Best of santa barbara® 2020 eating

BEST OF SANTA BARBARA® 2020 BY LESLIE DINABERG HEALTH FOOD/NUTRITION STORE LAZY ACRES MARKET _LAZYACRES.COM_ 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.”  RUNNER-UP: SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET CORNER STORE SANTA CRUZ MARKET _SANTACRUZMARKETS.COM_ “[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.” RUNNER-UP: CANTWELL’S MARKET & DELI FRESH FISH MARKET SANTA BARBARA FISH MARKET _SBFISH.COM_ _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. RUNNER-UP: KANALOA SEAFOOD PRODUCE STAND/GREENGROCER SANTA BARBARA CERTIFIED FARMERS’ MARKET _SBFARMERSMARKET.ORG_ 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. RUNNER-UP: TRI-COUNTY PRODUCE CSA FARM CART ORGANICS _FARMCARTORGANICS.COM_ 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.” RUNNER-UP: PLOW

TO PORCH ORGANICS ICE CREAM SHOP MCCONNELL’S FINE ICE CREAMS _MCCONNELLS.COM_ “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.

RUNNER-UP: RORI’S ARTISANAL CREAMERY FROZEN YOGURT SHOP YOGURTLAND _YOGURT-LAND.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP:

MISSION STREET ICE CREAM CHOCOLATE COMPANY SEE’S CANDIES _SEES.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: CHOCOLATE MAYA BAKERY RENAUD’S

PATISSERIE & BISTRO _RENAUDSBISTRO.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: JEANNINE’S RESTAURANT & BAKERY PLACE TO BUY BREAD D’ANGELO BREAD _DANGELOBREAD.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: OAT BAKERY DOUGHNUT SHOP HOOK & PRESS _HOOKANDPRESSDONUTS.COM_ 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.” RUNNER-UP: SPUDNUTS DONUTS

CUPCAKERY CRUSHCAKES & CAFÉ _CRUSHCAKES.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP: NOTHING BUNDT CAKES BAGEL SHOP JACK’S BISTRO & FAMOUS BAGELS _BAGELNET.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP: I.V. BAGEL CAFÉ GOLETA RESTAURANT BEACHSIDE BAR CAFÉ _BEACHSIDE-BARCAFE.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP: KYLE’S KITCHEN CARPINTERIA RESTAURANT RINCON BREWERY _RINCONBREWERY.COM_ “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.

RUNNER-UP: THE PALMS ISLA VISTA RESTAURANT FREEBIRDS WORLD BURRITO 879 EMBARCADERO DEL NORTE, ISLA VISTA; (805) 968-0123 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. RUNNER-UP: WOODSTOCK’S PIZZA MONTECITO RESTAURANT THE HONOR BAR _HONORBAR.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP: BETTINA SANTA YNEZ

VALLEY RESTAURANT INDUSTRIAL EATS _INDUSTRIALEATS.COM_ 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.” RUNNER-UP: S.Y. KITCHEN APPETIZERS/TAPAS LOQUITA _LOQUITASB.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: MILK & HONEY BREAKFAST CAJUN KITCHEN _CAJUNKITCHENCAFE.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: JEANNINE’S RESTAURANT & BAKERY SUNDAY BRUNCH [See Drinking: Bloody Mary] LATE-NIGHT EATS DAVE’S DOGS GRILL _DAVESDOGS805.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: THE

BLUE OWL SALAD BAR * PARKLET SAVOY CAFÉ & DELI _SAVOYCAFE.WEEBLY.COM_ 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.”

RUNNER-UP (SALAD BAR): LAZY ACRES MARKET RUNNER-UP (PARKLET): MILK & HONEY CHINESE RESTAURANT CHINA PAVILION _CHINA-PAVILION.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: CHINA PALACE FRENCH RESTAURANT * RESTAURANT WINE LIST BOUCHON _BOUCHONSANTABARBARA.COM_ 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.” RUNNER-UP (FRENCH RESTAURANT): RENAUD’S PATISSERIE & BISTRO RUNNER-UP (RESTAURANT WINE LIST): WINE CASK INDIAN RESTAURANT FLAVOR OF INDIA _FLAVOROFINDIASB.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP: BIBI JI ITALIAN RESTAURANT CA’DARIO _CADARIO.NET_ 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. RUNNER-UP: VIA MAESTRA

42 MEXICAN RESTAURANT * SALSA LOS AGAVES _LOS-AGAVES.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP: LOS ARROYOS SEAFOOD RESTAURANT * CLAM CHOWDER BROPHY BROS. CLAM BAR & RESTAURANT _BROPHYBROS.COM_ 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.” RUNNER-UP: LURE FISH HOUSE SUSHI

RESTAURANT ARIGATO SUSHI _ARIGATOSB.COM_ 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.” RUNNER-UP: SUSHI TERI THAI RESTAURANT *

NOODLE BAR EMPTY BOWL GOURMET NOODLE BAR _EMPTYBOWLNOODLE.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP (THAI RESTAURANT): YOUR

CHOICE RUNNER-UP (NOODLE BAR): NIKKA RAMEN VEGETARIAN/VEGAN RESTAURANT * VEGGIE BURGER THE NATURAL CAFÉ _THENATURALCAFE.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP (VEGETARIAN/VEGAN RESTAURANT):

MESA VERDE RUNNER-UP (VEGGIE BURGER): KYLE’S KITCHEN SANDWICH SOUTH COAST DELI _SOUTHCOASTDELI.COM_ 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.”  RUNNER-UP: THREE PICKLES BARBECUE * SIDEWALK

CAFÉ/PATIO SHALHOOB’S FUNK ZONE PATIO _SHALHOOB.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP (BARBECUE): THE CREEKSIDE RESTAURANT & BAR RUNNER-UP (SIDEWALK CAFÉ/PATIO):

SHORELINE BEACH CAFÉ STEAK HOUSE HOLDREN’S STEAKS & SEAFOOD _HOLDRENS.COM/SB_ 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.” RUNNER-UP: LUCKY’S BURGER * TAKEOUT THE HABIT BURGER GRILL

_HABITBURGER.COM_ “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.” RUNNER-UP (BURGER): MESA BURGER RUNNER-UP (TAKEOUT): LOS AGAVES BURRITO * BREAKFAST BURRITO SUPER

CUCAS _SUPERCUCASRESTAURANT.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP (BURRITO): LOS AGAVES RUNNER-UP (BREAKFAST BURRITO): THE

DAILY GRIND TACOS LILLY’S TAQUERIA _LILLYSTACOS.COM_ 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.” RUNNER-UP: CORAZÓN COCINA PIZZA RUSTY’S PIZZA PARLOR _RUSTYSPIZZA.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP: OLIO PIZZERIA STELLAR SERVICE THE PALACE GRILL _PALACEGRILL.COM_ 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. RUNNER-UP: BOUCHON * This asterisk indicates the winner won in multiple categories.