••• I went to Ancora Osteria with friends a couple of weeks ago now, and I imagine at least half of Montecito has already been and formed an opinion, but here are some first impressions anyway. I haven’t sat inside yet, but the restaurant has done as good a job as possible with the awkwardly shaped space, and outside feels cozier and more convivial than you might expect from a penned-off area beside a parking lot. We arrived right after intense sundowners had roared in, dumping leaves all around the terrace and jacking up the heat; the staff handled the situation (and the entire dinner) with aplomb. As for the food, I know that we’re not supposed to make much of the restaurant’s half-sibling relationship with S.Y. Kitchen, but nearly everything we had—the arancini, the pastas, and especially the roast chicken—could’ve come from Santa Ynez. (That’s not remotely a critique.) The pinsas are a little different from S.Y. Kitchen’s pizzas, and while I wouldn’t order one to have all by myself, it was a tasty shared experience. All in all, I’d be shocked if the restaurant isn’t a big hit; the combination of well-executed Italian comfort food and the Upper Village is as sure a bet as I know of. P.S. The menu now has prices.
••• More on Sweetaly gelato shop. —Independent
••• Wella’s Soul Food reopens on Thursday.
••• Bruxie in Paseo Nuevo has closed. Thanks to P. for the tip and photo.
••• And P.’s mom spotted a change-of-ownership notice at Vino Divino, the wine shop on De La Vina just above Mission Street. The new owner is Cardona Family Ventures LLC, run by Albert Cardona.
••• Monte’s has introduced lunch service. No word yet on whether the menu is the same as at dinner.
••• To celebrate autumn, chefs Sandra Adu Zelli (of Gipsy Hill Bakery) and Pascale Beale will cook a six-course tasting dinner, with wine from Clementine Carter, on September 28 at the Cheese Shop Santa Barbara.
••• The Goleta outpost of Drover’s Doughnuts has closed. —Restaurant Guy (Update: Janine says the Buellton and Solvang locations have closed, too.)
••• Ysidro announced a new flavor of sake-based spritz: cara cara orange, black pepper, and cardamom.
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All 3 of Drovers Doughnuts locations have abruptly closed including Solvang and Buellton.