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.

Delightful family dinner (in town for a funeral) at a nice new find in Santa Barbara…read more FOOD & DRINK - Food -- from salads to pasta to meats to desserts -- was all high grade and enjoyed by everyone there. The cocktail menu had some clever mixes, and the wine menu offered plenty (maybe even too many) suggestions. SERVICE - Overall service was attentive and effective. The staff worked with our needs and handled a couple of unexpected situations (a couple in our party unexpectedly showing up with their kids in tow) with aplomb. AMBIANCE - While you can't really see much of the ocean, the front windows face it from across the closest street, and the sense of it being there (especially with the windows open) counts for a lot. The house itself is upscale decorated and set. VALUE - Upscale and food and service matches the upscale prices, but it felt like we got worth for what what paid. We paid a bit over $100 a person -- but that included cocktails and wine (and the two kids, who got plates of their own). NET-NET - We're not locals, but Toma is definitely going on our list for any future visits we make to Santa Barbara.

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.

Food was solid…read more Service was even better Location a little awkward But man did they really used all of that space Don't let the first part of the restaurant fool you there is two other rooms both having there own vibe!!!! Must try the outside for that outside villa vibe Then the second room for a nice little cafe feeling Then the bar area for well the bar scene

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.

This Michelin-starred spot in Santa Barbara welcomed us in, despite being clueless to their 2:30 -…read more4:30pm closing. We just had to order somewhat quickly-- which was EASY because the Menu looked incredible. Claiming to have "the best Caesar salad in town", we grabbed that, and two unique to the area / season pizzas. The Elote (hold the cilantro) & the Stone Fruit, with peaches, nectarines, local cheese, and house hot honey. Holy-cow, the dough was incredible to the touch, smell, taste. The toppings were so fresh and elevated. The Caesar lived up to its own hype, by being quite incredible. Bettina is also attached to a really cute lil' shopping center, that is worth visiting, if in the area. Specials thanks to the Associate of the Month, at the Mar Monte Hotel, for recommending this spot, which will go on my list of places to go, in SB.

Pulled up here on a Monday, packed, had to wait and I wasn't very happy. Kind of already know what…read morewas coming, thin pizza, long wine list, and overall mediocrity. Anyway this place is very well renowned so to each their own. Tried the pizza, bro the breading is like a CD disc, you know what this pizza reminds me of, taking a bite into just straight up ingredients and well it's not bad, I feel like you need to taste the rich dough along with it. Overall the ingredients they use aren't bad but it's just not my thing. The bread with the butter on the other hand was pretty rough but the butter helps a lot, creamy, soft, and overall I think it compliments the bread well. Pizza: 7.0 Bread: 7.4

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.

On a short getaway ended up finding Misa by accident and Santa Barbara. They have a wonderful…read morelittle restaurant row here full of shopping and places to go and see and things to do and Mizza is in the heart of it. You can tell that they're a big fan of April because April spritzes and April paraphernalia. Leah adorned the place and it sticks out against the traditional Italian vibe that has been set up making it seem a little funky here and sexier. We were greeted by a affable server who had been doing it for some time and good service, but was a little bit absent at times Overall, the food was good. Nothing that I eat. Was that incredibly memorable the chicken Parmesan was above the average but the reason for the four stars is Monika's food was exceptional and she finished every single bite. I would also say that it took some time for the cocktails to come out the service bar could use a little bit of work until next time dine fine.

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!

Picked up a couple pizzas for takeout - there were a lot of people picking up so it's clearly a…read morepopular spot! I liked the range of pizzas they have, we ordered a lemon mushroom and something with ricotta, bacon, and fig as well as some garlic knots. They were both really tasty; the fig one was my favorite pizza, but my favorite bite was perhaps the garlic knots! Perfectly fluffy and the marinara sauce was the perfect accompaniment. I would've liked more char on the crust, but no complaints otherwise. Definitely want to order from them again and try the Hawaiian and other pies.

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.

This restaurant is inside of a hotel with views right by the beach. There is street parking…read moreoutside, and I believe there is valet parking if you are dining at the restaurant. Came here to grab dinner with a friend. We got the funghi pizza and the octopus. The pizza came out super quickly and was hot and crispy. I loved the different types of mushrooms and artichokes on the pizza, 8/10. The octopus wasn't anything special. It was a bit smaller than expected, and it was the same price as the pizza. I'd rather get another pizza than this octopus. The octopus came with a piece of pork belly, which was honestly better than the octopus, 6/10. The meal ended with complementary cookies. I think they are supposed to give them to you, but our waiter forgot and we just asked for them! They are small crunchy cookies, a great way to end our meal.

So ate here twice while in town. I'd say modern Italian with some old world notes. Cocktails…read morewere on point, mojitos & old fashioned. First night, we had the potato appetizer to start & the market salad. The potatoes were yummy, probably could have just eaten them for my main. The salad was really fresh. The mains were: the risotto with scallops & the 7 hour veal bolognese. The risotto mentioned nothing of have octopus , which I later learned had, would have been nice to know way in advance. Note to the chef, some of us cannot have mixed seafood dishes. For dessert we tried the chocolate caramel bar - ooh what a gooey delight. The following night there was order of the chicken, the ribs, the lobster raviolis, bucatini and a margarita pizza. There were no complaints. Ambiance - casual; both in door & outdoor seating. There's heaters should it get chilly. Shall return our next trip down.

My husband and I were visiting Santa Barbara for the first time and celebrating a special occasion,…read moreso I made a reservation here for a special dinner- and I'm so glad I did! We had such a wonderful experience from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. Our waiter was attentive and checked in on us regularly while still giving us plenty of space to enjoy our food and conversation. We sat outside, which I highly recommend if the weather is nice. Even though the restaurant was busy, the atmosphere felt intimate and romantic. We ordered two tapas, two cocktails, and the paella, and we were completely stuffed! We ended up taking quite a bit of the paella home, and thankfully, it was just as delicious reheated the next day. We actually wanted to come back again the following night, but decided to save it for another special celebration when we visit Santa Barbara again. One of the sweetest touches was that they gave us a postcard with a handwritten message- it was such a thoughtful little detail that made the experience feel even more special. Definitely recommend for a date night, but I could also see this being such a fun spot to experience with a group of friends. We'll absolutely be back next time we're in Santa Barbara!

Popular, over hyped just ok restaurant. Service was soooo slow and the paella just ok. Tomato…read morespread appetizer and artichoke appetizer were solid. I love a good sangria - this was not. My dining partner didn't finish hers. I ordered a second and had two sips. Expensive night out with mediocre food in a lovely space.