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!. 💛“

“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 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 made a weekend trip from Miami to Santa Barbara mostly just to visit Kin lol. I had seen them on socials and reddit and I'm a sucker for great food and an even better experience. Kin is such a special place. Yes, the line is long but it is oh so worth it. We literally visited every day, twice a day over the long weekend and tried almost every drink and baked treat on the menu LOL. Can't go wrong with anything. Everyday I had a new favorite, it's THAT GOOD. The coconut cloud matcha, and pandan matcha are the best I've ever had. The cookie butter cream top is also stellar. The donuts speak for themselves, but trust me, the flavors taste just as good as they sound reading them on a menu. So thankful we got to try Kin and thank you a million times over to the staff and the amazing owner. I don't know how they do it but they manage to still be warm and friendly even with how insanely busy they are non-stop. For anyone complaining about the lines or prices, this is prob not your vibe. Those of us who get it, 'get it.' I really hope to be able to come back and visit in the future. I wish sooooo much success for this team and hope Kin sticks around and expands (hopefully to Miami lol)“

“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“

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

“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“

“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 😉“

“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.“

“Very happy！！amazing！！👍👍👍“

“Hi mosaic locale I will see you“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“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!“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“Wonderful French pastries in California with beautiful setting.“

“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“

“👍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“

“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.“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!. 💛“

“Iced caramel macchiato and a cheese danish“

“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. 😊“

“Del Pueblo Cafe is a family-run Mexican restaurant with a real neighborhood feeling, complemented by an impressive collection of traditional and modern Mexican art. Total attention to quality and detail on everything they serve. Giselle and her crew provide warm and welcoming service. All the food is very fresh and lovingly prepared. Menu highlights include the super tasty Pollo Enlechado, amazingly creatively flavored seasonal coffee drinks, and simply the best Chile Relleno I have had anywhere! A hidden treasure in Santa Barbara.“

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

“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.“

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

“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.“

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

“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“

“Fun refreshing dessert 🍨 lots of yummy flavors“

“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 😎“

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

“Great stop when travel the coast line in California“