32 Best Italian Restaurants in Santa Barbara

“We had an incredible romantic dinner here for our anniversary, and the entire evening felt really special. Everything from the atmosphere to the service was exceptional. The highlight for me was definitely the steak with the port reduction. It was absolutely out of this world and easily one of the best dishes of the night.

The drinks were also excellent and really added to the experience. The duck was good, but it was probably the one dish that didn’t completely blow me away compared to everything else we had.

Overall, it was a beautiful anniversary dinner and a memorable evening. The food, drinks, service, and romantic atmosphere made it a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion. We would definitely come back.

4 course meal. And added some extra..“

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

“Amazing! They fixed a lunch dish that was vegetarian on the menu, but was glad to add chicken for me. Zucchini, onions, mushrooms over pasta with olive oil base. One of the best dishes I have ever eaten. Thank You so much, and will definitely recommend to friends traveling to Santa Barbara! Will be back with my family when we return for sure!“

“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👍🙂😁😉“

“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“

“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.“

“Excellent restaurant, cozy atmosphere, quality ingredients“

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

“The salad we started with was a unique crispy mix of pickled to creamy. The pastas at the table are not really well-defined as pastas as they are sumptuous creations that are enough for two in one bowl. The all-Italian wines provided choice in price and style. Good time.“

“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,“

“Dinner at Marisella was absolutely perfect from start to finish. The unbelievable Pacific Ocean views. The food was amazing, our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was excellent, and the service was impeccable. I especially appreciated the portion sizes — perfectly balanced and just the right size, with a more European feel rather than oversized portions.

Everything came together beautifully — atmosphere, views, food, wine, and the attention to details 🤍

A truly memorable dining experience at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara.“

“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.😘“

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

“I loved my free doggy treats! 🐶🐾“

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

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

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

“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!“

“We stopped in over the Fourth of July for the first time and were very pleased by the relaxed atmosphere. I ordered the beet salad and chicken scallopini and both were excellent. I initially thought $20 was rather high for a salad, but it was one of the best salads I'd ever had. The chicken scallopini with side of mashed potatoes was wonderful. I thought the chicken scallopini was very similar to chicken piccata, but it went perfectly with the seasoned mashed potatoes. The broccoli rabe was okay but wasn't my favorite. We also ordered the fried calamari which was delicious. My daughter's gem salad looked delicious, but they forgot to add the requested shrimp. My son's maccheroni bolognese was tasty, but the pasta was very al dente and should have been cooked a little longer. Everything was very nice except for the country music. Soft jazz would have been more appropriate, but I'm sure we'll be back because of the excellent food.“

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

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

“The pizzas are so delicious!!“

“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.“

“Best pizza in Santa Barbara by far 🙌👍“

“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!“

“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“