Little Mountain

Wow, what a stunning new restaurant in Montecito! I've been a fan of Chef Diego Moya's cooking for years, so I knew the dinner would be outstanding. Upon arrival, I was met outside by a professional team who led me to a beautifully designed dining room with open kitchen. No detail has been spared in this upscale, yet comfortable space. As expected, the cuisine was memorable, starting with a classic Santa Barbara Urchin. Chef Moya made a panna cotta and then garnished it with red winter citrus, recreating the natural look of the lobes. The crudo was fresh and flavorful, served in an aguachile sauce. The shelling beans were a comforting mix of flavor, showcasing Chef Moya's focus on plant forward cooking. For a main course, the pork loin, garnished with apples and a seasonal fig emulsion sauce was rich and delicious. Both the Cafe de Olla Cheesecake and Koshihikari Pudding were decadent and satisfying ways to end the meal. The wine and cocktail program is well curated to offer compelling pairing options for the cuisine. Service was friendly, attentive and knowledgable. Despite being open for only a few days, Little Mountain is already delivering an exceptional experience, which makes it well worth a trip. I hope to return as soon as possible.

10/10 Lives up to the hype from so many others! Dinner for 4 with impressive food that is so refreshingly different than other restaurants we frequent! Bella was so knowledgeable. Somm suggested the perfect wine and overall service was without a hiccup. Could definitely be a Michelin star contender! What a refresh from the last restaurant in this location. Will have to come back as the dishes will change often according to our server.

I had one of the most memorable dinners I’ve had in Santa Barbara at this spot. The first thing that struck me was the ambiance—absolutely stunning, but in a way that feels effortless. Every design detail has clearly been considered, from the lighting to the textures in the room, yet nothing feels overdone. It’s the kind of space you settle into immediately. The hospitality is just as impressive. Every person we interacted with was warm, polite, and genuinely knowledgeable about the menu and the wines. There’s an ease to the service here that makes the whole experience feel both refined and relaxed. And the food—easily the highlight. Each dish feels like its own little exploration of flavors, thoughtfully composed and executed with real intention. The open-fire, flame-kissed approach adds this incredible depth and character to the ingredients that I haven’t found anywhere else in Santa Barbara. It’s subtle in some dishes, bold in others, but always purposeful. Chef Diego Moya is clearly raising the bar in Montecito. You can taste the creativity and care in every plate, and it’s exciting to see someone push the dining scene here forward with such confidence. This is the kind of restaurant you immediately start recommending to friends before you’ve even finished your meal.

I went to dinner last night with my cousin, and honestly… we were both a little in awe. We hadn’t really ever dined at a restaurant this elevated before, and going in I was slightly nervous to try some of the dishes because they sounded so unique. But every single thing we ate completely blew us away. The food was, without exaggeration, some of the best I’ve ever had—and my cousin said the exact same thing. We started with the badger flame beets, which were colorful, bright, and perfectly balanced with sweetness. I’m not even a beet fan, but I could have easily ordered a second plate. They were that good. We also had the hiramasa and manzano pepper with pineapple guava aguachile, which was incredibly fresh, beautifully presented, and a perfect portion size. Truly, every dish that came out looked like a work of art. For our mains, we ordered the steak and the salmon—and wow. The best steak and salmon I’ve ever had in my life. The vegetables that came with the steak were unreal. I didn’t even know vegetables could taste like that. As a business owner myself (I own an ice cream shop in downtown), I consider myself a bit of a dessert connoisseur—and I have to say, the sourdough ice cream completely stole the show. It was hands down one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. I dipped it into Chef Diego’s mom’s recipe mousse and… absolutely to die for. The experience went far beyond just the food. The staff made us feel like family from the moment we sat down. Everyone was so kind and attentive—our water glasses were always full, and the energy was warm and welcoming. We sat at the bar, which was amazing, and one of the server assistants, David, even offered to give us a tour of the restaurant. Each room had its own vibe, and I’d honestly come back just to dine in every section (and of course, to have that salmon again). Chef Diego himself came over to check on us and make sure we were happy, which meant so much and really shows how much care goes into the entire experience. Our server, Annie, was outstanding—so personable and genuinely helpful. She helped us pick out drinks, shared her personal favorites, and made the night even better. The manager, Azaro, also came by to chat with us, and it just reinforced how incredible the team is. I will absolutely be returning. If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I came for the Café de Olla cheesecake and ended up falling a little in love with everything else. What a lovely addition to Montecito. You can feel the care in every corner. Thoughtfulness that starts long before the food arrives. Even the Perla Valtierra plateware seems chosen with intention, as if someone wanted each dish to have a beautiful place to land. The design is exquisite, but it's the food that does the real talking: balanced, generous, quietly confident. And the service: gracious without ever hovering. Makes the whole experience feel effortless. I'll be back, of course. Places like this are best discovered slowly, before the entire town realizes how hard these tables might be to get.

Such a special night out! We were so excited to try Little Mountain and it did not disappoint. There was so much intention behind everything - from the plateware and the creative, seasonal menu to the incredible service. Our server Adam was fantastic!! The energy in the dining room was a bit higher and the vibe on the enclosed patio was a bit calmer and more intimate. Highly recommended! We will be back.

Wow!!! Little Mountain is exceptional, not just for Santa Barbara, but compared to any place in the world. There is nothing locally that is even in the same league. We were just amazed by the quality of the food. Chef Diego has created dishes where every ingredient has it's own delicious flavor but they all come together and create this beautiful symphony. Even a simple starter like the sourdough bread with house cultured butter is perfection. The Swiss rainbow chard in the pickled vegetables was a revelation. Who knew that it could taste like that. And that's just the starters. We had the pork loin, which was excellent! Not too thick, or pink. Just deliciously well cooked pork full of flavor. The rainbow trout was even better. When the menu describes it as "rainbow trout with wild mushrooms", that's totally underselling it. The trout is wonderfully cooked. The skin is just perfectly crisp. The mushroom have just a hint of smokiness and are perfectly supported by some onion slivers. And then there is the most delicious sauce. And the shared dishes we had, the preserved mussels, the shelling beans and daikon radish, were all unique and special. Each had their own special flavor, but all of them showed what you can do with a vegetable forward dish. It was just amazing, and ranked with the top meals we ever had. And last but certainly not least, the setting and design of the restaurant is just perfect, as was the service. Everybody knew what they were doing. They were attentive, knowledgeable and personable, without ever getting in the way of the dining experience. We couldn't have been happier. Thank you Diego, and your whole team. We are fans.

Great range of flavors from local seafood & farms and as other reviewers have written, this is a really special experience. We have been twice now and this is the place to go for a weekly changing menu so you'll never get bored. The covered outdoor area is perfectly warm with heated lamps and heavy drapes. The staff is exceptional as well; looking forward to next time!