Gaby's Guide to Santa Barbara

Jump to Recipe

I'm having a major love affair with Santa Barbara. Having been 5 times in the last 7 months, I'd say it was high time for my super fab Gaby's Guide to Santa Barbara including where to eat, stay and what to do!

Gaby's Guide to Santa Barbara

Eat:
Scarlett Begonia - without a doubt my favorite place for breakfast! The breakfast burritos + the potato cinnamon rolls are out of this world!
Barbareño - one word... burgers. My husband and I toyed with the idea of splitting one and getting another main, but in the end we both ordered our own and the pickled avocado on top with literally icing on the cake.
The Hungry Cat - one of my favorite chefs from LA has an outpost in SB and it's one of the best places to get fresh fish that's prepared perfectly!
Lilly’s Tacos - you guys know how much I love a taco crawl. Lilly's was one of our first stops and while they don't have breakfast tacos, they have pretty much everything else you'd ever want from a little corner taco shop.
McConnell’s Ice Cream - the best ice cream in Santa Barbara without a doubt! Grab a cone and stroll up and down state street.
Handlebar Coffee Roasters - perfect for us because my husband got a perfect cup of jo and I got some homemade kombucha that was major!
C’est Cheese - you know me and a cheese store. Grab some cheeses and head to the beach for a picnic!
La Super Rica - perhaps my all time favorite mexican joint in Santa Barbara. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu - but the poblano and cheese taco situation is a life changer.
Mony’s Mexican Food - after an unexpected afternoon filled with wine tasting, we randomly stopped into Mony's for a quick bite. Minutes later I had ordered the entire menu and the nachos.... OMG! Must order.
Lucky Penny - my love for pizza runs deep and Lucky Penny is the place to get it! Grab a pizza and sit at the sister restaurant next door for some wine and beer to go along with it!

Gaby's Guide to Santa Barbara / Tacos

Stay:
Canary Hotel - If you want to stay in town, close to State Street than The Canary Hotel by Kimpton is 100% your best bet! It's way cute, the staff is incredible, free happy hour every night and you might just get some ice cream in your room when you check in! Ten thumbs up!
Four Seasons - if you going for a more beachy vibe, the Four Seasons is one of our favorites!! Their restaurant overlooks the ocean and it's the perfect place to grab sunday brunch or a day at the spa!

Gaby's Guide to Santa Barbara

Do:
Bike Rentals - Santa Barbara is super bike friendly! We rented bikes from The Canary last time we were there and just biked around town hoping from one taco joint to the next with a few wine tasting pit stops in between! There are plenty of other bike rentals so just find one close to you!
Butterfly Beach - my favorite beach! It's right off the Four Season and it's gorgeous.
Municipal Wine Tasting Room - Anacapa Street is a haven for wine tasting rooms and my absolute favorite was Municipal. Maybe it had something to do with the epic outdoor patio, or the fact that we downed an entire bottle of their Rosé (which was amazing), but either way it's officially on the must-do every time we are back!
Santa Barbara Farmers Market - we hit up the Saturday market which is just a quick stroll from Handlebar Coffee Roasters! It was loaded with gorgeous California produce, which made this California girl incredibly happy!!

Gaby's Guide to Santa Barbara

5 Comments

  1. We haven't been to Santa Barbara in years and it seems that needs to be remedied quickly. NO wonder everyone loves that place! Thanks for all the great tips!

  2. This couldn't come at a better time, headed to SB in a month, and needing suggestions! Thanks!

Leave a Reply to Monika Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *