50 Best Coffee Shops near Montecito

“Pro tip: get there when they open and avoid the line which will go down the sidewalk! We were greeted by the manager while we waited for them to open and he thanked us all for coming. He is a great ambassador for the place and set the tone right off the bat. You order your food and drinks at the counter then grab a table. (Thats why you need to get there early so you have a choice. Otherwise, you get whatever opens up. If your party is bigger than 6 you have to sit separate).
The atmosphere is very clean and the food is fantastic. The outside garden area is really nice and has a fountain. If you can grab a window table inside you can people watch as people walk up and down the street onto Stearns Wharf.
Food. Wow! You can taste the quality as soon as you take a bite! We had the special green chili chilaquiles, the lemon poppy pancakes and coffee. Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. Their coffee was very smooth, not bitter like a well-known coffee chain.
Overall, a great experience and I would recommend it to everyone!“

“Wonderful French pastries in California with beautiful setting.“

“My new favorite coffee shop!! Made from scratch flavors for lattes, made from scratch almond milk, amazing menu, staff and variety of exquisite drinks!. 💛“

“The lightest, buttery moist scones. They also had hamburgers and salads that looked were very generous portions. All was freshly made. The silverware was REAL silverware.“

“We stopped in for breakfast on our way up the coast of Cali. Everything we ate and drank was delicious. I ordered the Hibiscus cold brew, the carmelised onion and goat cheese quiche, and the banana bread. Not only is everything fresh and tasty- the ambience is amazing 🤩 I think I'd fly back out just to visit this cafe 🥰“

“Love this place so much. Staff is chill and awesome. The crowd is so friendly and fun. Wonderful place for a quick coffee or a relaxing hour in the sun. Can’t recommend highly enough“

“Great coffee, can have a busy line but moves quickly. The grab and go items are great too, and the bottled juices even tho they are pretty expensive are solid.

I just wish the espresso came with the bubbly water back. I sort of expect that at a coffee shop of this caliber“

“Wonderful crew and excellent place to kick back and enjoy slowing down for a bit :-)“

“My new favorite coffee shop!! Made from scratch flavors for lattes, made from scratch almond milk, amazing menu, staff and variety of exquisite drinks!. 💛“

“Santa Barbara has fantastic coffee. But you'll find the best coffee at Lighthouse. Their cold brew is by far the best in town. And I dream about their oat milk Gibraltar. This location is my favorite: gorgeous mountain views, friendly baristas, and a couple blocks from breakfast burritos at Lito's 😉“

“Olivia is friendly and her friends barista unfortunately I don’t know her name but both of these ladies are great, professional and friendly
And interior design of coffee shop more than perfect 🤩
Thank you 😊 for great coffee“

“Went here after camping at El Capitan canyon for the weekend. Me and the missus were hankering for a good cup of joe after 2 days of instant.

The store was very clean and had a good vibe. Smaller indoor are but there was adequate indoor and outdoor seating. Only one barista / employee working there and he was apologetic about the wait but was extremely helpful.

I got 2 cups of pour over of their lightest roast. It was a bit too dark for my taste but smooth and not bitter at all. My oldest got the creme brulee latte and loved it.

The bacon avocado toast was the BEST! The toast, avocado, bacon, hard boiled egg and sauce was so delicious. I didn't want to share it with my partner it was so good. The breakfast sandwich with sausage was one of the best my youngest ever had apparently. He said it was better than a McDonald's cheeseburger and that WAS his favorite food of all time. Lol. He even asked when we'd be going back.

In summary. The coffee used was on the darker roast side and would probably have been better as an espresso/milk drink in my opinion. If you like darker roasts then this is the place for you. The food there was excellent and I especially recommend the avocado toast.“

“Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great service and delicious food.“

“Very happy！！amazing！！👍👍👍“

“I can't even say I have a favorite. It's all good. When you bring home a warm loaf, all is well with the world.“

“Everyone seems to have their favorite coffee shop. This one’s mine. The people are nice, the coffee is good, and the seating is plentiful.“

“ordered for my mother in law. excited to gift it to her!“

“I visited Carp Moon Cafe from Las Vegas and enjoyed my bloom moon cafe in a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. And my avocado toast was delicious! The service and attention were excellent! I keep coming back to enjoy the delicacies offered at Carp Moon Cafe. ♥️👍🏼♥️♥️ 🌒 ☕️ 💯% 👍🏼👌“

“It's a great spot to learn it's history of the area and the harbor and other maritime information!“

“Incredible well balanced coffee!!! 10-10“

“Really liked this coffee shop and the beautiful pictures hanging on its walls. I'm curious to find out who the photographer is, especially of the overcast sky and grey ocean. It's stunning. Anyway, nice coffee shop with great ambiance.“

“Food is great, atmosphere is awesome, and service is friendly!
I ordered the Country Breakfast Burrito, it was delicious! I also had the Mocha Latte and an Blended Mocha, both were great!
Fun deli to grab a bite to eat and coffee! They have a large selection on artisan chocolate, cards, and other grocery items you don't find everywhere! Great experience!“

“It’s hard to describe perfect. Everything from the extraordinary staff, to the comfortable atmosphere, to the perfectly prepared food was spot on. We are greatly appreciative for the work that goes into an operation like this.“

“Wonderful French pastries in California with beautiful setting.“

“Sweet perfection! These colorful lokum are a feast for the eyes and the taste buds. 10/10“

“Small batch, local roasting at it's finest☕“

“Super friendly staff here make wonderful espressos and Sunkist lattes. Despite the down vote and biblical verse quoting of another reviewer, the Mission supports this business and this business supports the Mission. The owner couldn't be more kind. It's so nice to go up and enjoy the Rose garden and get a coffee on a beautiful morning.“

“What a spot. This is one of the most convenient locations for certain tasks. They definitely served good coffee at a reasonable price, as well as delicious cookies. I was rocking in my seat because of the music they were playing. This is always the place! I would strongly recommend it to my peers, family, and coworkers. Continue your good work!“

“👍Love the coffee from this company. I order it for my honey to have at home“

“So sad to leave Santa Barbara but before I do I wanted to check out @shopbrunch . Got some chilaquiles with crunchy chips and an egg, cheese bacon sandwich with some aioli sauce I think 🤔 which was superb and a ton of avocado and a side of waffles. I like the atmosphere especially on a nice day like today and the hostess were super nice and friendly. Hopefully you can check them out.
#foodie #santabarbara #review #bacon #chilaquiles“

“A rare gem in Santa Barbara. A friendly bar with billiards and a smoker's terrace. Very good beers and a charming atmosphere, a bit out of time. The staff is friendly and helpful. For a real change of scenery, it is a place not to be missed.“

“Iced caramel macchiato and a cheese danish“

“there was this purple haired person that made my 3 pumps vanilla frappe that lowkey snapped so hard omfg. give them a raise on the lowks. attaching a picture of the drink they made btw. if i was on death row, id die happy knowing i had a caramel ribbon crunch made by this purple haired worker. thank you. for everything.“

“The breve lattes are 🔥 !!“

“My new favorite coffee shop!! Made from scratch flavors for lattes, made from scratch almond milk, amazing menu, staff and variety of exquisite drinks!. 💛“

“the savory everything bagel brioche donut and the sweet and savory maple bacon are to die for!“

“wonderful family friendly neighborhood restaurant with great food, and always served with a smile. I would highly recommend to anyone for breakfast or lunch. Debbie also makes fabulous mimosas for breakfast. 😊“

“Always been a very good place to get together and have great food and beverages ☺️“

“Everyone seems to have their favorite coffee shop. This one’s mine. The people are nice, the coffee is good, and the seating is plentiful.“

“Very friendly and open staff here; you'd never guess or feel like you're in Monticeto among the wealthy elites (which you are).The folks at Caffe Luxxe are so down to earth they even make friendly suggestions, since I'm no coffee connoisseur.And their Caffe Nico latte distinguishes them from other coffee shops, in Santa Barbara. This drink doesn't disappoint!“

“I visited from Colorado and bought one of everything for my stay. I have NEVER had better gluten free products!!! I wish you shipped! thanks for being awesome 😎“

“Fun refreshing dessert 🍨 lots of yummy flavors“

“Great stop when travel the coast line in California“

“Peet's has the best coffee in the area. The espresso is hand pulled and consistently high quality. I especially like the whole milk mocha. Baristas are always trained. They seem to have improved the snacks offered, they were mediocre until recently, but really, you go to Peet's for coffee. No longer offer teas.“

“went in on my meal break while working in montecito wasn’t too hungry so I ordered a truffle which was good the pizza aroma smelled good eventually I’m sure will have a pizza from there but what I ordered was good enough for me 🙂“

“I visited Lighthouse Coffee today and had their breakfast sandwich along with the cucumber toast. Both were delicious — the sandwich was hearty and satisfying, and the cucumber toast was fresh, crisp, and full of flavor. The ambience inside is warm and inviting, making it a nice spot to start the morning.

The coffee was good, though the flavor could be a bit more balanced to match how great the food is. Overall, a very pleasant experience and definitely a place I’d return to.“

“This location is a shining example of what’s possible when you have a stellar management team at the helm. While the entire team delivers consistently great service, the leadership deserves real credit for building such a strong, people-first culture. They’ve clearly hired a group of hardworking, personable individuals who genuinely care.

The other day, I watched the team respond instantly and compassionately when a disabled customer dropped their drink. There was no hesitation - just immediate action. A manager stepped in to reassure the customer while others quickly remade the drink and cleaned up the spill. It wasn’t just “good service” - it was good people doing the right thing. And this isn’t a one-off moment. I see this level of care all the time.

I used to manage a high-end retail store, and I would always tell my team: the difference between a great experience and a memorable one is you. Your positivity, compassion, and humanity matter more than any product or brand ever could.

I can go to any Starbucks - there are plenty - but I choose this one because of the people.“

“Jack is amazing you can tell who is running this store, amazing service, says hi to everyone coming in, writes notes on every food item, all while training someone on bar! Truly impressed, I'd hire this guy to run a business for me seeing his work ethic for 10 minutes.“

“Amazing spot, delicious food and coffee!!💯“