Our Santa Barbara Favorites
santa barbara is a special place for many reasons – for one, we spent our first day as boyfriend & girlfriend here together. another is that hanna was lucky enough to make many memories here with her family growing up. for her, and ultimately us, it’s become a beloved getaway from la to slow down.
one of our favorite things is exploring new places and finding great local spots for food, coffee, and beautiful sites! take this guide as our way of showing you around town to some of our favorite spots! we’ve had a lot of fun saving places and putting this together over the last year & beyond. you can also find all of these spots on a handy google map list at the link below!
Coffee
our all-time fave! several locations in town, but our #1 is sitting on the patio at yanonali.
our recs
Hanna’s pick: oat milk flat white
gabe’s pick: market pour over
Dune
Handlebar Roasters
a classic go-to with multiple locations as well. we did our cake tasting here :)
Little King Coffee
beautiful space at the post montecito!
Lighthouse Coffee
another one with several spots in sb.
cute spot in the funk zone. enjoy your coffee at their lovely garden across the street!
Dart Coffee & Garden
To Eat
our #1 breakfast spot!
our recs
Hanna’s pick: the breakfast taco
gabe’s pick: biscuit w/ butter & citrus marmalade
Helena Avenue Bakery
Mother Dough Bagels
sourdough bagels in the cutest house with a sunny patio on the side.
Lucky Penny Pizza
our favorite in-town pizza in sb.
Santa Barbara Public Market
a great spot for lots of variety! we love corazón for mexican food.
Tamar
a great casual mediterranean spot.
Panino
an easy deli sandwich shop
if you head south to summerland, this is the best stop for a fresh & delicious lunch!
our recs
Hanna’s pick: roasted cauliflower salad
gabe’s pick: chicken tarragon sandwich
Field & Fort - Summerland
Bettina - Montecito
absolutely wonderful italian food located at the montecito country mart.
La Super-Rica Taqueria
an sb staple for tacos
Manifattura
haven’t made it here yet but it’s on our list! italian dinner on state street.
Aegean
a lovely greek spot off state st.
McConnell's Ice Cream
founded in sb! and so good.
Drinks
the best natural wine bar, who is also bartending our wedding! a perfect place to sit on state street, enjoy a glass & watch people bike & stroll by.
our recs
Hanna’s pick: something sparkling & castelvetrano olives
gabe’s pick: orange wine & the gigante beans
Satellite
our fave brewery in town. come for the lovely courtyard & stay for the sourdough pretzel.
Third Window Brewing
Pali Wine Co.
we’ll see you here for our welcome gathering! :)
Topa Topa Brewing
a good one in the funk zone!
Aperitivo
on our to-try-next list!
Cute Shops
The Eddy
adorable corner store in town with fancy snacks, drinks, home goods & more.
Godmothers - Summerland
the bookstore dreams are made of.
another sweet store with farmer’s market finds, some pre-made food, toiletries & trinkets.
Bodega Flower Girl
a design-forward shop with womenswear in one storefront, and menswear around the corner.
Jake & Jones
The Post Montecito
a specialty outdoor mall with beautiful places to sit.
Montecito Country Mart
outdoor shopping area with restaurants, stores & coffee.
To See
the central street downtown! parts of it are pedestrian-only, so it’s a great place to stroll amongst lots of places to eat & things to see.
State Street
Douglas Preserve
a lovely walking path up on the mesa with ocean views at the end.
the courthouse has stunning architecture, a huge surrounding lawn, plus you can go up in the clock tower to catch a gorgeous view of the city! you also might see a few weddings happening all at once in the garden!
SB Courthouse Gardens
Santa Barbara Mission
historic mission with a surrounding rose garden & lawn
SB Historical Museum
worth a walk through just for the pretty courtyard & buildings!
even if you don’t have a dog with you, this spot is so fun to walk along and see the pups play in the water!
Hendry’s Dog Beach
above the beach sits a stunning walking/biking path that is an absolute must if you can make it. the path winds along the coast and is surrounded with blooming flowers & plants.
Butterfly Beach - Montecito
a classic. walk down the wharf to catch a view of the water, city & mountains behind you. also has a fun sea center for kids!
Stearn’s Wharf
Chase Palm Park
a palm tree lined waterfront park & walking / biking path.
1,000 Steps Beach
a beautiful beach set right up against the cliffs.
SB Botanic Garden
we always wish we had more time to spend here!
Alice Keck Park
a lush park with a pond, and a playground across the street for kids.
SB Bowl
fun concert venue!
