••• The Lovin’ Spoonful frozen yogurt shop on the Mesa has reopened after a long closure for repairs due to a fire next door. My husband and I went to check it out and, having never been to a dispense-it-yourself fro-yo shop, we found it rather amusing. (I’ll spare you the photo of my tub of chocolate yogurt.) Pricing is by weight. P.S. This Biscoff fan objects to the name “airplane cookies.” They can be so much more if you allow them to.
••• And more frozen yogurt is on the way: Salty’s Frozen Yogurt will be popping up this summer at locations TBA.
••• In ice cream news, Santa Ynez Valley Creamery soft-opens July 1 in Solvang.
••• Petra Cafe at 14 E. Cota Street has officially closed. —Restaurant Guy
••• A profile of The Chanticlair (and Alley Cat Oyster & Po’Boy). —Independent
••• Having run one-off adult classes in the past, Apples to Zucchini Cooking School has introduced a fuller slate of options for adults—including Macaron Making, Seasonal Sourdough Pizza, Fermentation and Preserving, and more.
••• Some first impressions of The Neighborhood Grill, which just opened at Turnpike Center in Noleta…. I think solid food in a welcoming setting is just what the area needs and probably craves. Even on a gray day, the outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces were appealing, and the onion rings were truly excellent. After lunch, I introduced myself to owner co-proprietor Ted Ellis, who asked how the meal was. Before I could finish telling him that people will riot in this town if you don’t actually smash the smashburger, he sighed and said that someone new was on the grill that day and he had already pointed the issue out. (The burger was delicious just the same.) It was a reminder to us all that restaurants need time to settle in, and if we do patronize one in the first few weeks, we need to be prepared to cut some slack. P.S. Props to the lady nearby who ordered an espresso martini at noon on a Tuesday.
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We need a local frozen yogurt/ice cream shop on upper state! 🙏🏻
Haas’s Fine Ice Cream in 5 points. Dave’s Drip House further up at Turnpike.
The Baskin Robins is locally owned. New owner is in the shop often
We also tried the Neighborhood Grill. I think overall it was a very good experience. I would like to make a few suggestions: As was mentioned, the smashburger was not quite smashed, and the Brioche bun seemed to overwhelm the burger. On the other hand, for the regular burger, which looked amazing, the bun was obliterated halfway through the burger. Maybe toast the bun face so it has a chance to stand up to the juices. My two-year-old grandson had the mac and cheese, which had great flavor, but picking out the pieces of pasta that were too al dente was a pain (maybe batches mixed together?). Did not try a cocktail. The onion rings and fries were very good. Service was surprisingly efficient. Very minor, first week suggestions. Wish them well.
I love smashburgers but they’ve become the IPA of burgers. They’re everywhere and impossible not to find. Give me an in house ground chuck/brisket, thick medium rare burger grilled over lump charcoal any day of the week. Also, can we ban brioche buns forever? They’re eggy, sugary and cakey. Also, pretzel buns, blah. Give me a potato bun , traditional sesame seed bun or sourdough.
THANK YOU for saying this. Smash burgers are fine but incredibly one note. And so so overdone. They are the brussel sprouts of 2026. Make it stop.
I whole heartedly agree with you Jen, and Noah, enough with Smash burgers on every menu in town, along with those sweet brioche buns.
I hear you yet also The Win-Dow smashburger and brussel sprouts combo has to be one of the best value and tasting combos in town haha.
Have never had then anywhere else but the og of smashburgers, Third Window Brewery. Always get the avocado jalapeño smash and it’s excellent. I like that the meat is thin and crispy.