I stumbled across Montesano Deli & Market while at work a couple of weeks ago, scrolling for a new…read moreplace to grab breakfast. Even though there weren't many Yelp reviews, something about it caught my eye, so the next morning I decided to stop in on my way to work for my absolute favorite--bagel and lox. This little gem is tucked right in the heart of Montecito, in a charming shopping center with cute patio tables out front. Inside, it's a small, cozy space with a counter where you place your order. I ordered my bagel and lox and was told it would just be a few minutes. While I waited, I wandered into the tiny market next door--and oh my gosh, it was adorable. Shelves filled with amazing imported olive oils, jams, cheeses... all the things you want to take home even when you don't need them. By the time I stepped back outside, the gentleman who took my order brought my food out to me, ready to go. And let me tell you... this bagel was everything. It came open-faced with cream cheese, fresh tomato slices, onions, capers, and a pickle spear. But the real star? The lox. So fresh, so flavorful, and actually generous in portion size. So many places skimp, but not here--this was worth every bite and then some. It was filling and absolutely delicious. Service was fast, friendly, and genuinely hospitable. The gentleman working the counter was knowledgeable, helpful, and clearly takes pride in what they serve. Pricing was right on par with other local spots, but the quality and portions definitely put this place a step above. I'll absolutely be back. There are several things on the menu I can't wait to try--especially the matzoh ball soup, which looked phenomenal.

My husband and I were so excited to stop here and grab a quick bite on our way to Santa Barbara…read more While waiting in line to order, we asked the a lady who was working there where the bathroom was? She was so rude to us. She told us she didn't have one available and to go to a gas station. Once we told her we were in line to order, she told us there was one for use in a snarky way. We chose to leave. Mind you, we are two white people. Needless to say we went to the delicious Italian restaurant across the street. I want to be able to give her a pass since she was quite rotund and maybe her blood sugar was low if perhaps she skipped a meal. We use to love stopping in Montecito and visit these cute cafes and shops. I'm so grateful we're from a beach town of kind and welcoming people who would never treat others like this.(Blonde large woman with a blue white tent dress in case this wasn't the owner).

We've picked up lunch from Montecito Gourmet a few times, and the sandwiches are decent, if not the…read morebest in town. The menu is long with a lot of overlap in ingredients, many combinations of meat, cheese, and vegetables with a lot of condiments on your choice of bread. There are also salads and flatbread pinsas and various cheese and charcuterie platters. I've stayed home for the pick-ups so have yet to see the place in person, but it's worth noting that they do get overwhelmed by big orders. We got like eight sandwiches last time and the order took over half an hour longer than promised. My friend got an apology and a free cappuccino for his long wait--absolutely wasted, as my husband pointed out, on the one child-free adult in our party--and we all ate a late lunch. I've had a few of the sandwiches, and they've all been solid. The Montecito Club comes with roast turkey, honey baked ham, Swiss, Gruyere, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and avocado. The Butterfly Beach is another roast turkey sandwich, with prosciutto, French brie, mayo, lettuce, tomato, olive oil, and red wine vinegar (though it's worth noting that this one was better when I added balsamic at home). The Italian Style is a meaty, loaded sandwich with hot capicola, Italian Toscano salami, mortadella, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, kosher pickles, pepperoncini, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. I made the mistake of getting this juicy sandwich on a French roll, the soft bread got soggy almost immediately. This place gives you a lot of bread options, and I've found I like the sourdough, especially when I'm saving half of my sandwich for later. We usually hit Panino for easy sandwiches, but it's nice to mix it up once in a while. I'm sure we'll order from Montecito Gourmet again, and maybe I'll even land pick-up duty next time.

This is quite a good spot! They clearly invest in the quality of ingredients for everything they…read moredo. I got to try the Spanish chorizo and especially loved it. It's a bit of a hidden gem! The owner and staff members are super friendly and invested in making sure you have a great meal. They also have wine tasting and dinner services!

High prices, relatively unfriendly--especially owner.manager. The grocery is at best a conveniience…read morefor immediate neighbors. some prices on wine bottles mistaken, owner will has not honored in the past.

Holy cow!! I just paid $27!!!! for a roasted chicken that every other local grocery sells for $10!…read moreI will not shop in this ridiculously overpriced store again.

Best chicken, provolone and sun-dried tomato sandwich on focaccia bread!! Got it to-go in Montecito.read more

Panino has been one of my favorite sandwich places since they opened in Santa Barbara. Everything…read moreis high quality and served on your choice of bread (Focaccia, sourdough, baguette). I always get the focaccia, because it's light, soft and not too much bread. My go to here is usually #15. It has Genoa Salami, goat cheese, basil and sundried tomatoes. The honey mustard is perfect with the saltiness of the salami and the tartness of the goat cheese. I love creating this sandwich at home when I'm not able to make it here. I haven't tried the salads yet, but they always look good when served to customers. I tried the #8 Italian combo sandwich on my recent visit for sandwich week. It was a half size for $9. Luckily it doesn't take much to get me full, so half size was perfect for me. I only wish they put more salami in the sandwich. It was a little skimpy! Despite that, the sandwich was delicious. I don't come to this location often, but the ambiance here is casual, and there's a fair amount of seating. The parking lot can get hectic though. Sometimes it's easy to find parking and other times it's packed! So just be aware of that. Overall, a great place for a sandwich or salad.

I've been going here since in college. The location has changed but everything else is exactly the…read moresame. The same 1 sandwich , order it deluxe and it's perfect!! Back in the day it was a mom and pop running the store and now it's local friendly helpful teens/college students. The store is very clean and well stocked. The sandwiches are top notch, fresh bread, quality meats and cheese and you can't beat that. Tons of Italian groceries to purchase and very authentic. Very helpful if you have questions about all the Italian groceries.

Guess it's my fault for not getting a deluxe but my sandwich was so sad and only tasted like…read moremustard :/ they cut the round deli meat in half, so you only get half a slice of ham not the full slice folded or even stacked. "Half and half cheese" means one type of cheese in one half of the loaf and then the other half will be on the other half of the loaf, not stacked as I assumed. Not that I would be able to taste the difference from the yellow cheese half of the sandwich vs the white cheese half since it mostly tasted of mustard and mayo. Friendly staff and would go back solely for that reason.

Great sandwich and service we loved it very much, will be back for more and we love the way it was…read moreprepared. Keep up the good work

This was recommended to us by a volunteer at the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens…read more I liked it, but it wasn't my best meal. I got a salad which I really liked and my husband got his std chicken salad sandwich which he thought was quite good. My daughter loved the pickles. Completely. I was pleasantly surprised to see some Grateful Dead paraphernalia around the restaurant. There was also a great vibe. Def nice.

The NYC: If you don't like a dry sandwich and prefer to have a bit of veg with your meals, this…read morewould be my recommendation. The coleslaw doesn't make the sandwich too soggy as the bread is thick enough to soak up any extra sauciness. Pastrami Dip: The au jus is rich and flavorful, infused with the essence of pastrami. I would say this is good to share as well if you run into parts of your sandwich that are bit harder. Corned Beef: A little bit tough for my personal taste but also a good pick if you prefer to have a meal that isn't as rich. Pastrami & Cheese: If plain pastrami on rye isn't enough for you, the cheese does make a huge difference. The pastrami is tender and juicy and the cheese just amplifies the overall flavor, adding to the overall mouthfeel. This one is the winner in my book! Service is fast and efficient. No frills. However, it's a good idea to know what you want beforehand because I completely missed that there was the option to buy a half instead of a full sandwich and if you don't specify you get a full sandwich. We had a lot of leftovers. The interior is cozy - I wouldn't bring a party of ten expecting to all be able to sit together. It's got more of an old-school vibe with it's layout and decor. There's a photo of Guy Fieri as Norton's was featured on Triple D. It's hard enough to get a good pastrami sandwich so Norton's is not one to miss!

The Traditional Philly was so dry it was inedible…read more Fly to Phx and order a Philly at Corleones in Scottsdale. Taste it and see what is wrong. Yours definitely needs Traditional Whiz. Very, very disappointed. Don't try to use provolone vs traditional whiz. It does not work. Would not go back.

Great Local Place. Service was fast even though it was during lunch rush. I had the:…read moreS.C.D.B.L.T. bacon, our own basil mayo, lettuce, and tomato on toasted sourdough + add sliced avocado And it was very good, a lot of bacon and the Basil Mayo was a good addition to the sandwich. Wish I lived in the area to try more of the menu. Very small shop but had a good amount seating.

SO good and SO big - its hard to tell how large these sandwiches are from pictures, but they were…read moretruly massive and heavy to carry.

This place is great! The sandwiches are delicious…read more Everyone is super nice. The food gets made very quickly. The restaurant is located in the public market. There is plenty of seating areas.

I've only been here once, but my first meal was beyond my expectations! Located in the public…read moremarket towards the back. There's seating available in front of the restaurant with a few bar chairs, or you can find seating throughout the market. Customer service was fast and courteous. I came here on a Saturday morning, and was lucky to catch their weekend special. The cheesy bacon bagel for only $9.50! What a deal. The portion size was generous and the presentation on point. I especially enjoyed how fluffy the eggs were. The bacon was perfectly cooked too. I can't wait to come back to try more on the menu. I love how the public market is bringing us different restaurants. Follow Big T's Deli on IG: @bigtsdeli to catch their specials!