If you've not found this spot you are missing out!…read more Yes lunch & dinner are delicious- but breakfast here is like the best kept secret in Santa Barbara. Big fan of the toast, jam, and TRUE Italian combos. Everting from delightful eggs to sautéed peppers. Lunch entrees come with a simple salad- a perfect day date. Dogs welcome outside, more kid friendly than it may seem- and don't forget to take desert with you or at the table!

My visit to Via Maestra 42 came way with mixed feelings. There were definitely aspects of the…read moreexperience that I enjoyed, but a few issues with the food prevented the meal from living up to its potential. For my entree, I ordered the Costolette d'Angello alla Griglia, the grilled lamb chops served with vegetables and mashed potatoes. The lamb was okay, but it arrived more warm than hot and the accompanying mashed potatoes were a disappointment. They arrived noticeably cold in the center, giving the impression that they had been reheated rather than freshly prepared. Unfortunately, those temperature inconsistencies distracted from the dish and even made me question whether everything had been plated and served at its best. The lamb chops were okay overall, but the execution left something to be desired. I also tried the Linguine con Vongole (clam pasta). The flavors were fine and the dish was enjoyable enough, but diners should be aware that there were some broken shell fragments and bits of sand mixed in with the clams. While that can occasionally happen with shellfish dishes, it was noticeable enough that I found myself eating a little more cautiously than I would have liked. One aspect of the restaurant that stood out was the atmosphere. The environment has a distinctive character and personality that makes it feel different from many of the other dining options in SB. It certainly adds to the overall experience. The service was somewhat slow during my visit, though the staff remained friendly and courteous throughout the evening. Overall, this place offered an interesting atmosphere and friendly service, but the food execution felt inconsistent. Between the warm lamb, cold mashed potatoes, and shell fragments in the linguine, the meal didn't quite meet expectations. There's potential here, but a little more attention to detail in the kitchen would go a long way.

Great dinner in Santa Barbara. The pasta, the drinks, the environment was on point. We sat at the…read morebar and had a great conversation with the bartender. To prepare for my italy trip, I asked their suggestion on which wine or aperitif Italians drink. He introduced us to Rabarbaro Zucca, which tasted like rhubarb. Overall great place and I enjoyed my night here.

Solid Italian spot with a great location, but a few things to know before you go…read more The food was genuinely good. That part didn't disappoint. Service, though, was pretty meh. We mentioned it was our anniversary in the reservation notes and... nothing. Not even a quick "congrats." A small touch that would've gone a long way. The place is clearly popular. It was packed when we were there, so definitely book ahead if you don't want to wait. Parking nearby is tough too, so give yourself extra time to find a spot. Overall: good food, prime location, just don't expect much personal attention from them.

This restaurant is amazing they have 100% figured it out. Drinks food and service…read moreRuben is the best!! We have been coming here for years it's getting better..

We came in for large birthday party, and had an absolutely terrible experience…read more Bad service, bad food, and the worst ambiance/ temp regulation of any place I've ever dined in SB. It was very hot inside, no servers checked on us for 45+ mins, no fans, no windows could open, and and we ran out of water in 5 mins then ignored by staff. We were so hot and thirsty, and 5+ staff walked by and ignored us asking for help. So, I got up, collected the two small water pitchers left for 15 people, and tried to get the attention of staff. We finally got the pitchers refilled, but our drinks that we ordered still hadn't arrived, and our food order had not been taken. Finally, after being there for over an hour and a half, we get our food order taken, but no drinks were delivered yet. When drinks began coming out, only 1/2 the table received anything. Now, we are hot, thirsty, hungry, tired of being ignored, and watching our friends have nothing to drink. Food took forever to hit the table, and of course those that ordered the most simple food so it would come out fast (salads) didn't received their food or drinks until after the rest of the table had finished eating. Our friends across from us didn't receive their cocktails until after the food came out. $150+ / couple and we paid it so we could leave. Yes, the restaurant was busy-- they over booked at least 6 large parties that night, including a wedding and bocce (and that just in the back). Clearly they need better systems in place before they book multiple parties in the future. Our experience is enough for me to never return. Oh did I mention the food is NOT good-- it's mid at best. All the pasta was overcooked, the flavors dull, and it was also somehow under-salted. With its lore, I definitely was expecting more from this spot. So sad.

My linguini with clams was delicious! I loved that they filled my plate with plenty of fresh clams,…read moreunlike some restaurants that serve mostly pasta with only a few clams. The dining room is much larger than it appears through the building's exterior windows, which was a pleasant surprise. We were seated at a long table that comfortably accommodated all seven of us, making it perfect for our group. My friend is very pleasant and sociable, but she is also quite clumsy. While chatting and enthusiastically gesturing with her hands, she accidentally knocked over her full glass of red wine, spilling the entire contents onto the man sitting across the table from her. His pants were completely soaked in red wine! Most of the group laughed at the unexpected mishap, but I felt terrible for our friend. He was a good sport, though, and never seemed upset. The waiter immediately came to our aid, removing the white tablecloth and replacing it with a fresh one. I truly appreciated how gracious, patient, and understanding the staff was throughout the whole situation. They handled the unexpected incident with such professionalism and kindness that it made a memorable moment much easier to laugh about. Thank you for your wonderful service and for making our experience so enjoyable. We will definitely dine here again--and hopefully my guests won't be quite so entertaining next time around!

My dad was craving Italian food on a recent stay in Santa Barbara, and this place came up as a dog…read morefriendly option. We had spent the day wandering through wine tastings and Solvang, so we were hungry. I wish we would have stopped somewhere else though. Ca'Dario was ok, but definitely not great. I wouldn't come back. - mozzarella caprese: probably the best thing on the menu. It's tough to mess up cheese and tomatoes. - fettuccine Alfredo: The dish became coagulated when it was set down in front of us, which made it really unappetizing. - ravioli: This was good, but not memorable. - spaghettini Della Nona: the best pasta we ate.

Stopped by on our drive for some lunch with some friends and was so glad we did! The location is in…read morea shopping plaza with a moderate amount of parking, but we did go around 11:30ish on a Monday. Luckily, it was not busy at all with a few other parties dining in at the same time. The decor inside feels very quaint and super trendy. Another thing to add is they have a good set of bathrooms that we appreciated as we had a long drive back home afterwards. The staff was all very attentive and nice. We were all starving in our party so we ordered quite a bit of food to share. Something to note is that during lunch time, they do not serve pasta as we were told that they spend the morning making their pastas from scratch to serve at dinner. We ordered the following: - Caesar Salad 5/5- Extremely fresh greens topped with a perfect amount of dressing and topped with a good amount of parmesean and breadcrumbs. We all wanted to order more of this as it was so refreshing on that warm day! - Margherita Pizza 4.5/5- Classic Margherita with fresh basil and tomato. It was really delicious due to the perfect balance of fresh ingredients and amount of toppings. - Pepperoni Pizza 5/5- Absolutely loved! They used the more "cupped" pepperonis, which I prefer especially as it held a lot of the flavor from the honey and chili oil it is paired with. Call me basic, but this truly blew me away. - Sungold Tomato Pizza 3/5- We added this pizza more on a whim as we were worried 2 pizzas weren't enough for our large party. It was a different pizza that is refreshing with fresh sungold tomatoes, basil, olives. I liked it but it was overshadowed by the other 2 we ordered. Overall, I truly enjoyed Bettina and the food we ordered. I am definitely coming back next time I'm in Santa Barbara for their dinner menu! Everyone should add Bettina to their list of must haves while in the area.

Amazing pizza, mocktails, and service!…read more Bettina was an incredible stop during our Santa Barbara trip! We loved the house mocktails, and the crispy sweet potatoes with crème fraîche were absolutely delicious. We also tried the GRAPE pizza with added sausage, and it was incredible! Everything was so satisfying, and the flavors really stood out. Natalia and Mia provided excellent bar service and made the experience even better. We also noticed the restaurant's 2021 and 2025 Michelin posters, which caught our attention! One tip: make a reservation ahead of time. We showed up without one, but it was still a great experience. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Santa Barbara and love great pizza!

Lovely evening at Mizza with family and buddy. We found ourselves at a nice fire pit high top table…read morewith enjoyable acoustic music. We ordered a variety of items. Kids pasta, lemon spaghetti, peach and pistachio pizza. Speaking on my pizza, wow! It was truly amazing. I shared it with everyone because I was so excited to share my excitement. They all agreed too. What a wonderful pizza. Definitely would order again. Enjoyed the overall atmosphere and food.

TERRIBLE SERVICE Manager/Supervisor Monica was extremely…read morerude when we tried to order pizza, offensive and said we have to sit by another table just because that table is assigned to her otherwise we would have to leave. Didn't apologize for the attitude and was provocative. ONE STAR SERVICE

Favorite pizza spot in town! (We've tried all of them)…read more Can't go wrong with any pizza there. The dough is great and so flavorful. The salads are also amazing. And the cookie is a must every time. Love the ambiance, the owner and staff are so friendly and welcoming. Can't wait for them to expand next door!

We were so happy to finally be back in the area for round two at this spot. The great vibes and…read morefriendly staff made us feel right at home again. When it came time to order, we purposely decided not to look at what we had last time because we wanted to try something new. Well... turns out we ordered the exact same things! And honestly, I can't blame us. Once again, both the salad and the pizza were absolutely amazing and just as good as we remembered. While this pizza by no means needs ranch, the owner was kind enough to give us some of their house-made ranch to try. All I can say is... wow! The pizza is fantastic on its own, but that house ranch was seriously impressive and made for one heck of a bonus. It's always a great sign when you return somewhere and the experience lives up to the memory and this place definitely delivered again. Thanks again for another memorable experience. We can't wait for round three!

If you are looking for some quality pizza in SB, look no further. L' antica pizzeria hand makes and…read morebakes each pizza order in-house. I love the thin crusts of their pizzas because it doesn't leave you feeling too heavy even if you ate the whole pizza (aka, no food coma crash despite the carbs). Tried the Caserta Pizza (5/5) It's made with double flor di latte sauce base that gives it creaminess. Then topped with Italian sausage, garlic pecorino, basil, smoked provolone cheese, and Calabrian chili. The sausage was savory, and the cheese was melty and of good quality. You can taste the mild spice from the chili flakes and the herbal-ness from the basil. Add-on some of their housemade chili oil sauce for an additional spice kick. Service was professional and courteous. We had a great time and really enjoyed our dine-in experience here. We'll be coming back to try out other flavors for sure.

I cannot believe that this place doesn't have five stars on Yelp. This was the best pizza I have…read morehad in recent memory. Wow. Paper thin crust, fresh ingredients. I thought I must've been in Napoli. I was with some friends because we were on our way to a performance (I am a musician) and we were in a hurry. The waiter accommodated us and the pizza came out in under 10 minutes, I believe. The atmosphere is simple but nice. I was surprised that it wasn't more busy on a Friday night. I am telling you, this was fantastic pizza. I cannot wait to go back and to try some of the pasta.

Really enjoyed the Margherita pizza and espresso Martini…read morewhile staying at this hotel for a conference! Pretty lively on a Saturday night! Fortunately for us, this restaurant also catered our lunch for the conference and the delicious pasta salad and butter lettuce salad left me wanting more!

Tucked inside the Santa Barbara Inn, Convivo is one of those spots I've been coming back to for…read moreyears. I'm pretty sure they've been open about 10 years now! I have a lot of memories here: birthdays, first dates with my now-husband, celebrations of all kinds, and plenty of happy hours. And don't let the fact that it's inside a hotel fool you. This is one hotel restaurant that absolutely holds its own. The atmosphere feels elevated but still relaxed, which is exactly my kind of spot. They offer happy hour Monday-Friday from 2-5 pm, and honestly, it's a great excuse to pop in early. I'm a big fan of ordering shared small plates so everyone can try a little bit of everything. Some of my favorites: * Beef Carpaccio * Gamberoni * Octopus * Fuyu Persimmon (and definitely add the focaccia because it pairs so well with burrata). * Charcoal Avocado * Shishito Peppers * Za'atar Flatbread with the ricotta + hummus accompaniments For drinks, the Jiji Spritz is my pick for a refreshing summer drink. And if you're a dirty martini person, the Convivo Dirty Martini is a must. The patio is such a vibe, especially when you're looking for a relaxed Santa Barbara meal that still feels a little special. Add the sunset and ocean breeze and, like, come on. The service is consistently great, and a special shoutout to Angel, the personable and warm manager, who always makes the experience feel welcoming. What keeps me coming back, though, is the consistency. The food is always delicious, the service is always great, and there's something about returning to a place that's been part of so many good memories. And bonus points for complimentary valet! There's also free street parking along East Cabrillo Blvd and the surrounding streets, although spaces can fill up quickly during peak hours.