This is a special chocolate shop. It's small but brings in the world of chocolate. There's all…read moretypes represented from all over. Dark, milk, truffles, ganache (my gosh good) etc. each piece I tried was full of flavor. They also have chocolate bars and sipping chocolate. And they even featured hand painted greeting cards by a local artist! Lovely. Whenever I was in SB I tried to swing by because Chocolate Maya is a neat place to pick up a chocolate treat!

Some of the most delicious chocolates I have ever tasted. This adorable shop has knowledgeable…read morestaff and makes quality and ethically sourced chocolates. Each one is unique and flavorful. Parking is available at paid lot across the street.

Here's a follow up to my previous review. The seller sent the chocolate I ordered through the…read morepostal service (USPS). Why would any business use USPS to ship a perishable product? Then, when the product was returned as undeliverable by the postal service, the seller claimed no responsibility for the delivery at all. No refund. Once we ship the product through a questionable method, we have no responsibility. I got a personal email from the owner telling me his reasoning - tough luck "you can pick up the (unsellable) product at the store." Thanks.

Chocolatier that roast their own beans and make their own chocolates in house…read more Bonbon shop. Samples available for the bars. Single origin bars. No drinks. Other chocolate products available: drinking chocolate, chocolate covered orange slices, chocolate covered espresso beans, etc. Lady who helped us was awesome. Spacious and beautiful space.

We stopped in for truffles, with a preference for the real thing: dark, creamy and not overly…read moresweet. Score! We received a sampling of four of their seven or so dark ones, and they were smooth and wonderful. The flavored ones, such as Ginger / Lemon and Curry / Coconut, really popped - strong flavor that complimented the chocolate very nicely. Love it!

Some of the finest, highest quality, and most exquisite chocolates in all of Santa Barbara, and…read moreeven California. Jean-Michel is a chocolate virtuoso. My goal is try to every single chocolate, at least one time (if not several times over). I feel as though time stands still when I am in his shop and in particular when I am having my chocolate experience. I savor every bite and feel an unexplanable euphoria of flavors in my mouth and pleasure coursing through my veins. If you love small batch, hand-made, top quality and innovative marriage of flavors of chocolates....this is the place you should make your pilgrimage to. Get the chocolates in a bag to save a few dollars if you are getting them for yourself, otherwise they have different sized boxes to give as a gift.

Menchaca Chocolates is truly a chocolate lover's dream. A hidden gem located at the Mercado on…read moreupper state. From rich dark chocolate to creamy oat milk and white chocolate, Menchaca Chocolates crafts every bite with care. They also offer sampler boxes. On my visit, I picked up the chocolate covered spicy mangos. Who knew dark chocolate covered mangos would be so addictive. Highly recommend! The habanero sea salt is what gives it a little kick, but it's not too spicy where it burns your mouth. I also bought a chocolate bar covered in toffee. They offer chocolate and art workshops; where you can emerse your senses in cacao beans grinding, nibs roasting, fluid chocolate hardening, and create your own chocolate bar! The choices of chocolate are dark, oat milk and white chocolate. With over 40 toppings to choose from and customize your own chocolate bar. I'm looking forward to taking a class here soon!

I think my biggest issue here was just in the way the chocolate workshop is described as a "make…read moreyour own chocolate bar." I've done chocolate workshops where we literally got cacao beans from bods, roasted and dried them, them mixed with other ingredients to make chocolate, this is not that. This is really an arts and crafts project where you just happen to take home some chocolate at the end. That being said, the chocolate base is quite good, from the dark chocolate (which I normally don't like), through the milk chocolate, and the white chocolate. Each of the base is already made, then they give you a ton of toppings to customize your own bar. I will say I wish they would have suggested us to push in the topping a bit more into the mold, as much of the toppings came off when we ate them later. After this 10 min process of customizing your bar, the rest of the time is spent just decorating your box. They do have an extensive collection of art materials, it was just a bit of a let down that it felt like 90% crafts. Beyond that, the service could have been better. It was very stand off-ish. We ended up decorating our box for what felt like an hr cause no one came to tell us our chocolate was ready. And it just really felt like we had no idea what was going on throughout the process. Staff was nice, just not very informative.

It's our second day here in Santa Barbara and we started it off with a LOVELY lunch here at Alessia…read morePatisserie + Cafe. The smell of coffee and pastries was wafting through the air before we even walked in! Once we did, we were greeted by Kendall and her pretty, smiley face. She immediately gave off great vibes and helped us with our pastry choices. We got the Apricot Danish and Kouign-Amann to start. My son got an iced Americano and I got a Decaf Iced Vanilla Latte with Oat Milk. Leonel's helped us at checkout and she was also very nice, fast and helpful. After sharing the pastries, I immediately decided to get 1 more of each to-go. They were so FRESH, scrumptious and delicious. High quality pastries made with a lot of love and care! We also got the Berry Fruit Tart that we nibbled at after the meal, but we were already so full. It was also delicious and will taste great as a late night snack later! For our entrées, I got the Turkey and Brie Sandwich but subbed Baguette in place of the Ciabatta bread. OMG, it was AMAZING!!! It came with nicely sliced turkey breast, garlic aioli, baby arugula, triple cream Brie and cranberry-fig compote. All the ingredients complimented each other perfectly and tasted absolutely divine and decadent. I hadn't eaten Brie cheese in a long time and this sandwich really hit the spot! The sandwiches/entrées come with a choice of potato chips or house salad, so I chose the salad. The lettuce was so crisp and fresh, and the vinaigrette was very delicate too. My son got the Blue Crab Crepes and WOW! We were both stunned at how delicious it was. A perfect brunch/lunch item for a cafe like this, and honestly, we have never seen crepes with crab anywhere. It came with Hollandaise sauce on top and it wasn't too heavy or overpowering. Just right. He also got his food with a House Salad. We absolutely loved every second of our experience here at Alessia. As wonderful as the food and ambience was, I think Kendall might be the star of the show here. She was such a pleasure to talk to and her positive energy just radiates all around her. The café offers both indoor and outdoor seating with 2 gender-neutral bathrooms. Everything here was clean and well taken care of. There is no parking so you will have to find street parking in the surrounding streets. We will gladly be back anytime we find ourselves in Santa Barbara again! 20/10!

We had a really lovely Sunday brunch at Alessia Patisserie & Cafe. We came hoping for a cozy…read moremorning with some pastry specialties, and overall it was a great experience. We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, but it actually worked out perfectly. While waiting, we walked across the street where there was a local artist market for International Women's Day, which made the morning even more enjoyable. Once we got our table in the outdoor seating area, the ambiance was really nice and very downtown Santa Barbara. The selection of pastries and brunch items was amazing with lots of different options. I had the avocado toast with dill cucumbers and eggs, which was beautifully presented and very flavorful. My husband had a croissant sandwich with egg and fillings, which he thought was good, and we also shared a pistachio croissant that we both really liked -- it was thick, generously filled, and delicious. The only small thing was that our coffees arrived about 10 minutes before the food, which isn't ideal for breakfast since I usually like to have them together. But when I mentioned it to the staff, they were very accommodating and kindly held the coffee until the food was ready, which I appreciated. The staff were friendly, the food was great, and the overall atmosphere made for a perfect Sunday brunch. It is a bit on the pricier side, but that's also quite normal for Santa Barbara. Overall, we really enjoyed our visit.

Absolutely love the fact that everything here is gluten-free and you wouldn't even know it! Their…read morebreakfast/brunch items (especially the vegetarian quiche) and their bakery items are absolutely delicious. I can't even say oh they're so good for being gf. They re so so good that they can compete for the crown against any regular flour bakery. The inside is so cute - charming like a French patisserie. The staff is attentive and helpful.

I ordered the French toast and the presentation was 10/10. The actual taste, not so much. They use…read morethis orange zest flavoring (which wasn't mentioned in the menu) that just completely overpowers the entire dish. Their orange juice was really good though! I do want to comeback and try something else, everyone else's food looked really good!

I travel around the world empowering minds in schools and corporate spaces--and having a great time…read moredoing it. I was invited to Montecito County as a keynote speaker, where I also led several workshops and an all-day retreat. When you're doing that kind of work, sleep (and great food!) is paramount. The organizers put me up in a wonderful hotel, and just a few feet away I discovered this adorable bakery. What a gift. Let's talk food--because WOW. I ordered a breakfast burrito with crispy bacon that was absolutely delicious. I treated my daughter to a breakfast sandwich, and she wisely added avocado and crispy bacon (excellent life choice). And I cannot forget the croissant--flaky, buttery, and so good it deserved its own moment. One day I had the hashbrowns, the next day the potatoes--both were outstanding. Comfort food done right. Despite the place being busy, the service was impeccable. Yvette and Jorie were not only kind and welcoming, but incredibly patient, serving everyone with genuine smiles and care. What truly impressed me was returning the next morning before my flight back to San Francisco--and Yvette remembered my name. That speaks volumes about the caliber of people who work here. It's rare, and it matters. I look forward to being hired again in Montecito County--and when I am, I already know exactly where I'll be eating. And hey... maybe you want to hire me sometime too. Highly recommend.

Cute stop on the way to Santa Barbara and much easier to access than the one there…read more All the staff we interacted with was super friendly and engaging. Their bathroom is outside in the plaza but easy to use. Food was ok, good but not fantastic for the price. We ordered an American breakfast with potatoes and biscuit. I really loved the multi colored potatoes and peppers! Eggs were French scrambled and perfect but the biscuit was pretty disappointing, very dry. My Arnold palmer had fresh tea and very tart lemonade. My partner's coffee came in a large mug but was just ok. My side of avocado was fresh but the strawberries in my side of fruit, not so much.

Discovered this wonderful Santa Barbara maker of gourmet truffles and other chocolates just in time…read morefor the holiday season--YUM! Oh.My.Word. The gingerbread and coconut-enrobed peppermint truffles were absolutely outstanding, and my cadre of foodie recipients were both delighted and impressed. Even more outstanding was the sample of the white chocolate-chai-turmeric truffles; they are to die for. Unusual and completely wonderful, creamy, with a subtle blend of ingredients I'd never think of (but which worked to perfection). Owner Michelle is herself delightful, boxing up a fairly large special order promptly and quite prettily. Not only is she eager to accommodate her customers, but she even offered to deliver when circumstances put us in a bit of a bind. Highly recommended--Five Stars!

The good: This place is a winner. The pastries here were…read morephenomenal. They were the amongst the best I've ever had! I got the morning cinnamon roll, pain suiss chocolat, and the chocolate almond croissant. I don't know why pain au chocolat and almond croissants are usually 2 separate things but here they were combined into one pastry and of course it is as delicious as it sounds. The pain suiss was my favorite because it had a delectably crunchy and fine texture from all of the small striations on the pastry. The display for the pastries was small and didn't seem like there was an impressive spread but everything was a hit and I am sure all of the other pastries were delicious as well. They had savory menu items too. The bad: The interior is small and there are only a few high chairs. The interesting: There were plenty of spots to park when I came in the morning right in front of the store. There were also several outdoor tables for dining.

Bree'osh is a cute bakery in Montecito to stop at for some baked goods and drinks!…read more Really friendly staff who gave us bogo on pastries in the last hour of being open for the day! Win for both of us! We gobbled up their remaining goods of the morning and got a great deal. Their grains are all from France, specializing in sourdough and hand making all their pastries. We tried the Almond Croissant and a fruit cookie which were both good. The standout is their Kouign Amann ($5.50) which you can't find everywhere! The owner of this bakery is actually from Brittany, France - the town this little delight was created in. Dominique Ansel made me fall in love with these flaky treats, and Bree'osh does the kouign amann quite well. If you've never had one before, it's similar to a croissant with brown sugar folded into a very buttery and delicious mold. Also had a solid cold brew coffee. With a few seats inside and outside on the cute outdoor sidewalk, Bree'osh is a fabulous place for a morning stop.

Stopped by here for some breakfast. Had always heard about their incredible almond croissants, and…read moreit was finally time to give them a try. Their almond croissants are absolutely delicious! Large almond croissant stuffed with a thick, rich almond filled that is divine. Probably one of the best croissants I have ever had. That being said, I'm giving it a 4/5 for the rest of their food. We had come for breakfast, and their meals seemed a bit more expensive for the taste of the food. Just average, don't think I would order a plate of food here again. However, I would hands down come back for more of their croissants. Great drinks. Their Peach Mint Iced Tea was DELISH, and their fresh squeezed orange juice was perfect. Their coffee menu left a bit to be desired, don't think I would choose one of those again. Overall, this is the place to go to grab yourself one of the best almond croissants. Would return for another one of those.

Got some pastries to go on a Saturday morning. Not much of a line but service was still a little…read moreslow. Decent amount of outdoor seating and a few seats inside as well. Ordered a morning bun, sticky bun, pain aux raisins, and croissant. Everything was pretty good though my favorite was the morning bun. Worth a try if you're in the mood for French pastries!