The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
Hotel · Goleta ·
Oceanfront resort with Spanish Colonial rooms, pools, dining
.jpg "The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara by MATT HOOVER")
.jpg "The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara by Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara")
Oceanfront resort with Spanish Colonial rooms, pools, dining
"Posh by design and perched within the Ritz‑Carlton Bacara, this newcomer adds modern polish to the area’s resort dining, a scene increasingly defined by both ambition and coastal ease." - Travel + Leisure Editors Travel + Leisure Editors Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"In a prime resort setting inside the Ritz-Carlton Bacara just north of Santa Barbara, this California-Italian restaurant from chef Danny Grant takes cues from his pasta-centric menus at Etta and focuses clearly on coastal Italian seafood, pairing a sprawling, party-like indoor room with a more relaxed patio overlooking the Pacific that’s especially alluring at sunset. Start with focaccia topped either with whipped ricotta, truffle, and honey or with tomato sauce and basil; gently roasted prawns in salsa verde nod to the Evan Funke canon and complement the ocean view, with a Calabrian chile emulsion adding a spicy kick. Crudos and cold shellfish shine, including bluefin tuna with burnt tomato and buttermilk vinaigrette and snapper crudo scattered with fresh citrus and crushed green olives. Local uni arrives in a small ceramic cup resembling a sea urchin shell, enriched with smoked olive oil and roasted garlic for a delectable, scoopable bite. Shrimp and lobster ravioli sport toothy fresh pasta and teeter on the edge of too salty, but a lovely green parsley sauce offers balance. Whole salt-baked branzino is presented tableside, then deboned and laced with fresh herbs, brown butter, and capers, while slow-cooked polenta is delicious thanks to layers of Parmesan and mascarpone. Skip the $35 tableside tiramisu and order the panna cotta instead, topped with vanilla-tinted strawberries and lemongrass; then head to the grassy patch just beyond the patio along the cliffside for pre-sunset selfies." - Matthew Kang
"To commemorate its 25th anniversary the property debuted a multi-million dollar renovation that refreshed the lobby, pool, guest rooms, and communal spaces with natural materials, terracotta furnishings, and Spanish tiles that evoke California coastal charm; the kids club offers seasonal nature hikes and surfing alongside classic Ritz-Carlton programming like hands-on cooking classes, arts and crafts, and destination-themed activity books, and nearby family outings include the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, the Arts District, and Barbara Beach Club." - Nina Kokotas Hahn
"Chef Danny Grant’s California coastal restaurant began serving dinner June 26 at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta, perched on a seaside cliff with unobstructed views and a menu that leans on local vendors and farmers. The name is derived from the Latin term for “star of the sea.” Offerings include a focaccia starter for dipping into whipped ricotta and a formidable seafood selection such as roasted prawns with salsa verde and a Calabrian emulsion, raw oysters, red snapper crudo, and sea urchin with roasted garlic; fresh pasta is planned, and larger mains include a coal-fired chicken piccata." - Mona Holmes
"Perched on a seaside cliff inside the Ritz-Carlton Bacara with nearly unobstructed Pacific views, this newly redesigned coastal California restaurant offers a lush, open dining room (270 seats) with floor-to-ceiling windows, a patio, a grassy events lawn and a lower-level cellar with wine storage and a bar. Studio K Design repurposed original elements—recycling tiles, centering the bar, expanding the kitchen, moving walls—and added custom banquettes and a plant wall to create an indoor-outdoor, vista-driven atmosphere. Chef Danny Grant, who previously opened Chicago’s Maple & Ash and worked at Monarch and Kessaku in Dallas, built a market-driven menu sourced from local farmers and fishermen that emphasizes seafood and seasonal produce: highlights include a tear-and-share focaccia served with whipped ricotta or fresh tomato sauce, sliced tomatoes with olive oil and a sea salt herb dip, roasted prawns with salsa verde and Calabrian emulsion, raw oysters, red snapper crudo, and sea urchin with roasted garlic. Fresh pastas range from spaghetti al nerano to spicy rigatoni alla vodka and paccheri with slow-roasted lamb ragu; larger mains include roasted California lamb rack, coal-fired piccata chicken, a wood-fired bone-in short rib for sharing, and a dramatic salt-baked branzino finished with capers, lemon, and brown butter, with sides like glazed string beans and polenta with mascarpone and Parmesan. Pastry chef Mariella Bueza presents tableside tiramisu and a rum baba served with roasted peaches, gelato, and orange zest, plus ice cream, sorbet and a cheese course. The beverage program—crafted by Christina Demas and beverage director Amy Mundwiler—focuses on Italian aperitivos (Negronis, spritzes, a martini program) and a 700-bottle cellar with California, Italian, Austrian and French selections. The restaurant opens June 26 and will be open Sunday–Thursday 5:00–9:30 p.m. and until 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays." - Mona Holmes