34 Best Italian Restaurants near Montecito

“We chose Caruso's for a special anniversary dinner and it met all of our expectations. The service, the food and the atmosphere were simply wonderful. It is pricey but worth the money for an extraordinary dining experience. We also very much enjoyed the piano music which was introduced the night we attended. It added greatly to the atmosphere.“

“Go for the food! It’s over the top.“

“I wish I could give 10 stars! Starting with the Host - so good, so professional, perfectly dressed... made me feel like a celebrity. Wait staff provided the perfect amount of attention. They even made us a special dish not on the menu. Atmosphere- I felt like I was in my best friends kitchen but at the same time looking around the room feeling like I might not be cool enough to be here!“

“Took our youngest for her 16th and the staff was exceptional, the atmosphere was wonderful, and the food was delicious! Thank you!“

“Excellent pasta dishes made idividually as ordered. Add or subtract ingredients. Just look up the menu online. Amazing selections, more than any Italian restaurant. Eat out on patio - very casual. They take pride in the preparation. We make it a mandatory visit every trip to Santa Barbara.“

“The pasta was amazing and so fresh! The tuna wrapped in prosciutto appetizer was so delicious 😋! You must try it.“

“I really need to recommend Mollie's cooking. I've known her for over 20 years, and she truly is an exceptional Italian cook, more like a world-class chef. Over the years, I have eaten in a couple of her restaurants. The food was always amazing/exceptional. Her ability to create delicious sauces and elevate simple pasta dishes is wonderful. You should also try her incredible fish soup— not on the menu anymore, but if you happen to have any seafood, you could ask her to prepare it (but you need to call ahead); it's a real treat.

This newer, smaller restaurant has a more personal and unique atmosphere – it truly feels like you're dining right in Mollie's kitchen. but as such contributes to a truly wonderful and memorable dining experience.

While it's true that you need to stand in line to order, and the place is more like a deli than a traditional restaurant, the quality of the food Mollie serves makes it absolutely worthwhile. The menu might be smaller these days, but trust me, it's an experience you don't want to miss. I highly recommend treating yourself to a meal there!“

“delicious food great service. Victoria was so welcoming and made my family feel welcomed. servers were on top of things👍🙂😁😉“

“Great service, great food. And it’s in Santa Barbara!“

“Excellent restaurant, cozy atmosphere, quality ingredients“

“It was incredible! Wait staff is great and it had an incredible ambience! The food was delicious!!!“

“Italian take out that is very tasty, always hot, with consistent portions and friendly fast service. Manager Miguel runs a clean tight ship and makes certain every customer is well taken care of. And in addition, the prices are quite reasonable.“

“After going to this incredible Italian restaurant, I will never go anywhere else for Italian food. It’s magical! We always try to get a table on the Patio, it makes you feel like you’re in an enchanted chateau. We’ve tried many of the entrees, and although some are more enticing to us than others, none have disappointed! All the food is amazing. To top it all off, the staff is friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and welcoming. If you’re looking for great food with a great staff, go to Gianfranco’s Trattoria!!!“

“It's always good as spected.. very good overall if I'am not wrong I saw the owner talking very disrespectful towards 2 of his employees Wich is not the right way to discuss if something was wrong.. isn't easy to work as a cook. Favorite plate chicken piccata.“

“good pizza, cooked freshly in front of you. lovely young man served us 10/10“

“Great location, good food, but do NOT order limoncello. It is their own production they say. But tastes like bad wodka. For the rest we will be back. Piet & Annette“

“Great place great vibe! We stopped for a quick drink coming back again next in Santa Barbara“

“As far as neopoliton pizza spots go in Santa Barbara this is definitely up there. They have a tight menu and the pies all look great. Pricing is definitely on the higher side but it is artisan pizza as other reviews have stated. I knocked a star off because I felt like one of my two pizzas was undercooked and the garlic knots were also undercooked.“

“Little Dom's Seafood is my very favorite restaurant -- I can't think of a restaurant that more successfully delivers on the quality of the food; the attentiveness of the staff; and overall inviting atmosphere that makes it both the perfect drop-in spot after a long beach walk or the perfect romantic dinner spot you reserved a month in advance. This is a regular dinner spot for my partner and me, and it is always our first dinner spot on the list when friends or family come to town. I encouraged my best friend to hold her wedding reception at Little Dom's and it was far and away one of the most fun, intimate weddings I've attended, not to mention by far the best food and cocktails. We also selected Little Dom's for a 12-person family-only dinner prior to my brother's wedding. For whatever occasion you have in mind, from the most casual to the most formal, the Little Dom's team will make it exceptionally special and will work with you to make it exactly what you have in mind. Can't recommend this restaurant and the Little Dom's team enough!“

“Food was excellent and our server Frankie was amazing- he was the only server that night and was working both indoor and outdoor seating areas, with a smile. The other very odd issue was that the restaurant was out of ALL their red wines and only had 2-3 whites in stock (roughly half what was listed on the menu). We had an excellent dinner but I'm a little perplexed by how this place is run-seems quite different from our last visit 2yr ago. Again- thanks to Frankie for his calm and pleasant service! And to the chef- pizza and salad were perfect.“

“Was so good. We loved having dinner under the olive trees. Can’t wait to go back.“

“The pasta was amazing and so fresh! The tuna wrapped in prosciutto appetizer was so delicious 😋! You must try it.“

“The food was amazing as was the service. The patio seating was beautiful and dog friendly!! We will definitely be coming back on our next visit!“

“We went because we saw you on Diner Drive in and Dives. We've always we wanted to try a restaurant previewed on this show but they were all back east or mid west to far for dinner. So when we saw this In our own back yard we were in. Amazing food great atmosphere staff impressive and cocktails yummy too. Some many great options too. DEFINITELY coming back. thanks Bettina.😘“

“Today's lunch was truly memorable for our family at Cali-Forno Pizzeria. We were fortunate enough to encounter Alberto Diaz, @betodiaz60 the YouTuber who has won us over with his engaging videos. It was truly a pleasure to meet him in person. He truly is committed to providing exceptional service and exceeding customer expectations with his remarkable energy and scrumptious pizza. Cali-Forno Pizzeria.“

“The pizzas are so delicious!!“

“We ordered the cheese pizza with extra cheese and garlic for my son's birthday and it was a big hit!“

“Best pizza in Santa Barbara by far 🙌👍“

“Went here with my 11 yr old mentee. His review is, "biggest pizza ever!" 😄

It's fun. NYC vibes, basic pizza, as expensive as anything on lower state. But fun to share a memory! We both recommend it... sometimes.“

“I love the Crocodile Restaurant!! I found this place last year when I was asked to perform for a birthday there. I knew it would be the right atmosphere for my vocal entertainment. I'm there every THURSDAY & FRIDAY night! (5:30-7:30) I sing mostly romantic songs but change it up for the kids to enjoy the fun of live music. I love taking requests to make the evening what the guests want it to be. The extensive food menu as well as the variety on the song menu make this restaurant a really cool place.“

“Yummy!! A must place to visit in Ventura!!“

“Rude employees. Asked for a table outside because we had our baby asleep on the stroller and wanted to have space for him, they wanted to put us inside and told us take that or nothing. Couldn’t believe it, but plenty of other places out there with nice and well trained staff!“

“We stopped by Lucky Penny in Santa Barbara and I have to say—this place absolutely lived up to the hype! I ordered the Salty Surfer pizza with a few customizations: I swapped the peppers for mushrooms and kept the pineapple and prosciutto combo. The vodka-based sauce tied it all together beautifully. The crust was phenomenal—crispy, chewy, and packed with flavor. Truly one of the best pizzas I’ve had in a long time!

The frozen margarita was perfect for the warm weather—refreshing, balanced, and hit the spot.

We also tried the Caesar salad, which wasn’t quite to our taste—the dressing had a very bold, strong flavor that didn’t quite work for us. We also ordered the pepperoni pizza, which was decent, but the Salty Surfer definitely stole the show.

The only downside was the seating—we were with a group including kids, and there just wasn’t enough shade, which made it a bit uncomfortable in the heat.

Overall, though, the food—especially the Salty Surfer pizza—and the atmosphere made for a great experience. I’d definitely return (hopefully with a bit more shade next time)!“

“Great food, drinks, and desserts.“