30 Best Italian Restaurants in Santa Barbara

“My evening at Caruso’s was a world class dining experience. I have been raving to family and friends about my new favorite place to eat on the west coast. The food was plated to perfection and served with a love for customer service unlike anywhere else.
Christian and Tre took wonderful care of my wife and I as we celebrated our anniversary. We were completely surprised and delighted when Christian asked the chef to come out and visit with us toward the end of the meal. I cannot wait to visit Santa Barbara again JUST to come enjoy the Caruso experience again.

With gratitude and thanks,
Jon and Jenn P

PS…I am still dreaming about the carbonara and crudo! I can still picture each perfectly placed vegetable and amazingly prepared fruit that were woven into each dish with absolute perfection.“

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

“Tasty food at reasonable prices served by super friendly people - a winning combination!

We were shopping in the area and decided to eat here based on the ratings. It has a small indoor dining area but is heavily focused on outdoor seating. We ordered and paid at the counter and they brought our food out to us once seated. From the order to the food delivery, everyone we encountered was very pleasant and helpful.

The food was freshly prepared, had good portion sizes and tasted great. Everyone commented on how good it was. I had the ham torta and it was delicious. Nice combo of ingredients, excellent bread and just a hint of heat.“

“Ca'Dario was a delightful experience. High quality Italian cuisine marked by every dish excellently flavored. Antonio, our server, was very accommodating and pleasant. Reasonable pricing“

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

“Excellent restaurant, cozy atmosphere, quality ingredients“

“Almost Instant pasta with your choice of sauces. Fast and good! I had Angel hair pasta with Tomato-meat sauce and mushrooms. You also get toast with the meal. My wife had chicken piccata and parmesano Garlic knot rolls. All was delicious.“

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

“I anticipated that my trip to Santa Barbara would be highlighted by the beaches and ambiance of the city but I was wildly mistaken upon entering St. Bibiana. I entered this establishment with very few expectations as I simply just wanted a bite to eat but I left with non-quantifiable delight. I was met with who I presume to be the owner, Gabe, who hosted my family and I with a warm smile and a brief description of their story. He recommended two of their specialty pizzas--the Lemon Mushroom and the Figgy Piggy--and I gave them both a shot along with a side of the garlic knots. Little did I know, I was going to be having the best meal of my trip and two of the best, if not the best, pizzas I have ever eaten in my lifetime. Their combinations may seem peculiar but they are finely crafted to perform the Waltz on the dance floor that are your tastebuds. If it wasn't enough that we were served a delectable meal, Gabe graciously sent us a slice of another specialty (limited) pizza called the peach ricotta and again brought us to awe. We thank everyone in that establishment for making our day and a fair chunk of our trip. To Gabe, thank you extra for your generosity and hospitality.

Best,“

“My husband and I hosted our wedding reception dinner at Marisella, and we could not be more grateful for the experience. The food was exceptional, the atmosphere was beautiful, and the service was truly outstanding. Erica and Milo went above and beyond to ensure that everything ran smoothly, making us and our guests feel welcomed, comfortable, and well cared for throughout the evening. Their attentiveness, professionalism, and genuine kindness made such a meaningful impact on our celebration. Our wedding reception was an incredibly special evening, and Marisella played a significant role in making it so memorable. We are sincerely thankful to the entire team for helping create such a wonderful experience that we will always cherish.“

“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“

“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.😘“

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

“My wife and I drove up from Temecula to celebrate Valentine’s weekend in Santa Barbara, and as a big-time pizza lover, Cali-Forno was at the top of my bucket list. It did NOT disappoint. From the first bite, I knew this was something special. The flavor, the crust, the freshness — hands down some of the best pizza I’ve ever had. I even had the chance to meet the owner and his son, which made the experience that much better. Super genuine people. We caught him filming a Valentine’s TikTok while we were there — great vibes all around. It was so good, I went back for lunch one day and dinner the next. And yes… I bought an extra pie to take back home and enjoy throughout the week. If you’re in Santa Barbara and love pizza, this spot is a must. 🍕🔥“

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

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

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

“Really good pizza. The courtyard space for seating was nice, very casual. Only negative was the size of the beverage cup for the strawberry lemonade was kind of small and it was pricey. We went by other reviews and got the salty sailor I think it was with prosuito and it was salty. Overall taste was good if you like salty. The size of the pizza was perfect for us, party of 2. Friendly young staff. Overall, you have to try it!“

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

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

“Great pizza and a lovely experience every time. This was my fourth visit, and the food has been consistently amazing each time. We had a margherita pizza, marinara pizza, and spritz. Risch, who I believe is the manager, is very friendly and welcoming. My favorites are the Margherita pizza and the winter citrus salad — everything is so flavorful and freshly made. If you enjoy Neapolitan-style pizza, this place is definitely worth trying. They have a beautiful terrace as well as cozy indoor seating. Definitely one of my favorite Italian spots in Santa Barbara!“

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

“The pizzas are so delicious!!“

“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!“

“Best pizza in Santa Barbara by far 🙌👍“

“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.“

“Craving some pizza but hubby wanted Mexican. The public market was the best choice. The pizza was delish. I got the four seasons. The dough was very good. Not dry. Not too thick or thin. Just right. We are the whole thing even though we asked for a to go box.“

“Great food, drinks, and desserts.“

“I can’t believe I’m saying this - I think this place beats Toppers (being my #1), on my list of pizza favorites. Pepperoni - not too salty, with that savory depth of flavor only really good pepperoni can provide. The sauce - bursting with flavor too!! The other plus is the crust is cooked to perfection -not too thin, lightly crispy and isn’t soggy.

Not sure what customer service is like here since we got it delivered but if they care enough to craft a pizza to perfection, I can only hope they have great customer service too. (Because I’m definitely getting this pizza again). Bomb pizza…!“

“A wonderful place to meet friends for a delightful bite to eat“