our readers’ hearts for both wine and cuisine. Proprietor Mitchell Sjerven said

the Best Of honors mean “guests recognize and appreciate the professionals I have on my staff. Our kitchen staff is passionate about the cuisine, and our service team is truly dedicated to

creating a wonderful dining experience for each and every guest.”

“Thank you so much for your continuous support and loyalty. You are the direct reason for our success, and we are truly humbled and honored,” said Bita and Anil Kainwal, owners of Flavor of

India. “Being the best restaurant really comes down to making people happy as often as possible. ‘Best’ means meeting and beating their expectations on how they’re going to feel when they

leave my restaurant.”

A consistent favorite for the Indy’s readers, Ca’Dario is once again your pick for Best Italian Restaurant. With voter comments like, “authentic Italian recipes, cheerful service, generous

portions,” “delicious,” “great food,” “excellent food and service,” and “excellence in flavor, preparation, presentation, quality of ingredients, customer service,” it’s no surprise that

Ca’Dario remains Santa Barbara’s number-one choice for exquisite Northern Italian food.

Carlos Luna opened the first Los Agaves location on Milpas Street on Santa Barbara’s Eastside in 2008. Now with multiple locations around town, there is always a line at each and every one.

Fresh ingredients (and lots of award-winning salsa varieties) are the key to this family-owned-and-operated restaurant group. The expansive menu meshes old standbys (tacos, burritos,

fajitas, enchiladas) with more unusual fare such as the piping-hot, stone-bowled “land and sea” molcajetes and the spicy Camarones à la Diabla.

Brophy Bros. can once again claim bragging rights as the top Seafood Restaurant and Clam Chowder spot (not to mention those killer views of the harbor). “It is humbling for Brophys to be

considered the best,” said Operating Partner John Bennett. “Our team is filled with a bunch of great people that really enjoy serving others. I am very grateful our community has

acknowledged our team by voting them the best.”

Diners have been crushing on Arigato for 35 years, showering well-deserved praise — and awards — for decades. It’s clearly a local favorite, with our readers’ accolades including compliments

like, “There is no competing here. Their seafood is consistently fresh and their menu is always creative and accommodating to people of all diets. They do such a great job of making guests

feel welcomed. Two thumbs up all the way,” and “Their food and service instill addiction … in a good way.”

“Thank you so much for all your support for the last five years. We could not have done it without all the noodle lovers out there,” said Jerry Lee, co-owner. “I know right now times are

hard, but we will all get through this together as one.” When asked about being the best, he said, “It means that we have created a concept that the community truly enjoys. Being the best,

you must provide everything as a whole: customer service, food, price, and quality.”

“We know Santa Barbara has an overwhelming variety of dining options, and the fact they’re still with us after 28 years is extremely gratifying,” said owner Kelly Brown. During the pandemic,

“we have kept all the stores open, kept everybody employed, and tried not to mess with the menu too much. Our staff, all 150 of them, deserve a huge round of applause, which we try to give

them every day.”

Serving up sandwiches since 1991, the South Coast Deli wins Best Of honors year after year. Being named the best means “that the hard work of our staff, day in and day out, for 29 years has

not gone unnoticed,” said owner/DeliBoy Jim St. John. “We are grateful for being able to operate continually throughout the pandemic (with reduced hours). Thanks to the support of our loyal

customers and the community of S.B.” 

“It means the world to us that the community supports our family business,” said partner LJ Shalhoob, part of the third generation of Shalhoobs to join the business, a staple in the

community for more than 40 years. “Being able to serve locals great food and drinks as a form of working is a dream that we never even realized could be so rewarding.… ‘Thank you’ doesn’t

even scratch the surface of our appreciation.”

To say this was a tough year for restaurants is an understatement. But after serving Santa Barbara seafood, meat, and poultry dishes complemented by copious wine and spirit choices since

2003, owner Clay Holdren said, “It is so fun to have this place and have the chance to meet so many outstanding people in our community. I am very lucky to share great stories, food, wine,

and maybe a cocktail or two with everyone.”

“We have grown over the years but have never forgotten where we came from or deviated from our core value: ‘There’s No Substitute for Quality,’” said founder Brent Reichard. “It is also

important for our customers to know that all of the Santa Barbara County restaurants are still family owned and operated.” He added, “There are lots of great burgers out there, but we will

proudly put our burger up against all others at a $3.95 price point.”

Super Cucas is known for their ginormous, forearm-sized burritos. As reader Dylan put it, “They literally serve the heartiest, beefiest, juiciest, and most delicious burritos in town, point

blank. They are intensely filling and sometimes can make two meals for somebody. Literally no other place in town can match Super Cucas. And, yes, the same also applies for their breakfast

burritos.” With the addition of vegan options to the menu, Super Cucas really is superb.

Being voted the best means that “as a team, our hard work and dedication to bring you the best taco experience does not go unnoticed. Awards like this one motivate us to keep giving our

community outstanding food and service,” said owner Lilly Sepulveda. “Thank you. We owe everything to our clientele. Without their support, we simply wouldn’t be Lilly’s.”

A treasured local institution, as reader Jenna put it, “If Rusty’s pizza isn’t your favorite, are you even from here?” A little-known fact is that the original Rusty’s specialized in roast

beef. Roger and Carol Duncan opened Rusty’s Roast Beef in Isla Vista in 1969 and — after realizing there wasn’t a pizza place in town — soon converted the cuisine into what’s become Indy

readers’ favorite pizza. Still family owned, Rusty’s now has nine locations in the greater Santa Barbara area.

When it comes to stellar service, as reader Julia proclaimed, “Duh, the Palace. No one can even come close! They’re genuinely delightful.” The Palace Grill is a lively, friendly spot where

the authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine has the soul of hospitality embedded into every dining experience. It’s known for its unique style of “team service” (some of the team members have

been there for more than a quarter of a century), and, from the moment you walk in, you’ll know you’ve found a special place.

* This asterisk indicates the winner won in multiple categories.

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