Bettina, one of Santa Barbara’s Most Popular Restaurants, Opens in Carpinteria | Eater LA
"Owners Rachel Greenspan and Brendan Smith—who run Bettina in Montecito—open a second restaurant nine miles south in Carpinteria on Thursday, May 22, 2025, located inside Linden Square, a mixed-use, food-hall–style development adjacent to Little Dom’s Seafood and less than three blocks from the Pacific Ocean; the 1,500-square-foot pizzeria has 15 bar stools and shared communal indoor and outdoor seating alongside other Santa Barbara imports such as Dart Coffee Co., Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Corazon Cocina, and Third Window Brewing. "No pastas or our intricate, seasonal plated dishes like we have at Bettina," says Greenspan. "We’re going for more of a chill New York pizza shop vibe, where you can still get our same [Neapolitan] pizzas, but with a little more fun." The kitchen will sling a margherita, pepperoni, mushroom, or sausage pie topped with caramelized fennel, shaved garlic, mozzarella, and provolone, cooked in an electric oven; gluten-free crusts are available. The menu also includes three salads (Caesar, baby gem with house ranch dressing, and a chopped vegan), meatballs in vodka sauce, garlic knots, and olive oil cupcakes topped with orange buttercream. Instead of arancini, the team developed a twist on the Roman street-food croquette, suppli al telefono, filled with a beef ragu and served with a tomato dipping sauce, and later in the year they plan to introduce square pies sold by the slice. A 300-square-foot provisions section features a wall with 32 wines plus sardines, pastas, canned tomatoes, coffee, tea, and their site-made salad ranch and Caesar dressing; the owners hope to service the nearby Carpinteria State Beach campground with grab-and-go items like bowls and quinoa salads. The spot is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m." - Mona Holmes
