Reader Peter T. says that while when walking by Azul Cocina, coming to 7 East Anapamu Street, he noticed that there was plastic over the windows. Peter says that their website offers reservations (powered by Yelp) but when you try to make one it displays the message: “Azul Cocina and Cantina is temporarily closed. Scheduled to reopen on June 1, 2023.” As I understand it, the restaurant, located in the former home of Arts & Letters Café, La Cocina, Smithy, and Somerset, never actually opened aside from a single friends & family night last year.

“Azul Cocina and Cantina delivers Mexican cuisine and mixology with the finest locally sourced ingredients from Santa Barbara County,” says their website azulcocinasb.com. “Our mission is to deliver an exceptional authentic Mexican cuisine with a modern contemporary twist on flavors and traditions, led by Executive Chef Manny Diaz. Taste the revitalization of Upper-State Street Santa Barbara with lively offerings, fresh local ingredients and incredible seasonal dishes. Pair your cuisine with a unique one-of-kind crafted selection of Tequila and Mezcal flavored cocktails or choose form our array of seasonally selected wines.”