Barbareño

"Smoke lures guests to the covered patio or casually cool dining room, set just steps from downtown Santa Barbara's hustle and bustle. Start with a local craft beer or wine to accompany any one of their diverse small plates. Dishes are bold and flavorful, and the kitchen showcases their distinct vision with attention to detail and a touch of whimsy. Grilled avocado is unapologetically Californian, balancing creamy with a subtle, smoky char. Eggamuffins, or cornmeal blini with a piped whipped seascape cheese foam, speck and grated, cured egg yolk, are as adorable as they are tasty. Five different single chocolates from different climates and a non-dairy panna cotta with a mead granita and fresh fruit are among the desserts." - Michelin Inspector

The 25 Best Restaurants In Santa Barbara - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Barbareño calls itself Central Coast cuisine. We’re not exactly sure what the definition of that is, but it must have something to do with amped-up versions of food everyone likes. The menu mostly sticks to familiar territory with salads, pasta, and meats, but there are a few wild cards  worth ordering, like the Eggamuffins (egg-topped cornmeal blini meant to evoke a certain fast food breakfast sandwich), charred grilled avocado with punchy garlic ponzu, and the crispy, cheesy ricotta dumplings over strawberry masala sauce. And though the small plates can make a meal here, for something more substantial, there’s the Santa Maria BBQ platter: a big, perfectly seared steak slicked with garlicky butter and served with a side of camp beans." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park

Barbareño - Review - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Barbareño calls itself Central Coast cuisine. We’re not exactly sure what the definition of that is, but it must have something to do with amped-up versions of food everyone likes. The menu mostly sticks to familiar territory with salads, pasta, and meats, but there are a few wild cards worth ordering, like the Eggamuffins (egg-topped cornmeal blini meant to evoke a certain fast food breakfast sandwich), charred grilled avocado with punchy garlic ponzu, and the crispy, cheesy ricotta dumplings over strawberry masala sauce. And though the small plates can make a meal here, for something more substantial, there’s the Santa Maria BBQ platter: a big, perfectly seared steak slicked with garlicky butter and served with a side of camp beans." - Cathy Park

The 25 Best Restaurants & Bars In Santa Barbara

"Barbareño calls itself Central Coast cuisine. We're not entirely sure what that means, but it must have something to do with market vegetables, fresh seafood, and simple meat dishes, because that's exactly what's going on here. The space is modern, with a front patio perfect for a date night that won't empty your wallet. Get the tri-tip and whatever the homemade ice cream is that day. " - brant cox, nikko duren, sylvio martins, garrett snyder

Where To Eat Outside In Santa Barbara

"Barbareño specializes in Central Coast cuisine, which essentially means good versions of food everyone likes to eat, like burgers, pasta, and BBQ. The space is modern, with a large front patio perfect for a date night that won’t burn a whole through your wallet. Get the tri-tip and and the Baked Californian for dessert." - brant cox