Bear in mind that restaurants and bars rarely open when they aspire to. And every time I run a roundup like this, we learn of several other establishments in the works. (Certainly, there are quite a few marquee spaces available: Trattoria Vittoria, Via Vai, Recipes Bakery, Mesa Verde, Bedda Mia, and so on.) If you know of any, please email [email protected] or text 917-209-6473.
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BIBI JI
The Indian restaurant has moved four blocks north to the former McDonald’s at 1213 State Street (Anapamu/Victoria). The new space is bigger and brighter, with more seats and a much larger kitchen. Look for a chef’s counter to debut soon. Opening forecast: Just opened.
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SEVEN BAR & KITCHEN
When the Funk Zone favorite’s lease wasn’t renewed, owner Mike Gomez found a new home in the West Beach building that used to be the The Neighborhood Bar. Opening forecast: Just opened.
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LITTLE BIRD KITCHEN
The former Shalhoob’s stall in the far right corner has a small menu of sandwiches and salads. Opening forecast: Just opened.
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POKÉ HOUSE
The Northern California poke chain is coming to the space next to Three Pickles in Paseo Nuevo. Opening forecast: This month.
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HAPPY CAT EATS
Oku‘s Tina Takaya is branching out with Happy Cat Eats next door on Cabrillo Boulevard; we can expect “a fun, casual, dining spot with Handlebar coffee and great breakfast and lunch options.” Opening forecast: This month.
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ALMA FONDA FINA
In Little Alex’s former space at the Montecito Country Mart, Corazón Cocina’s Ramon Velazquez plans to offer “soul food, if you will—tacos, soups, enchiladas, and tamales. It’s home cooking.” Opening forecast: Unknown; they’re waiting on the city.
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CUTLER’S ARTISAN SPIRITS
Cutler’s Artisan Spirits is opening a Public House & Distillery Headquarters at 418 N. Salsipuedes Street (Gutierrez/Haley), next to Carr Winery. There will be a full bar and restaurant serving BBQ and other comfort food. Opening forecast: Summer.
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SANTA PLAYA MARISCOS
The folks at Yona Redz on lower State are opening a Mexican seafood restaurant in the former Brasil Arts Café space at 1230 State Street. Opening forecast: Summer.
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TYLER X LIEU DIT
The new Tyler x Lieu Dit tasting room at 23 E. Canon Perdido will eventually add a food component that’s more robust than at most tasting rooms. Look for simple, smaller plates to start, and more substantial offerings in time. Opening forecast: Summer.
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ETTY’S JEWISH DELI & BAKERY
The Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara’s revamp of its building at 524 Chapala Street (Haley/Cota) includes a kosher-style Jewish deli, but it won’t be a restaurant in the traditional sense. In order to enjoy the pastrami, knishes, and more, non-members will have to call ahead for a temporary membership number. Opening forecast: August.
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LAMA DOG / SAMA SAMA
The two local favorites are partnering on a restaurant in the former La Rumba nightclub on upper State Street (Las Positas/S. Ontare), which is being given an upgrade by Kevin Moore Architect. We can expect a “restaurant/bar and bottle shop that’ll be as accessible to families as it will be to beer/wine geeks and foodies,” said Lama Dog’s Pete Burnham. Opening forecast: August.
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SLODOCO
San Luis Obispo donut shop SloDoCo is expanding to Goleta at 290 Storke Road (near Target). Opening forecast: August.
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VALIDATION ALE
Brian and Briana Deignan are working on a second location, Validation Annex, on upper De La Vina, in the corner space near Grocery Outlet. While they won’t be brewing onsite, as in the flagship, the rest will be along the same lines, with “TVs showing the beer menu and validation status, about 28 taps with our seltzer and guest hard kombucha, cider, sparkling mead, and wine. Full kitchen with the favorites from HQ along with a full pizza operation.” And they’ve taken 1,200 square feet than initially announced, with the intention of adding golf simulators. Opening forecast: Late summer.
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700 LINDEN AVENUE
The multi-tenant project at 700 Linden Avenue in Carpinteria includes retail, offices, and most important, restaurants. Four food-and-beverage tenants are onboard: Bettina, Ramon Velazquez (Corazón Cocina), Third Window Brewing Co., and Dart Coffee Co. The rooftop bar slot remains available. Opening forecast: Late summer.
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LA CANTINA
Chris Chiarappa of Mesa Burger and Lighthouse Coffee is converting two spaces near Kin Bakeshop at Noleta’s Turnpike Center into a a Mexican restaurant. Opening forecast: Late summer.
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CAGAMI RAMEN
Camarillo’s Cagami Ramen is coming to somewhere in Hollister Village Plaza (the one with Smart & Final and PetSmart) in Goleta. Opening forecast: September.
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FINNEY’S CRAFTHOUSE
The popular regional chain—10 restaurants and counting—is taking over the former Hollister Brewing Company space at Goleta’s Camino Real Marketplace (the one with Home Depot and Costco). Opening forecast: Late September.
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THE ELLWOOD
Co-owner Omar Khashen says that the Independent‘s initial description of the plan for the former Beachside Bar-Cafe at Goleta Beach Park is still accurate: “a focus on California coastal cuisine that’s elevated but not overly expensive, with regionally respectful beer, wine, and spirit selections. They’ll enhance the location’s varied settings—the two bars, the main dining area, the primary patio, and the small rooms that could be rented for small events—and turn the small stand outside into an ice cream shack also serving scaled-down menu options, possibly with to-go cocktails.” And they’re also adding a patio bar and an adjacent event space that will host concerts and private events. Opening forecast: Early fall.
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APERITIVO SPINOFF
Andrea Girardello and Brian Dodero have leased the former Taza Mediterranean Street Kitchen space around the corner (413 State Street). The plan is to open a somewhat more grown-up version of Aperitivo there—focusing on pasta and taking reservations—while the current location on E. Haley will downshift a bit to more of the wine bar it was initially intended to be. The name is still up in the air; I suggested Secondo…. Opening forecast: Fall.
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GOOD LION’S MONTECITO BAR
Misty Orman and Brandon Ristaino of the Good Lion Hospitality empire are making their way into Montecito with an “elevated lounge,” name TBA, in the former Coast & Olive space inside the Montecito Inn. Look for it to be “steeped in the elegance of a bygone era, where the clinking of cocktail glassware mingles with jazz music and the chatter of locals and visitors,” with food by chefs Tyler Peek and Ryan Simorangkir of the Sama Sama restaurants. Opening forecast: Fall.
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LILY’S DONUTS & POPS
Lily’s Donuts & Pops is opening in the former Cold Stone Creamery space on State Street (Haley/Cota). “The focus is on high-quality, freshly made donuts with flavor profiles that are nostalgic, but presented in a fun way,” said Omar Kashen, a partner in the project (who is also involved in The Ellwood at Goleta Beach Park). “We also feature paleta-style popsicles that are made and decorated in house. Additionally we have a strong coffee program in place and partnered with a well-known sommelier to put together a pairing menu of nice wines and local beers we will be selling down the road.” Opening forecast: Late fall.
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RH MONTECITO
The company formerly known as Restoration Hardware is opening a store in the Old Firehouse building in the Upper Village, and there will be a restaurant and wine bar. Opening forecast: Second half of 2024.
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JEMMA MONTECITO
The Post, the to-be-reinvented Las Aves complex across from the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge, will have at least two restaurants. Jemma Montecito, a sister of Jemma di Mare in Brentwood and Jemma Hollywood, comes from Jackson and Melissa Kalb of Memento Mori Hospitality. (Their other restaurants are Jame in El Segundo and Ospi in Venice Beach.) Promotional materials describe the atmosphere as “coastal Italy meets coastal California.” The restaurant plans to be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and also offer “picnic and pantry” items. According to the sample menu, the food leans heavily toward classic Italian-American—chicken parm, clams oreganata, shrimp scampi, and so on. Opening forecast: The fourth quarter of 2024.
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LORETO SPINOFF AT THE POST
Also at the Post: a new restaurant from the founders of Loreto in L.A.’s Frogtown neighborhood, but that’s all we know at this point. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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BAR LOU
Warner Ebbink of Little Dom’s Seafood in Carpinteria has leased the former Oliver’s space; a help-wanted ad said we could look forward to a “brasserie-style restaurant” named Bar Lou, and there’s a corresponding Instagram account. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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WINGSTOP
The third local outpost of fast-food chain Wingstop—the other two are in La Cumbre Plaza and Isla Vista—will be at Goleta’s Fairview Shopping Center. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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TEDDY’S ON STATE
Sarah Dandona and Juan Rodriguez of Teddy’s by the Sea, Brass Bird, and Omni Catering are opening an outpost of Teddy’s in the former MacKenzie Market (3102 State Street) in San Roque. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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THE HOTEL EL ROBLAR
Eric Goode—of the Ojai turtle sanctuary, Tiger King, and many projects in New York City—bought the former Oaks at Ojai spa (before that, it was El Roblar hotel) with Warner Ebbink of Little Dom’s Seafood and Ramin Shamshiri of Studio Shamshiri. Brandon Boudet, Ebbink’s partner/chef at Little Dom’s, will be the chef at the hotel’s restaurants. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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HIGHLY LIKELY
Also in Ojai: all-day L.A. restaurant Highly Likely, with branches in West Adams and Highland Park, is coming to town, almost certainly in Beacon Coffee’s old space. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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CLARK’S
Austin seafood restaurant Clark’s Oyster Bar, which also has an outpost in Aspen, is taking over the former Cava on Coast Village Road—and Jeff Shelton is redoing the buildings in his inimitable style. Opening forecast: Unknown, but as you can see, it has a ways to go.
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UNNAMED MONTECITO RESTAURANT
Graham Duncan has leased the former Montecito Wine Bistro in the Upper Village; the project is still winding its way through the county’s permitting process, to be followed by an estimated six months of construction. Opening forecast: February 2025.
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TYDE’S
After severing the relationship between the Four Seasons Biltmore resort and the Coral Casino private club, owner Ty Warner hired renowned chef Thomas Keller to take over the club’s food-and-beverage operations, including Tyde’s restaurant, which will be open to the public, with a dedicated door on Channel Drive and a piano lounge. Opening forecast: 2025.
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TRATTORIA DEL SOLE
A sister outpost of Trattoria del Sole in Sherman Oaks is in the works for 1027 State Street (Carrillo/Figueroa). The menu is traditional: spaghetti with meatballs, chicken Marsala, fettuccine Alfredo…. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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SAINT BIBIANA SPINOFF
Cindy Black of Saint Bibiana on W. Ortega Street is opening another outpost at the former Metropulos building in the Funk Zone. Opening forecast: Unknown; Black says they have yet to enter permitting.
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CAJÉ COFFEE ROASTERS
The local chain is opening a café at 5340 Hollister Avenue in Patterson Center. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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SKYFIELD
Mary Ta, founder of the MASS Beverly and Minotti Los Angeles showrooms, has big ambitions for the former Black Sheep space (Anacapa/Ortega). “Skyfield is a community-driven, ingredient-centric dining outpost and retail concept inspired by the stunning landscape of the Santa Barbara coastline and the biodiversity of Skyfield Ranch—an 80-acre certified organic farm nestled in and amongst the Los Padres National Forest. Skyfield will have a strong emphasis on seasonality and locality—inviting local farmers, fisherman, and artisans to showcase their ingredients with mindfully curated foods, products and educational experiences. The plans involve a restaurant that will serve lunch and dinner, while a quick-service and retail component will be available alongside a bottle shop.” Last we heard, the plan was to bring in chefs for a few months at a time. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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THE NUGGET
The local chain is opening an outpost in Carpinteria, in the space that was supposed to be Linden Hall. And it’s in talks to take over the Derf’s Café at De La Vina and Mission. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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SANDPIPER GOLF CLUB
Ty Warner’s plan for the Sandpiper golf course in Goleta includes replacing the 9,305-square-foot clubhouse with a two-story club and restaurant of 24,000 square feet. Moreover, the landmark Barnsdall-Rio Grande Gas Station would be brought back to life as mini museum with a bike-friendly café. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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ACME HOSPITALITY’S LATEST FUNK ZONE OUTLET
Acme Hospitality (The Lark, Loquita, et al) is expanding its Funk Zone holdings with a 900-square-foot establishment in the building that used to be a kiln for drying the wood shipped in via Stearns Wharf. The concept is still TBD, but there’s a full liquor license, and there will be food. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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CHICK-FIL-A
The loved/loathed fast-food chain is working on an outlet at the site of the former IHOP at 4765 Calle Real, east of N. Turnpike Road. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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EVERYTABLE
With the noble mission of “making nutritious, fresh food affordable to all,” Everytable is a chain that charges more in well-off areas to subsidize meals in poorer communities. The restaurant at the base of Amazon’s office at State and Carrillo was supposed to be the first outside L.A., but in the many years that that the project has been on ice, the company has opened locations in New York City and all over Southern California. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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UP IN THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY…
••• The big opening this year is chef-owner Cullen Campbell’s Crudo in Solvang, which he aims to have ready this month. Upstairs will be a different concept, but it won’t debut till later in the year.
••• Also in Solvang, chef Budi Kazali’s is reviving his Gathering Table concept at the former Succulent Cafe space.
••• The SY Kitchen folks are opening a grab-and-go café/market, Stica, in Santa Ynez.
••• And the new owners of the Ballard Inn presumably plan to do something with the restaurant space(s).
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Further away on the horizon:
••• The restaurant at the FOUR SEASONS BILTMORE (below) is being redone with an emphasis on outdoor seating. The rumor—totally unconfirmed!—is that it’ll be an outpost of Nobu. The hotel is slated to open sometime in 2025.
••• Construction is underway at 701 CHAPALA STREET, the former Romanti-Ezer space; the rumor is it’ll be a burger joint, which feels right but is totally unconfirmed. Opening forecast: Unknown.
••• The WATERLINE complex in the Funk Zone—home to Lama Dog and the Nook, et al—has proposed adding two more restaurants, with an additional 336 seats, most of which are on the adjacent parking lot. For the time being, they’re just working on the outdoor seating.
••• The plans for the PLATFORM development at 301 E. Yanonali, on the west side of Garden Street and south of the 101, show at least one restaurant.
••• On land owned by the Fess Parker family, the Robert Green Company is developing an 86-room resort—with “a signature restaurant with outdoor dining overlooking the ocean, a rooftop bar and grill with unparalleled views, and a lobby bar and lounge with enticing small plates”—at 433 E. CABRILLO BOULEVARD, at the corner of S. Calle Cesar Chavez. It will be positioned somewhere between the Rosewood Miramar Beach and the Hotel Californian.
••• THE PALMS building in Carpinteria was bought by Mark Armenante and Young Sohn, who also own One White Street in New York City. The downstairs and rooftop will be casual, and a “chef’s kitchen” concept will be on the second floor.
••• The plans submitted by the ROSEWOOD MIRAMAR BEACH resort for an addition at the corner of S. Jameson Lane and Eucalyptus Lane include a café with grab-and-go options.
••• The owners of 801 STATE STREET (at De La Guerra) are considering a restaurant and perhaps a bar.
••• The website for the Neighborhood at STATE & HOPE, the mixed-use project at the 8.7 acres at at the northeast of La Cumbre Plaza, shows a restaurant on State Street and a food hall.
••• The building at 730 State Street (Ortega/De La Guerra) is becoming an outpost of PODSHARE, which offers “flexible, single rate, network wide housing” so you can “travel and live remote,” and will have a café on the back terrace on De La Guerra Plaza.
••• The little terrace at 628 STATE STREET (Cota/Ortega)—formerly home to Blush, and across the paseo from the Habit—will be the site of a new apartment building with a restaurant on the ground floor.
••• The former Forever 21 building at 901 STATE STREET (at Canon Perdido) will become a 22-room hotel with a restaurant in the lobby (“where the light from the glass-bottom rooftop pool will shimmer through the building,” said the architect) and a rooftop bar and “basement speakeasy [to] transport patrons to days of old.”
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Erik. So many restaurants are ‘waiting on the city’ (ALMA for 2+ years…enough already!!!!!) or ‘working through the county’s permit process’ (Graham Duncan’s place)…. What is happening? You hear this all the time whether it be business or residential. Why is our city SO SLOW and (seemingly) anti business.????? The pandemic (the reason for the years of excuses is over…). Perhaps someone could do a deep dive into what is happening here with the permit office. We ‘hear’ some get through rather quickly while others just drone on….for months and years. We deserve better!!!
Typically it’s due to the competence or lack thereof of the land use consultant/engineer/draftsperson submitting the application and plans. If you submit bad plans, you don’t get your permits, and that’s apparently what has happened here.
I assume you are talking about the property at 516 San Ysidro Rd. That’s permit number 23BDP-01486. Plug the address or that number into here: https://aca-prod.accela.com/SBCO/Default.aspx , and you can see all of the actions taken by the Planning & Development thus far. The application was submitted to the Dept. on 12/5/2023, and it was marked as pending application fee payment same day. The fees weren’t paid until 1/8/2024, which is a one month delay in any progress caused by the applicant themselves. It got moved to plan check review on 1/24/2024, and on 2/12/2024 they finished their review, determined that the plans didn’t meet California Building Code, and needed corrections from the applicant. The applicant submitted new plans on 6/7/2024, and, again, on 7/8/2024, the plans got rejected as being out of compliance with California Building Code.
If the person drafting the plans had done it right the first time, they would have been done on 2/12/2024. There would have been some additional paperwork from other agencies and some other fees to pay, and after that was taken care of the building permit would have probably been issued early to mid March. Get rid of that delay in paying the fees, and it would have potentially been issued in early to mid February. A two month turn-around time for a building permit doesn’t sound lengthy at all.
Appreciate your POV Paul. Notwithstanding the specifics re San Ysidro, I often hear of business and residential owners (with very reputable architects) saying the review process is too slow and often depends on ‘whom’ you get at the city whether you are moved through quickly or not. The ‘chatter’ isn’t great when it comes to the city planning department and, with what we pay in property taxes, we deserve better…..
Agree with James 100%. Lots of goings-on seem to be very opaque with planning department, city council et al.
What this town needs is a classic diner/deli. A sit down, preferably in a booth, or at a counter, order a pastrami on rye with a large pickle and a cup of soup type of place. Where the menus are large, the food fresh and varied and the staff quick with the check. Like the great deli’s and diners of LA and NY.
Instead we end up with more copies of mediocrity that will inevitably fail within a year.
How do you make a small fortune in the restaurant business? You start with a large fortune.
Bah bum bump
Norton’s?
Harry’s, Joe’s, the Tee-off? Not delis but classic with booths. What we need is some great Chinese!
It’s a shame that the Sandpiper clubhouse will be torn down. Those buildings are architectural modernist gems.
Those dilapidated old buildings are far from architecturally worthwhile. At least to most people. Not to mention they’re falling down. Have you seen the new design? It is very fluid. It looks like a the whale house mated with the Disney concert hall.
I do wish they’d hurry up and start the remodel of the course. Especially before Glen Annie becomes high density condos and apartments. Once that happens, Santa Barbara is going to be severely lacking golf options for its millions of yearly visitors and locals.
Tyde’s in ’25? Not a chance
Wow what a fabulous line up of new fun things (chick fila notwithstanding…)! Thanks for doing this round up for us. Excited to see how many different concepts and cuisines are coming to SB.
And kudos on Secondo— I second that! ????
A entire lane of backed up Chiken fans offer up a “cluck you and your Tesla”
xoxo
Does anyone know what the closure rate in their first year of business of restaurants in SB?