50 Best Coffee Shops in Santa Barbara

“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.“

“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!“

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

“Ended up trying new coffee places both from carts/trailers while visiting the area! Zaca Coffee Trailer is a cute little trailer that's tucked in a parking lot in the Santa Barbara arts district. When we went, there was no actual parking in the lot itself as I think they leave it open for seating and other businesses which is smart since it's not a huge lot anyway. So you can park in the paid lots or just find street parking. I got a vanilla latte for my husband which I think was the llama latte and I got the honeysuckle iced coffee since I read that was good. At 10 am on a Tuesday, it wasn't crowded at all. The woman making my coffee was really nice and I enjoyed my coffee a lot! Will be back when I'm in the area.“

“The best little hidden gem in the SB area.. so so glad I found something so authentic and that just hits home, being that I was very much used to LA offerings being plentiful and authentic. You don’t really find that very much in the Ventura/SB area. These guys stick to traditional Asian flavor profiles and if you love the “not too sweet” type of stuff this is your must-try!! Literally the BEST mochi donut I’ve had in my lifeeeee. Worth the wait too. Trust!!“

“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“

“I was here this past Sunday and usually I'm expecting pretty straightforward service but me and Nico hit it off so well, she's a ball of sunshine and genuinely made my day brighter. That interaction was a better pick-me-up than any coffee I could've asked for and I could tell she's made real connections with customers.“

“Hi mosaic locale I will see you“

“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.“

“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“

“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 😉“

“Kicked out super rudely by employee on the dot at 4:03pm when they close at 4. Heard super rude comments about getting customers out. I've worked in hospitality for years so I understand wanting to close but a few minutes of grace and lowering your voice when cursing about customers is basic girllll“

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

“I came here to find the best pumpkin spice drink in Santa Barbara. The barista made me a pumpkin spice matcha latte with soy milk (half sweet) and it was delicious. The matcha powder was well blended (iykyk, some places do NOT whisk the matcha well and it’s clumpy). This was very smooth.

Food was also delicious, I’ve never had something bad from here.

Good amount of parking, plus bike parking!

Seating: lots of outdoor seating with umbrellas for shade. Cute water fountain. Decent amount of seats indoors plus a high top counter.

My only issue was I got a major tummy ache and was bloated all day, which I believe was from the oat milk. They make it in house but I’m not sure exactly what that means… it could just be a powder mixed with water (that’s what some other coffee shops do).

The pumpkin spice syrup is made in house, and they offer organic milk so maybe next time I’ll just try cow milk, although my preference is soy milk.

It would be nice to see soy milk on the menu!“

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

“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☕“

“Great coffee spot in Santa Barbara with a lovely zen interior. There are 4 indoor tables with additional seating at the bar. However, the large outdoor patio is really where it’s at as it’s surrounded by well manicured plants and olive trees and across the street from a nice park area.

The lattes are well crafted and tasty. We got the rosemary citrus latte. The flavor was subtle and not too sweet. We also had a generous slice of the coffee cake which was very good. Next time I’d love to come back and try more. It looked like they made a specific selection of well crafted pastries and you could also order breakfast items if you were inclined. Also the staff were kind and welcoming, which is always a plus.

Overall a great place to come do work or catch up with friends. We would love to come back!“

“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.“

“i really liked their iced vanilla almondmilk latte!! tasted amazing, and the service is great. even though there was a long line ahead of me this morning i was able to get my coffee super quick and make it in time for my appointments! the pastries are also delicious“

“Not gonna lie, I thought I would miss the 7/11, but I don't. This location makes the drinks better than most (maybe because they hired from scratch and trained a whole crew together?), but they NEED to stop letting people park in the no parking in front of the door. If you can't find parking, circle around or go to the CVS with 50 spaces and cross the street“

“Wonderful French pastries in California with beautiful setting.“

“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.“

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

“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.“

“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.“

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

“Best lighthouse location by far! you know those little interactions that just completely make your day? That’s what my trip to lighthouse did for me today. Beth especially made me feel welcome and the food was amazing! I would highly recommend the classic avocado toast super nutrient packed while also being tasty 🥰“

“Iced caramel macchiato and a cheese danish“

“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!“

“The breve lattes are 🔥 !!“

“Nice people behind the counter. The young lady helped me decide on another drink when the first one I wanted was only made cold. My coffee was made quickly. I stayed while and wrote postcards to my friends. Nice music over the airwaves to keep me relaxed. A peaceful atmosphere when you need little break from a busy day. I will return when I'm in the neighborhood.“

“We had the carnitas burrito and the chorizo burrito. They were both very good. The salsa was different in that it was not chunky but very smooth and it had a nice hot kick. The burritos were large. We each ate half and took the other halves home for dinner. There was chorizo or carnitas, eggs, potatoes, queso fresco, cilantro, crema and avocado on a flower tortilla.“

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

“We were celebrating our anniversary and wanted to stay on property so chose The Bistro. From start to finish, everything about our experience was absolutely incredible. The service was warm and attentive, the ambiance was just right, and every dish was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. We had the seabass and beet salad, both of which were perfectly executed. The chef and team ensure you have a wonderful experience with delicious food and impeccable service. Whether a special occasion or a just looking for a great meal, go to The Bistro, you won't be disappointed.“

“Fun refreshing dessert 🍨 lots of yummy flavors“

“Great stop when travel the coast line in California“

“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.“

“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. 😊“

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

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

“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 😎“

“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.“

“Wow what a hidden gem! Really tasty, flavorful offerings and so affordable. I was impressed with the variety and quality. I got a half sushi tofu sandwich and a half turkey cranberry sandwich and was full for $8. Both dishes were really thoughtful and looked nice, too. I happen to live nearby and I will be stopping in frequently.“

“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.“