19 Best Cafes in Santa Barbara

“Consistently fantastic espresso and cappuccino at Handlebar - fairly close approximation to a French cafe, as people hang out here for hours on end. Outside patio (dogs allowed) - this is a legit SB locals place. Starbucks SUCKS! (Handlebar has a downtown location as well, but I prefer De La Vina).“

“Went there last June 2024. One of the recommended local cafes in Sta Barbara.

A good selection of craft coffee and drinks.

Pretty busy area with many tourist traffic so the seats may be easily filled

Parking: Limited time slots at back streets. Public lots in certain areas.

Kid-friendliness: Limited menus

Wheelchair accessibility: Fairy spacious“

“We enjoyed fresh seafood we were cravin for. A friend recommended this place as it is near the hotel were staying at in Downtown SB. We're very pleased with great food and excellent service.“

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

“Such an accommodating place! Good service, a diverse, delicious well priced menu, and convenient! Wish they were open longer in the day.“

“If you are looking for an Amazing And Beautiful event venue for a wedding reception, a birthday party, a bachelorette, or any occasion venue. I Highly Highly recommend State and Fig in Santa Barbara! From planning to execution, Patrick and Serina made my niece’s wedding Perfect! I don’t use Perfect lightly, as I am known to be critical and a perfectionist especially when it comes to events. They made my niece's wedding planning experience so easy, from booking the venue to providing Customized menu options, and ALWAYS received quick responses any time we had questions as well as added personal touches of their own to the wedding. Serina and Patrick were extremely helpful, detailed, and knowledgeable and knew exactly what we wanted and how they could help. On the wedding day, The whole staff was very friendly, attentive, communicative, accommodating, Extremely helpful, and responsive, from assisting with centerpiece decorations, to serving hors d’oeuvres Always with a smile, making sure Each and Every guest was taken care of throughout the night, I was very impressed! Now for the food, EXCEPTIONAL, the taste was phenomenal, the meat was tender, the salmon was cooked perfectly, Nothing was over/undercooked, so delicious and the guests would not stop talking about how good the hors d’oeuvre and main courses were! Thank you, Serina, Patrick, and your staff from the bottom of our hearts for helping to make my niece’s wedding day beyond wonderful, and Perfect! We certainly will be back even for a weekend getaway! 😊“

“Increíble vista, buena comida“

“Wonderful French pastries in California with beautiful setting.“

“Loved my croissant! Super simple but buttery and yummy!“

“?????? ? ?????.

Can I curse on here?
Holy $h*t the El Primo is undoubtedly, one of the greatest sandwiches I’ve ever tasted in my entire entire life. Tender meat, a thick and crunchy French roll with a nice chipotle mayo to round out the flavor – this sandwich hit every spot I needed it to hit. AND on top of that the coffee was really good too – I like the environment had plenty of seating and it was comfortable enough for me to want to spend the afternoon there, but I had things to do.

If one should find themselves in the beautiful city of Santa Barbara I cannot recommend this place enough.

Parking: Some decent space here to park out in the front of the café – if you come when it’s not busy, I’m sure you won’t have any issues finding a spot“

“Comfortable and inviting atmosphere with an outdoor cafe area to enjoy the California Sunshine. They serve everything from omelettes and breakfast burritos to muffins and sandwiches. Great prices and easy to find location with ample parking.“

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

“Underrated and less crowded than the Arbor. Apparently they used to have amazing grilled cheese, but I haven't seen them selling grilled cheese since covid. They have some pretty good lunch options. They close earlier than expected, so make sure they're open if you're planning to stop by in the afternoon.“

“Love love love the food and service is excellent.“

“In search of my morning cappucino on our trip to Santa Barbara, I found Dawn cafe. Of 4 different cafes in the last 2 days, this was the highlight. Not only did the barista make the perfect cappucino, but the beans (they roast their own) were that perfect medium roast that highlighted both the "bean" and the "burn"; a well balanced taste that got me ordering a second cup. Well done, and I went back the next day.“

“Great spot! Staff was super friendly and happy the whole time! Food was well prepared & creative. Dining staff was very professional & engaging! Thanks for a great stay & for the delicious food every day!!“

“I can't say that I had a great experience the last time I visited this place. The food is adequate, but I found the service to be pretty bad. Granted this is student run, but I mean come on. It's a little bit ridiculous. The place itself is fine and if you were just to pop in for a quick bite you may not even notice. Needless to say, I probably won't be going back. Just isn't worth it.“

“I recently ordered a custom cake for an annual family celebration...I gotta say it was fantabulous (delicious and beautiful)!! Exceeded my expectations!! Justin clearly understood the importance of the occasion and delivered not only the final product, but all along the way he was so patient with me surrounding the details. Thank you Justin!!“

“This is my 2nd time at Goat Tree and I absolutely love it! The servers and staff are so nice and friendly. The restaurant has a great outdoor sitting area as well as inside. We sat outside because it was a beautiful day. There are umbrellas to block you from the sun which is great. We ordered cranberry and orange mimosas, wild arugula salad with chicken, Gooey bacon & Brie sandwich with avocado, and the GT smash burger with seasoned fries. Everything we had was delicious and filling. When staying at the Hotel Californian, I find this is the perfect spot to walk across the street and go for a nice brunch.

Vegetarian options: A menu of salads

Dietary restrictions: You can ask them to take out certain items in your meal you don’t like

Kid-friendliness: Families come with their kids all the time“