Last July I wrote that Santa Barbara staple Judge For Yourself Café, at 1218 Santa Barbara Street, had a for-sale sign in the window even though the restaurant was still open. I called the business at the time and was told that the restaurant has been for sale but there have been no buyers. I have now received an update from management that the restaurant has closed permanently. “Thank you for all your patronage over 3 decades,” says the owners. “Due to unforeseen circumstances we will no longer be open. We will miss serving this community. A big thank you for all the love and support. – The Judge Crew”

Pacific Pickle Works of Santa Barbara, which makes pickled vegetables, condiments and drink mixers, will launch two new pickle products at the upcoming Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas. This event is hosted by the Specialty Food Association. “We’re constantly inspired by global culinary traditions and our customers’ evolving tastes,” said Bradley Bennett, Founder of Pacific Pickle Works. “These two new products reflect our commitment to innovation and quality, bringing unique flavors to the table while staying true to our core values of creating great tasting products with clean and natural ingredients.”

“Kimchi Meets Pickle” is pickle chips that is a fusion of kimchi flavors and classic pickling with a vegan-friendly twist on a traditional Korean staple. Featuring extra thick cut cucumber slices alongside a mix of daikon radish, carrot and onion, this pickle mix is seasoned with coarse gochugaru chili flakes, chopped garlic, and ginger. In place of traditional fish sauce, Pacific Pickle Works uses liquid aminos to create a umami flavor while keeping the product vegan. As with all Pacific Pickle Works products, Kimchi Meets Pickle will be vegan, kosher, Non-GMO Project Verified, and shelf-stable.

“Pickled In Pink” is sliced red onion with jalapeño & habanero and features thinly sliced red onions pickled with a touch of spice from fresh jalapeño and habanero. These pickled onions helps enhance tacos, sandwiches, salads or any dish in need of an oniony kick.

While attending a pre-opening event recently at The Ellwood, coming soon to the former home of the Beachside Bar-Cafe at Goleta Beach, I was told that the opening day would be January 22. Reader Chompee McGillicutty says that the opening has been moved to the end of the month.

Watch a video walk-thru of the South Coast’s newest restaurant.

The Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce has announced a special week-long event: a seven-day celebration of dining and beverage artistry in conjunction with the restaurant owners of the Lompoc Valley. Lompoc Restaurant Week is scheduled for Monday, February 17, through Sunday, February 23, 2025. Lompoc Restaurant Week will present a lineup of discounted dining options at participating restaurants and tasting rooms – a prix-fixe meal, a two-for-one dining option, a special event or wine/beer flight with pairings – all for $20.25 plus tax and tip.

Establishments and food trucks interested in participating in the week-long event can register online at lompoc.om. Business registration is open through February 7th and is free for Chamber members and $35 for nonmembers. For more information, call the Lompoc Valley Chamber at (805) 736-4567.

The Breakwater Restaurant at 107 Harbor Way, which came under new ownership last year, is closing for a few months to implement planned changes. “Looks like we will be closing the Breakwater after this weekend for our renovations” says new owner Dudley Michael.  “We were going to stay open until we go our permits but the harbor is starting their demo and construction of the dive monument directly in front of us on Tuesday…so we figured now is a good time before the jackhammers start :). We hope to be reopened with a new look…and more importantly new bathrooms in the spring 🤩”

Reader Tony W. tells me that Masala Spice has opened at 1919 Cliff Drive, the former home of Mesa Verde restaurant which closed last July after ten years in business. This will be a second location for Masala Spice which opened in January 2019 at 5796 Calle Real in Goleta. “Instead of the voluminous list of Indian dishes on the Calle real menu, this Indian menu is pretty limited,” says Tony. “But they’ve added a pasta menu, a pizza menu and a taco menu. We’re not sure what the thought process was that produced this odd fusion of foods that already exist in abundance here in SB – and friends who’ve tried it are equally perplexed.”

Reader Primetime tells me that Elubia’s Kitchen at 325 Rutherford Street in Goleta, is opening a second location at 6578 Trigo Road in Isla Vista, the former home of Pueblo Pollo, Checo’s Mexican restaurant, Mojo, 805 Kabob, Lovin Oven Mediterranean Bakery & Cafe, Cafe Int’L, and others. Elubia’s Kitchen is a restaurant/catering business owned by Elubia and Ruben Orozco that provides Latin American food. Elubia is from Asuncion Mita Jutiapa, Guatemala, and she learned to cook as a young girl. After coming to the U.S. about 25 years ago, she began to sell food to family and friends in Santa Barbara. Husband Ruben grew up and attended school in Santa Barbara and worked at his aunt’s restaurant in Isla Vista (Lupita’s Restaurant).

“Elubias kitchen started in 2019 offering catering and doing Santa Barbara events like Old Spanish Days,” says Ruben Orozco. “We got a food trailer in 2022. Every dish on our Menu is Gluten Free & Nut Free. We also have Vegan Option. Our food is Latin American Cuisine. Plates from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexican. Our most popular plates: Pupusas, Garnachas, Street Tacos, Baleadas, Burritos, Potato Taquitos, Tamales, Sopes.”

I am told that the new Isla Vista outlet for Elubia’s Kitchen should open in a month or two.

6578 Trigo Road in Isla Vista in 2016 when it was 805 Kabob

Mother Dough Bagels has opened at 604 Santa Barbara Street, the former home of Australian coffee house Recipes Bakery & Gifts which closed last year after a dozen years in business. “We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who came out for our soft opening last Saturday,” says the business. “Seeing the community show up in such an incredible way—some of you waiting HOURS in line—left us speechless. Your support means the world to us, and we feel so lucky to be part of this community.”
Courtesy

Reader Steven V. tells me that Poke Waves at 4791 Calle Real in Noleta (near the old IHOP, which is becoming a Chick-fil-A) has a new offering:  sushi by the piece or pound. Poke Waves was founded by Shu Du in August 2023 and offers build-your-own bowls, with a base that includes mixed greens or rice or half-and-half, with proteins including tuna, salmon, shrimp, and more.

The Ellwood restaurant and bar is scheduled to open January 22 at Goleta Beach, replacing the iconic Beachside Bar-Cafe. Here is a video walk-thru taken during a pre-opening event.

https://youtu.be/4E4AO9HlbGE

Kyle’s Kitchen, which opened at 791 Chapala Street in April 2017, has closed after nearly 8 years in business. “I wanted to let you know that we closed our Kyle’s Kitchen location on Chapala at the beginning of the year, with the anticipation of relocating soon,” says owner and father of Kyle, Jay Ferro. “We are in the process of finding a new location to serve Santa Barbara, and will let you know when everything is set. In the meantime, our two Goleta Kyle’s Kitchen locations are open as usual and of course all the third-party delivery options still exist for the Santa Barbara area. We also have some other exciting things coming that we hope to share with everyone soon.”

Stella Mare’s next to the Bird Refuge closed at the end of the year after 29 years in business. “You have become part of our Stella family, celebrating holidays and special occasions with us,” says owners Kym and Philippe Rousseau. “We cannot thank you enough for your continued support over the years. You will be missed.”

Reader Leslie D. forwarded me a messages from Jeannine’s Bakery on upper State Street  The oldest Jeannine’s location is getting a fresh new look. They are closed until Spring, transforming it into a full bakery.

TO OUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS.
The Jeannine’s location at 3607 State Street will be temporarily closing on January Ist, 2025, as we prepare to reopen in the Spring with an exciting new Jeannine’s Bakery concept! In the meantime, please join us at our other
locations which will remain open 7 days a week.
• 1 State Street, Santa Barbara
• 1253 Coast Village Rd, Montecito
• 7060 Hollister Ave Suite 105, Goleta Thank you for your continued support — we can’t
wait to share what’s next with you!
Warmly,
JEANNINE’S

Reader Primetime sent me a photo of a sign posted at Dawn Patrol, located at 324 State Street, that indicates they have closed. The eatery opened in June 2015.

Dear Dawn Patrollers:
We have decided not to renew our lease at this location. We thank you for the 10 plus years of letting us serve our community.
Thank you
Dawn Patrol Team

The Ellwood, coming to 905 Sandspit Road in Goleta, the former home of Beachside Bar-Café, will undoubtedly be the South Coast’s biggest restaurant opening in 2025. Late January is the current target date. Today The Restaurant Guy sat down with two principals involved with the project: Omar Khashen (founder and operating partner) and Brian Escalera (builder and partner).

TRG: What can you tell me about The Ellwood? It is amazing what you have done with this space.

Khashen: We tried to build something special here for the community and make sure that this feels like a local spot and represents Goleta more than anything. The area has always kind of been the afterthought. It’s a no-brainer how beautiful the space is so we wanted to make sure what we built was reflective of something that would be kind of a landmark for the next 40 years, the same way Beachside Bar-Café was for all those years before us. We came in expecting the project to be more small scale in terms of the remodel, a lot of just surface-level furniture and flooring and that sort of thing, but it turned into a much bigger project along the way. There was a lot of repair that needed to be done here, not ground up, but pretty close to it in terms of the structure of the building.

TRG: How did the ocean flooding in January 2023 affect you?

Khashen: The ocean flooding set us back quite a ways. We had to redesign a lot of the front area and make sure that, should it happen again, we’re prepared for it. We now have the space that we want and a space that will last us the next hundred years. We added a sea wall here that’s as strong as could be and we’re doing a nice glass wind screen around the space. We did all permeable pavers outside so should water reach this area it’s got a place to drain. We have a lot of drainage around the space and pumps to be able to get everything out. So, we’re prepared now and if it happens again, it will not to be an impactful thing. In the long term, the silver lining is that we have got a beautiful restaurant that [builder and partner] Brian Escalera built that is unmatched in this area, for sure.

TRG: What can you tell me about the menu?

Khashen: So, on our end we’re trying to do our best to complement this location with the right menu and the right quality of food and doing service to the local ingredients we have here that are as good as they get. Produce-wise, we’re 30-minutes from some of the best produce in the country so we want to make sure on our cocktail list and our food menu that we’re representing that. The same thing with our seafood, locally here it’s as good as it gets, so we want make sure that we’re doing our best to pay respect to those ingredients and serve them correctly. So, the focus of our concept, food and drink-wise, is high quality ingredients prepared simply but well, instead of trying to over-manipulate stuff and make things too complicated. That was our approach when we built the menus. We also have one other partner.

Khashen: Partner Joe Diggs, who is a former UCSB soccer player, has been with us from the beginning. We have a great group of investors too. One of our investors owns a farm property in Buellton and he has offered to let us grow some produce and specific things for the restaurant on that property. It’s definitely a unique and cool thing for us to be able to give him a wish list of things we want to see and then his team up there is going help grow it. It’s not going to be right off the bat. It will take a while to get that program in place but we’ll be able to pull some of that produce and use it in our food here, which is exciting.

Khashen: The menu is “seafood forward,” meaning a good chunk of the menu is seafood, but it’s not a seafood restaurant by any means. We balance out a lot of stuff. We have steaks on the menu and chicken dishes and a lot of different vegetable dishes. But the heavy lifting is seafood. Some of it leans towards Italian, too, but it’s kind of all cultures. It’s an influence of myself and our chef and different dishes that we enjoy. It’s family style dining and dinner, so a lot of shared plates. The proteins are larger format meant to be shared by two to four people. The idea is that you’re going be able to taste through the menu. You’re not just getting one entrée-composed dish. You can try an appetizer, perhaps some seafood at the start, share a protein, then get a couple of vegetables.

TRG: How will you be rolling out your food service?

Khashen: When we first open, we’re doing just dinner service until we get the staff in the kitchen up to speed. For lunch service we’re going be opening at 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., hopefully within six weeks or so. We’ll have food in the in-between hours just at the bars, so if someone did come in from 3 to 5 p.m. we’ll have some offerings. We’ll do a happy hour during the week from 3 to 6 p.m. On the weekends we’re going to be adding brunch – Saturday and Sunday. Once the lunch service opens, the brunch will come along with that. Breakfast during the week will mainly come out of The Coop [next door] once that’s open. We’ll have donuts and coffee and pastries. We may add a full breakfast down the line if we see a demand for it but at the beginning, I think this area could use a little pastry doughnut kind of coffee shop. There are a lot of morning people here at the beach and that’s geared towards them.

TRG: What about the bar inside The Ellwood?

Khashen: The bar will be open a little bit later in the evening than the restaurant. It’s a different look than the rest of the restaurants in town, a little bit of moodier, darker restaurant bar. Dinner service runs until about 10 p.m. and the bar will be open until 12 or so based on the crowd. We’ll have live piano in there.

TRG: Will there be a private dining area?

Khashen: Within the restaurant we built a private dining room that’s about 12 to 14 seats. It’s a side room. We want that to be used for special occasions and for people to be able to look out. We’re going to be doing some good fundraising in there for UCSB and the athletic department and that’s kind of what [our builder and partner] Brian Escalera does. He’s a special guy in the community. Well connected for sure, but he also does a lot for people and it was important to him to make sure that this place was built the right way, to last, and be a landmark, so he definitely was an anchor to this project and he has worked harder than anybody.

Escalera: We met out here on a handshake and I said, okay, let’s do this project. I love [Khashen] like a brother. I’d do anything for him and his family. But the best part is giving back to the community. It’s all about that for me. I didn’t need to do this. I did it because I wanted something that our community can be proud of and we got to be a part of. It’s all about giving back. And this is what we’re going to do. So many people are waiting for this. When I see those happy people and their faces and excitement that we’re open, all the pain is all gain. All the pain and the tough times we went through for whatever, it’s all good.

TRG: How big is the restaurant?

Khashen: It’s a really unique space. It’s large. We have about 350 seats here, but it’s chopped up pretty well in that you never feel like you’re in one giant room. This outside patio is the largest area with about 85 seats.

TRG: Will you be encouraging people to come out here on their lunch break?

Khashen: There are many businesses and offices in Goleta and we wanted them to be able to come and enjoy it. When we open The Coop, the sandwich menu there, that we’re going do in the afternoons, you’ll be able to order online and have it ready by the time you show up. If you are on a time crunch, you could come grab a sandwich. It’s easy to park here, much easier than a lot of different areas.

TRG: What is happening with the property located on the other side of the Goleta Pier? I saw that is in the early stages of construction.

Khashen: There is a phase-two to the project and that side of the property is called “The Break.” What we’re now adding (that wasn’t here before) is a big outdoor events venue. We’ll be able to use it for weddings or corporate parties or concerts. It was used as a storage shed before, so when we leased the space, we negotiated to have that area included. Once this restaurant is open, we’ll turn our attention to rebuilding that side.

TRG: What will happened to the snack shack that was next to the pier?

Khashen: We are going to rebuild that shack. We’ll have three concepts in total: the Ellwood, which is meant to be more of a special, celebratory space where you come here for date night or a birthday or just a night out on the town. “The Coop” [short for Ellwood Cooper] will be the replacement for the snack shack that was there before. That will be operating in the morning. We’ll do donuts and coffee out of there. It’ll have a sandwich menu in the afternoon, sandwiches and salads. We hope to open it within a few months. And we’ll have The Break

TRG: And “The Break” will be the event space?

Khashen: Yeah, and those two are connected to each other.

TRG: Will “The Break” be a flat grassy area?

Khashen: We’re going to hardscape it so if someone’s doing a nicer event, people can wear heels and treat it that way, so it’s a little cozier, but we’ll have some grass around the space. We’ll have a stage so we can do live music and a full food menu and cocktail menu in there as well.

TRG: Have you been getting feedback from the public during construction?

Khashen: Hopefully the community falls in love with it the way we have. Brian and I have spent countless hours here over the last three years trying to get this project done but we’re ready to share it. We’ve been ready to share it for a while. The amount of support we get from people that walk by every day, this is at least 25 or 30 people a day, that poke their head in or check in with us and a lot of people that walk, even multiple times a day, down the pier. We’ve gotten to learn a lot of the faces of the people around here. There’s definitely a level of buzz and excitement for the opening and hopefully we do the city right and the community right.

TRG: How did you choose the name “The Ellwood?”

Khashen: We realized that this place needed to represent Santa Barbara, and Goleta a little bit closer to home, and this area is super special to me. I’ve lived up here previously, but the last three years I’ve been living here again and so we wanted the restaurant to feel a connection to local. So obviously the name Ellwood is around a lot with the school and the butterfly preserve and more. Those areas are named after a gentleman named Ellwood Cooper, who was kind of one of the founders of the area. We did a little bit of research on that. There is some really cool Goleta history websites around that give the breakdown and history of him, and his family, and history of the city. We thought it was a cool name to kind of pay homage to that. Our logo itself is a representative of the Ellwood Queen. It’s a tree. The Ellwood Queen is the tallest tree in Santa Barbara County, and it’s located up on his property up off of Cathedral Oaks. It’s a lemon-scented gum tree. It’s huge and dwarfs the palm tree that’s right next to this restaurant. So at the entrance of the restaurant is a big picture of Ellwood Queen, with a little history of the tree itself. Then there’s a picture right behind the host stand of the Goleta slough, from the 1930s, of this family that used to live over here, and spend some summers here. [In the photo] they are getting in a couple of rowboats at the back of the slough. It’s a cool, old picture we found online that we hung up. We wanted the name to feel a connection to the city of Goleta, and that’s how we came up with that. And [the up and coming snack bar] “The Coop” is actually a play on Cooper.

TRG: The Ellwood is such a great addition to the beach here.

Khashen: When we negotiated our contract at the beginning, there’s a percent of our rent that goes into a fund that’s kept here in the park for improvements. So we’re able to work with the county on different art projects, on redoing some of the picnic areas, or add new signage.

TRG: So, a percentage of your rent beautifies the area around you.

Khashen: Exactly and that was important to us to make sure that it didn’t just get lost in the county’s general fund because we hope and plan to raise a lot of rent revenue for the county, but we wanted to make sure that part of that stayed here in the park and was able to assist the rangers and doing what they need to do and help with a lot of improvements and beautification. The county repaved the parking lot and put a ton of work in this area. They redid all the picnic areas and they are redoing new pathways, and they’ve really put a lot energy into that. They’re going to do some improvements and repairs to the pier pretty soon, so it’ll be a long-term project for everyone.

TRG: The Ellwood is really a local project through and through.

Escalera: The construction and building of this was with our local contractors. It was built by people who have lived in this community with their families for a long time. It’s generations building up. That was important to me. We stayed as locally as we can, including the suppliers for building materials. The subcontractors they had were amazing. They all worked with us, and in every facet of what we were doing. I’m happy to say that it’s built by our community. Them giving back and being a part of it is what it’s all about. And I’ll get to enjoy it with their families that come.

Khashen: We had a strong team. Our sub-contractors and the people that help with this project did a great job, most of them all as local as we can get them, and kind of anchors in the community as well. When this is done being built and we turn it over to the restaurant team, they’re the same thing. It’s bigger than all of us. It’s not a project about me, it’s a project for everyone.

The Ellwood, coming to 905 Sandspit Road in Goleta, the former home of Beachside Bar-Café, will undoubtedly be the South Coast’s biggest restaurant opening in 2025. Late January is the current target date. Today The Restaurant Guy sat down with Executive Chef Craig Riker.

TRG: Where have you worked as a chef before you joined The Ellwood?

Riker: I have worked at Finch & Fork. I worked at Oliver’s in Montecito for four years. I worked at the Bacara a long time ago when the restaurant was called Miro. I worked at Alisal Ranch before I started here. I have worked in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. During the last four months I was working in Singapore while I was getting this place to the finish line.

TRG: Is there anything in particular you would like me share with my readers?

Riker: The one thing that I like, my style of cooking, is cooking whatever we want to cook, right? So we’re not saying like, hey, this is Italian, then we can only cook Italian. If we want to cook pasta and then all of sudden have an Asian dish next to that, to me, it speaks to California, which is so multicultural in different ways. I enjoy just cooking whatever I want to cook.

TRG: So, this is not just a seafood restaurant?

Riker: It’ll definitely be seafood. Can you imagine eating an oyster right there, 30 feet away from the ocean and you have a smell of the ocean hitting you. You’ve got Michelin star restaurants that pipe that stuff in. We have it right here 🙂 So we will definitely have seafood. We had to have a starting point. As we go, we’re going to keep on developing items and we’re going focus more on ingredients rather than doing a bunch of crazy techniques, which I also love doing. We are going to start by using the ingredients we have here, especially the wines and stuff like that. We have so much great produce. Obviously there are a lot of great wines in this area. We’re partnering with one of our investors who has a farm and so we’ll be growing some of the stuff we serve. We are definitely focused on ingredients. If we can get the best tomato from Italy, and that’s the best tomato we can get, then we’re going to get that. If we can get the best tomato in Santa Barbara, then we’re going to get that. It’s just a focus on ingredients. Some of the items will be familiar to the kind of crowd that are used to coming here, but it’s not going to be a carbon copy of it. It’s going to be our twists on things.

TRG: Meaning it won’t be just fish and chips. 🙂

Riker: It won’t be just fish and chips. 🙂 As a diner, of course, I would want to come here and have some fish and chips. That’s the great thing. This is going to be one thing at dinner, one thing at lunch and brunch. It’ll be more casual lunch while dinner will be a little fancier.

TRG: As I understand it, you’re going to start out with just dinner, then add lunch, brunch and a snack bar called “The Coop.”

Riker: We’ll have something for everyone. You’ll be able to get Santa Maria barbecue and wood-fired pizza, and sandwiches. Come with the family. I spent a good amount of time at the Alisal Ranch. It would be fun to do that outside.

TRG: Kind of like Cold Spring Tavern when they bring out the barbecue on weekends.

Riker: Yes, we’ll just bring out the barbecue. That will be a different element of fun plus you can have a different experience depending on where you’re dining within the building. We have a private dining room that’s a little more quiet, refined experience, and then outside, you have the ocean breathing on you. It could be anything from a fine dining experience to casual beers and wine with friends outside.

TRG: It’s an amazing location.

Riker: We’ve spruced it up a bit from how it used to be. Sometimes I just look out there. Last night we were looking at the sunset. It was just incredible. It was like a painting. That’s going to create like a lot of memorable moments.  We’re all about the locals. That’s what we would want to capture for our market. That’s our people. Can you imagine having a wedding here?

TRG: Is there anything on the menu you can share?

Riker: The menu is not out yet so we’ll wait on that because we might change stuff at the last second. There will be familiar items. We’ll definitely have seafood. We’ll definitely have steaks and chicken and pasta and pork chops. We’re for sure going to have shrimp cocktail. We’re going to have different items on the bar. [Pointing across the room] and this area right here we’ll have the raw bar offering oysters, shrimp, and crudos. So, these two areas [the bar and the raw bar] will communicate with each other. We’re refining everything on the menu and then at the last second, we’ll just kind of drop it in there. As we go, we’ll kind of adjust to whatever we need to do.

TRG: That’s great, Craig. I appreciate your time.

Riker: Oh, thank you.

The Ellwood, coming to 905 Sandspit Road in Goleta, the former home of Beachside Bar-Café, will undoubtedly be the South Coast’s biggest restaurant opening in 2025. Late January is the current target date. Today The Restaurant Guy sat down with General Manager and Sommelier level 3, Antonio Gerli.

TRG: People are very excited about The Ellwood. I get emails from readers all the time about it.

Gerli: It’s been three years that people have been waiting for this restaurant, so I’m going to assume we are going to be busy.

TRG: What can you tell me about wine at The Ellwood?

Gerli: I’m a Sommelier level 3. Chris, the director of operations, is a Sommelier level 2 and my assistant General Manager, Lauren, she is a Sommelier level 2. So we study really deep in the wine list. We’re going to have a great BTG program, wine by the glass. We are going to have close to 20 wines by the glass. We are trying to cover all the possibilities, all the needs of our customers with the pairing with our food. When I worked at the Bacara as the lead Sommelier at Angel Oak, we didn’t have 20 wines by the glass. I think we had 12. So, this is a huge wine program. Regarding the wine by the bottle, we are focusing on the local ones because we have great wineries and great wine from Santa Barbara County. Plus we will have Italian wine and French wine. The program for wine is going to be intense so I have prepared all the materials for the servers to study, with a matrix for pairing and descriptions of the food.

TRG: How is hiring coming along?

Gerli: We started training. We already hired 60 employees for the front of the house for dinner, we need just 60, but for lunch, we’re going to hire another 40, so we’re going to get to 100 people. It’s going to be a big operation We had two job fairs and had a bunch of people that came during that period and it was was good. It was good. And to be honest, I’m also happy about this staff. It’s not easy to find qualified people. It’s a nightmare. But we have been lucky. We hired some people from UCSB, so it’s close, it was easy, and we have hired professionals from other restaurants that they came here. I’m really happy. We are still hiring. People can visit our website theellwood.com to apply to work here or just show up here between 9 a.m. and 3-4 p.m.

TRG: When should I tell people The Ellwood will be opening?

Gerli: It’s hard to give you a date because they’re rarely right. I think that a good estimate is the third week of January, but again, it’s better to be general.

The Biltmore is supposed to reopen in 2025. Reader IMissRexOfSB recently sent me a link to a Facebook page that talks about Nobu coming to the Biltmore. It seems to have rumor status at this point.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1623486265098476&id=149659262481191

After intense concentration and a wave of my hand over the crystal ball, my eatery oracle has revealed a list of food and drink locations appearing in your future:

• Apertivo, 413 State St. (formerly Taza)
• Big T’s Deli, 38 W. Victoria St. (formerly Wexler’s Deli)
• Bogavante, 50 Los Patos Wy. (formerly Stella Mare’s)
• Buddy’s BBQ, E. Victoria St.
• Chick-Fil-A, 4765 Calle Real, Goleta (formerly IHOP)
• Clam Bar, 119 Harbor Way Ste. B
• Corazon Cocina, 700 Linden Ave., Carpinteria (inside Linden Square)
• Dart Coffee Co., 700 Linden Ave., Carpinteria (inside Linden Square)
• Dive Restaurant and Bar, 113 Harbor Way
• Dom’s Taverna, 30 E. Victoria St. (formerly Trattoria Vittoria)
• The Ellwood, 5905 Sandspit Rd., Goleta (formerly Beachside Bar-Café)
• Everytable, 1001 State St. (formerly Saks 5^th Avenue)
• Giovanni’s Pizza, 6831 Hollister Ave. Ste. B, Goleta (formerly Lucky Dragon)
• Haas’s Fine Ice Cream, 3987 State Street (formerly Fresco Cafe)
• Lily’s Donuts & Pops, 504 State St. (formerly Coldstone Creamery)
• Lily’s Donuts & Pops, 38 W. Victoria St. (inside Santa Barbara Public Market)
• Little King Coffee, Los Patos Way
• Little Mountain, 516 San Ysidro Rd. (formerly Montecito Wine Bistro)
• Masala Spice, 1919 Cliff Dr. (formerly Mesa Verde)
• Mission City Sandwich Shop, 1826-A Cliff Dr. (formerly Sweetie’s Ice Cream)
• Nobu, 1260 Channel Dr. (the Biltmore)
• The Nugget, 892 Linden Ave., Carpinteria (formerly Señor Frogs)
• Ospi, 1801 E. Cabrillo (near Bird Refuge)
• The Palms (might reopen), 701 Linden Ave., Carpinteria
• Saint Bibiana, 216 E. Yanonali St. (formerly Metropulos)
• Satellite, 616 E. Haley St.
• Skyfield, 30 E. Ortega St. (formerly Black Sheep)
• Starbucks, 402 N. Milpas St. (formerly 7-Eleven)
• S.Y. Kitchen, 1483 E. Valley Rd., Montecito (formerly Via Vai)
• Takashi Ramen, 7060 Hollister Ave., Goleta (formerly Pickles & Swiss)
• Teddy’s on State, 3102 State St. (formerly Yanni’s Greek Deli)
• Third Window Brewing, 700 Linden Ave., Carpinteria (inside Linden Square)
• Tina’s, 700 Linden Ave., Carpinteria (inside Linden Square)
• Torito Prime Taqueria, 3007 De la Vina St. (sharing space with Patio Café)
• Tyde’s, 1281 Channel Dr., Montecito
• Yetz’s Bagels, Goleta
• Unnamed BBQ, 6521 Pardall Rd., Isla Vista (formerly Kinko’s)
• Unnamed Indian, Isla Vista
• Unnamed Pizza, 6583 Pardall Road, Isla Vista (formerly Rockfire Grill)
• Unnamed, 2000 De la Vina St. (formerly Derf’s)

Leslie Dinaberg at the Santa Barbara Independent offers an update about The Post complex coming to Los Patos Way next to the bird refuge. Regarding food and drink options, Dinaberg writes that Ospi is coming to The Post in early 2025, a modern Italian restaurant from Jackson and Melissa Kalb, who have successful California locations in Venice, Brentwood, and Costa Mesa. Other mentions include Bogavante, which will replace Stella Mare’s, and Buellton’s popular Little King coffee.

https://www.independent.com/2024/12/16/a-birds-eye-view-of-the-post-in-montecito/

Hello John,

I wanted to let you readers know that Ca’ Dario restaurants will have a special menus for New Year’s Eve.
Ca’ Dario Montecito, 4 course prix fixe $120/person
Ca’ Dario Victoria St., 3 course prix fixe $90/person
Ca’ Dario Goleta, will serve the regular menu plus traditional Italian specials and selected favorites A La Carte
Details and reservations can be found on our website cadariorestaurants.com or by calling 805-884-9419

Thank you and Happy Holidays,
Fernando Gomes,
General Manager

Ready to say goodbye to 2024? Join us at the Anchor Rose for a spectacular New Year’s Eve Rooftop Party! Celebrate with your loved ones under the stars from 8:30 PM to 12:30 AM. Enjoy electrifying beats by Scott Topper DJ Productions, pop some champagne, and make unforgettable memories. To benefit the Unity Shoppe of Santa Barbara, helping to spread joy and support to our community.

All Ages Welcome!
Time: 8:30 PM – 12:30 AM
Ticket: $20 per person (to benefit the Unity Shoppe of Santa Barbara)
Entertainment: Scott Topper DJ Productions
Location: 113 Harbor Way Suite 180, Santa Barbara, CA

Get your tickets now and start 2025 with a bang at the Anchor Rose.

Reserve Your Spot: Secure your table today by calling us at 805-770-5069 or visiting www.theanchorrose.com

My foodie duties for the year wouldn’t be complete without summarizing activity at food & drink destinations on the South Coast: there were 48 openings of food and drink destinations while 30 locations closed.

THE PEA SOUP ANDERSEN’S EXPLOSION: The Restaurant Guy has been online for decades, with readership interest varying from story to story. The average write-up receives 3-5,000 views while really huge food news might be read 50,000 times. On January 9, 2024, I broke the news that Pea Soup Andersen’s had closed after 100 years in business which unleashed reader traffic this column has never seen before. Local media linked to it first, followed by the Associated Press, after which it went viral. As of this writing, the blockbuster from Buellton has been read 9.8 million times and counting. I had to disable comments and pingbacks for the story because so many needed to be manually approved by me that comments to all other stories in the blog were effectively blocked from the backlog. The Pea Soup Andersen’s property was purchased in 2023 and plans are to reopen the eatery in the future after extensive renovation.

FALLEN ICONS: We lost four long-time restaurants in 2024 that had each been open more than 25 years, including Pea Soup Andersen’s (100 years), Derf’s (47 years), Via Vai (30 years), and Stella Mare’s (29 years, closing December 31).

FLASH IN THE PAN: Here are restaurants that both opened and closed this year: Big Boss Burgers was open for 2 months, White Caps Beach Club in Summerland served customers for 3 months, and Wexler’s Deli in the Santa Barbara Public Market opened and closed in about 5 months.

MOST READ STORIES: Based on the analytics from The Restaurant Guy blog, here are the top-ten most read food news stories of the year:

• #1 “Pea Soup Andersen’s Closes in Buellton”
• #2 “The Palace Grill to Close in September”
• #3 “Who’s Serving Thanksgiving in 2024?”
• #4 “Arnoldi’s Cafe Closes After 87 Years”
• #5 “The Nugget is Coming to Carpinteria”
• #6 “Costco Food Court Changes”
• #7 “Trattoria Vittoria to Close”
• #8 “Oliver’s to Close”
• #9 “Goleta Finney’s Update”
• #10 “Palace Grill to Remain Open Through the Holidays.”

FYI, the Palace Grill and Arnoldi’s stories had happy endings. Both restaurants are under new ownership and will remain open!

RESTAURANT OPENINGS: Here is a list of area eateries that opened in 2024:

• December: Clark’s Oyster Bar, 1212 Coast Village Rd., Montecito (formerly Cava); Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen, 6980 Market Place Dr., Goleta; (formerly Hollister Brewing Co.); J’s Hot Chicken, 199 S. Turnpike Rd Ste. 104 (inside Dave’s Drip House); RH Firehouse Grill, 1486 E. Valley Rd., Montecito
• November: Bar Lou, 1198 Coast Village Rd. (formerly Oliver’s); Validation Ale, 2840 De la Vina St. Ste. D (formerly New Si Chuan Garden); Wingstop, 129 N. Fairview Ave., Goleta
• October: Cuso’s Creamery, 620 State St. (formerly Rockin’ Yogurt); Happy Cat Eats, 23 E. Cabrillo Blvd. (formerly L.T. Cinnamon); Lama Dog Tap Room, 3435 State Street (formerly La Rumba); Namaste Indian Bistro, 1218 State St. (formerly Bedda Mia); Sama Sama, 3435 State Street (formerly La Rumba); Slodoco Donuts, 290 Storke Rd. Ste A, Goleta
• September: Alma Fonda Fina, 1024 Coast Village Rd., Ste. A (formerly Little Alex’s); The Harbor Restaurant (reopened), 210 Stearns Wharf; La Cantina, 199 S. Turnpike Rd., Ste. 106; Santa Playa Mariscos, 1230 State St., Ste. C (formerly Brasil Arts Café)
• August: Arnoldi’s Café (reopened), 600 Olive St.; Big Boss Burgers, 3007 De la Vina St. (now closed); Etty’s Jewish Deli & Bakery, 524 Chapala St. (inside Jewish Federation building); Teddy Rice, 966 Embarcadero Del Mar, Isla Vista (formerly Rosarito)
• July: Pang Zi Noodle Shop, 4427 Hollister Ave. (formerly Munchiez); Poke House, 811 State St, Ste. D (in Paseo Nuevo); Seven Bar & Kitchen, 235 W. Montecito St. (moved from other location); White Caps Beach Club, 120 E. Yanonali St.
• June: Antojitos La Paloma, 6543 Pardall Rd., Isla Vista (formerly Study Hall); Bibi Ji (moved from other location). 1213 State St.; Little Bird Kitchen, 38 W. Victoria St. (inside Santa Barbara Public Market); Munchiez, 3007 De la Vina St. (now closed); Santa Barbara Courthouse Distillery and Events, 1114 State St. (formerly Pizza Mizza); Jonesy’s Fried Chicken, 282 Orange Ave., Goleta (formerly The Red Pepper); Wexler’s Deli, 38 W. Victoria St. (now closed, changing to Big T’s Deli); White Caps Beach Club, 120 Hollister St., Summerland (now closed)
• May: El Chisme Crepe’s & More, 651 Paseo Nuevo, Ste. 313; Little Alex’s, 3987 State St. (formerly Fresco Café); The Oyster Bar, 220 Stearns Wharf (inside Moby Dick)
• April: Dart Coffee, 113 Harbor Way; Ethnic Breads, 137 Aero Camino, Goleta; Nick the Greek, 508 State St. (formerly Natural Café); Oat Bakery, 1014 Coast Village Rd., Montecito; Petra Café, 14 E. Cota St. (formerly Foxtail Kitchen); Shalhoob’s, 5112 Hollister Ave, Goleta (formerly Woody’s BBQ)
• March: Indian Tandoori Kingdom, 1026 State St. (formerly Palazzio); Lighthouse Coffee, 5696 Calle Real, Goleta (formerly Outback); Starbucks, 120 State St.; Yetz’s Bagels, 901 Embarcadero Del Mar Ste. 103, Isla Vista (formerly Dank Bowl Kitchen)
• February: Best BBQ, 716 State St. (formerly Mokutan); Cookie Plug, 918 State St. (formerly Good Cup); Lilac Patisserie, 1209 Coast Village Rd., Montecito; Silvers Omakase, 224 Helena Ave. (formerly Seven Bar & Kitchen which moved to Montecito St.); Yummy Thai, 5918 Hollister Ave, Goleta (formerly Pattaya Bar & Grill)
• January: Bruxie, 12 W De la Guerra St. (formerly Pizza Rev); Oakberry, 6580 Pardall Rd., Isla Vista (formerly El Taco Amigo)

RESTAURANT CLOSINGS: Here is a list of area eateries that closed in 2024:

• December: Stella Mare’s, 50 Los Patos Way (last day is December 31)
• November: Pickles & Swiss, 811 State St. (inside Paseo Nuevo); Wexler’s Deli, 38 W Victoria St. (inside Santa Barbara Public Market, changing to Big T’s Deli)
• October: Green Table, 113 W. De la Guerra St.; Sweeties Ice Cream Shop, 1826 Cliff Drive, Ste. A (changing to Mission City Sandwich Shop)
• September: White Caps, 120 Hollister St., Summerland; Yona Redz, 532 State St. (moving to 1230 State St.)
• August: Pueblo Pollo, 6578 Trigo Road, Isla Vista; Rosarito, 966 Embarcadero Del Mar, Isla Vista (now Teddy Rice)
• July: Mesa Verde, 1919 Cliff Dr. (changing to Masala Spice); Recipes Bakery, 604 Santa Barbara St.; Pickles & Swiss, 7060 Hollister Ave., Goleta (changing to Takashi Ramen); Old Town Coffee, 1131 State St. (now Goodland Waffles)
• June: Coast & Olive, 1295 Coast Village Rd., Montecito (now Lion’s Tale); Derf’s, 2000 De la Vina St.; Pizza Mizza, 1114 State St. (now Santa Barbara Courthouse Distillery and Events)
• May: Jamba Juice, UCSB; Social Eats, 6521 Pardall Rd., Isla Vista (changing to a BBQ restaurant); Trattoria Vittoria, 30 E. Victoria St. (changing to Dom’s Taverna)
• April: Foxtail Kitchen, 14 E. Cota St. (now Petra Café); Oliver’s, 1198 Coast Village Rd., Montecito (now Bar Lou); Shalhoob’s at the Market, 38 W. Victoria St.; Via Vai, 1483 East Valley Rd., Montecito (changing to S.Y. Kitchen)
• March: Dank Bowl Kitchen, 901 Embarcadero Del Mar Ste. 103, Isla Vista (now Yetz’s Bagels)
• February: Taza Mediterranean Street Kitchen, 413 State St. (changing to Apertivo)
• January: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, 5745 Calle Real, Goleta; Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at the Airport (now Santa Barbara Roasting Company); Metropulos Fine Foods Merchant, 216 East Yanonali St. (changing to Saint Bibiana); Pea Soup Andersen’s, 376 Avenue of Flags, Buellton (under new ownership, plans to reopen after renovation); Rockfire Grill, 6583 Pardall Rd., Isla Vista (changing to a pizza place)

If you are looking for a place to eat on Christmas Day, The Restaurant Guy discovered a rule of thumb a few years ago that might help you find an answer: think Chinese restaurants or eateries that are inside hotels and resorts. They are reliably open every December 25^th.

Hi John,

Happy Holidays!

I am excited to share that my husband and I just opened up a tasting room, Loubud Wines, in downtown Santa Barbara.

Loubud is centrally located off State Street and De La Viña, in the courtyard of El Paseo – next to Au Bon Climat, Grassini Family Vineyards, Jamie Slone Wines, and Happy Canyon Vineyards.

Enjoy a local sparkling wine tasting paired with hand-cut wooden puzzles, by the makers themselves. Owned and operated by me and my husband, I make traditional method sparkling wines (think Champagne!) and my husband hand cuts custom wooden jigsaw puzzles.

Stepping into our shop harkens back to the days of old. Dixieland music wafts through the air off the record player, methodically and easily, like the ocean breeze that blows in through the windows. It’s a cozy Mediterranean space with white adobe walls, red tile floors and big windows that open out toward the courtyard. Find your perfect little nook inside to sip on the finest sparkling in Santa Barbara, while solving a hand-carved wooden puzzle. Two double doors open out to our private cobblestone patio with bistro seating, where guests can take in the Santa Barbara sunshine – even in winter! Reservations are strongly encouraged as seating is very limited.

20 El Paseo, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, Open Thurs-Sun 12-5pm, 805-500-8048 (text or call). Reservations encouraged, but walk-ins welcome. www.loubud.com

Grand Opening on Sunday, December 29th 12-5pm, $35 per person, Complimentary for Club Members, New Year’s Eve Sparkling Specials, Live Music, Gift Basket Raffle, and Ribbon Cutting.

Thank you for sharing with your readers!

Laura Hughes
Owner/Winemaker

This just in from Sushi Bar 29 at 1134 Chapala Street:

Hi John,

This is Denise from Sushi Bar 29. Hope everything goes well with you and your family. There are few things about our restaurant I would like to update with our community. First, we are going to offer a “Take-Out special” for both lunch & dinner. The specials include Salmon Fried Rice $13, Beef Bowl $13, Chicken Teriyaki Bowl $12, Yaki Udon $11. We also have a happy hour special (drinks only) from 5 pm – 7 pm, Monday – Saturday. Happy hour drinks include Large Hot Sake $7, Sapporo Tap $6, House wine $8.50, House Cold Sake $12, Plum Sake (300ml) $12….etc.

Thank you for letting us to share all these special deals to our community during the holiday.

Denise Hsueh
Sushi Bar 29

RH Firehouse Grill opened at 1486 East Valley Road on December 14 and reader Peter T. shared some photos of the pre-opening party which reveals some familiar faces.

https://bfa.com/events/48055

This just in from Brass Bear Uptown:

Hey John!

Wanted to let you know that due to the success of our Thanksgiving Buffet and persistent requests we are offering our first Christmas Eve buffet this year!  Seating times are 2-7pm, the buffet will feature our Prime Rib Carving Station, Honey Baked Ham, Winter Green Salad, Sweet Potato Pie, Mashed Potatoes, Veggie Skewers, Cranberry Sauce, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie & Cheesecake. $70 for adults and $30 for kids 12 & under. It’s easiest to make reservations online but can of course call as well, 805-869-4014.

Happy Holidays!

Cheers,
Seth

Hello John,

I just wanted to inform your readers that Ca’ Dario Montecito (1187 Coast Village Rd) will be serving a special 4 course prix fixe dinner for $110 person. Ca’ Dario Ristorante (37 E Victoria St) will be serving a 3 Course Prix Fixe for $90 person. Ca’ Dario Goleta (250 Storke Rd) will be serving plus the regular menu with a specials menu featuring Italian and Traditional favorites.

Thank you,
Fernando Gomes

Owner Christina Olufson replied to my inquiry and tells me that Bossie’s Kitchen has reopened on Milpas Street:

Hi John,

Thank you so much for reaching out.

It’s certainly taken a bit longer than anticipated to re-open, but we’re excited to get back on our feet! We’ll operate with modified hours beginning this Friday, Saturday & Sunday for dinner; lunch will remain temporarily closed through the end of the year.

Looking forward to coming back to the neighborhood!

All the best,
Christina Olufson

Here is a message for you from Stella Mare’s which closes at the end of the year after 29 years in business:

Dear Stella family and friends,

It is time to say au revoir.

For over 29 years, we have been so appreciative of calling this historic and unique location our home. The original design and decor concept, which includes our beloved yellow and green chairs, was created by our partner, Eva Ein. Stella Mare’s became a much-loved restaurant that felt like home to our guests. From the many “Stellabrations” that we have hosted over the years, we cannot express what an honor it has been to be a part of so many families’ special events. The engagements, weddings, baby showers, birthdays, etc., have all been what has made Stella so special to so many.
To our “regulars”, you have become part of our Stella family, celebrating holidays and special occasions with us. We cannot thank you enough for your continued support over the years. You will be missed.

To our incredible team of employees, both past and present, thank you for making Stella the successful restaurant she is today. We could not have done it without you. Closing a successful restaurant is never easy, and we cannot express enough gratitude to our current employees for staying the course until we close on New Year’s Eve. And a very special note of thanks to Francisco for being part of our Stella family for the entire 29 years; that is quite the milestone!

To our partner, Eva Ein, thank you for the opportunity to make Stella into the successful and much-loved restaurant she is today. To our Chef and Partner, Roth Ironside, it has been a pleasure to work with you for over 15 years. We wish you much success with your future endeavors. Kym and I have enjoyed sharing our “Taste of France” with you all.

From our family to yours,
Merci de tout coeur
Philippe & Kym Rousseau

Wingstop has opened at 129 North Fairview Avenue, between Miner’s Ace Hardware and Panda Express. This is the popular chicken chain’s third South Coast location, with other outlets at 888 Embarcadero del Norte in Isla Vista and 3849 State Street, across the parking lot from Macy’s. Hours are 10:30 a.m.-midnight. Orders take about 15 minutes to cook fresh so consider using their app to order in advance and pick up when ready. A minimum order includes 5 wings and costs $7.50. Wingstop, with nearly 2000 locations,  primarily sells buffalo wings. Wingstop locations are decorated with a 1930s and 1940s pre-jet aviation theme. The restaurant chain was founded in 1993 in Garland, Texas.

Here is a message about the Los Patos Way complex next to the Bird Refuge:

Hi John,

Do you have these? TWO of ‘em.

Both coming to Los Patos Way by the Bird Refuge.

Little King Coffee. 2nd location, first in Buellton. Opening in March, with a coffee cart sooner.

Also, the former Stella Mare’s will be Bogavante (meaning Lobster in Spanish), a Mexican seafood/meat restaurant, in 2025.

This from the current Montecito Journal “On Business” column, page 41.

Happy holidays,

Steve H.

Sources tell me that Black Sheep restaurant at 18 East Cota Street has finally acquired a liquor license and that a full bar will be available in about 45 days.

Last July I broke the news that the Palace Grill at 8 East Cota Street planned to close in September after 39 years in business. In October I wrote that owners Michael and Sandy DeRousse had sold the iconic eatery to a party that owns multiple restaurants in town and that the Palace Grill will live on. I can now report that the Bitar Group will be the new owner and that the deal should close soon. In the recent past the Bitar Group bought The Chase, Via Maestra 42, and Milk & Honey.

Last week I mentioned that Big T’s Deli is coming the Santa Barbara Public Market. Public Market  co-owner Travis Twinning sent me an update:

Hi John,

I wanted to share some important updates regarding the restaurant. Wexler’s, despite having a fantastic product and a loyal following, faced challenges in managing operations from a distance, which impacted its reception among the locals. Since I personally funded the kitchen build-out, the Wexler’s owners and I agreed that it would be best for me to take back control of the restaurant.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to rebrand the restaurant and bring in an executive chef to oversee daily operations. This will help us maintain the highest quality offerings at great prices. We believe we’ve found the perfect approach to make this work.

We will continue to offer all the favorites from the old Wexler’s menu, with some exciting twists and small updates. Additionally, we’re adding local favorites like a delicious Italian sub, beef dip, classic turkey sandwich, traditional, tuna melt and a variety of salads and sides.

We’ve also decided to combine the kitchen with 3 Monkeys. This change will give chef Andrew an overview of both 3 Monkeys and Big T’s Deli while providing us with more cooking space to introduce additional delicious items.

We’re thrilled to be locally owned and operated again, and I genuinely believe the new menu, paired with some classic favorites, will be a hit. I can’t wait for you to come down and try it out. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Best,

Travis Twining
Santa Barbara Public Market

Reader John S. let me know that J’s Hot Chicken is now open inside Dave’s Drip House at 199 South Turnpike Road Ste. 104. “Dave has launched a brand-new concept inside Dave’s Drip House – J’s Hot Chicken,” says the restaurant. “Here’s why we made this big move: Santa Barbara has been missing a standout chicken concept, so we decided to bring the heat with something fresh, flavorful, and fun. Ice cream is seasonal, and we knew Dave’s Drip House needed something extra to thrive year-round. We’re thrilled for you to try our chicken fingers, made entirely from scratch. From our signature batter to our pink secret dipping sauce, ranch, and exclusive seasonings—every detail has been perfected to bring you the very best.”

A pair of restaurants open this week in Montecito, one in the Upper Village and the other on Coast Village Road. Clark’s Oyster Bar, with locations in Austin, Aspin, and Houston, debuted on the South Coast at 1212 Coast Village Road, the former home of Cava. “Montecito, our first California location, is a stylish all-day restaurant celebrating coastal American classics spanning from New England to California and offering lunch and dinner daily,” says the eatery. “In addition to its flagship menu of oysters and raw bar, a signature burger, daily catch specials, lobster rolls, chowder and refreshing crudo, this new location features seasonal bounty from the Pacific Ocean. The wine list highlights California classics in every section—sparkling, white, rose and red—alongside French whites and reds primarily from Burgundy and the Loire. Clark’s signature martinis and cocktails are always available.” Lunch is available daily from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. while dinner runs from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. There is a Happy Hour Monday – Friday 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

RH Firehouse Grill opens Saturday, December 14 at 1486 East Valley Road in Montecito, the former home of the fire station which moved to upper San Ysidro Road in the 1990s. RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) is an upscale American home-furnishings company headquartered in Corte Madera, California, that has moved into the hospitality business. The home-design company RH has opened numerous restaurants across the United States and Canada since 2015. The café/wine bar occupies 1,350 square feet, which includes 600 square feet of outdoor dining space on an exterior patio. “Our restaurants offer carefully curated menus featuring the freshest ingredients from select sources, simply and elegantly prepared,” says the eatery. “Enjoy timeless classics for brunch and dinner, and a selection of wines from esteemed vintners in the United States and Europe.”

Here is an update from reader Peter T. RH Firehouse Grill has posted that they are opening at 1486 E Valley Road on December 14. Clark’s Oyster Bar has posted that they are opening at 1212 Coast Village Road on December 10.

Hi John,

I was driving through the upper and lower villages today and noticed swarms of contractors all over the new RH restaurant. It appeared that final landscaping was nearly complete and workers were busy polishing up light fixtures and doing final cleanup. Google shows the restaurant name to be the RH Firehouse Grill and shows a December 14th opening date. Not to be left behind, a similar amount of activity was going on today at the Clark’s Oyster Bar on Coast Village Road. I don’t know who will open first, but they seem to be in a race. Any bets on who wins?

Happy Holidays,
Peter