Santa Barbara is one of California’s most popular getaways, and it’s easy to see why. Whether traversing State Street, the posh lanes of Montecito, the Santa Barbara Waterfront, or meandering around the Santa Ynez Mountains, there is always somewhere to linger and find an exceptional meal. This year has been a busy one for Santa Barbara’s dining scene, as the region sees a flurry of new openings from longtime chefs and newcomers. In recent months, seafood chef Dom Crisp opened Basque restaurant Dom’s Taverna, while coastal Italian gem Marisella debuted at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta. Here are Santa Barbara’s most exciting recent openings and the restaurants to look forward to this fall for your next trip to the American Riviera.
For additional dining options, check out Eater’s Santa Barbara 24-hour guide or essential Santa Barbara restaurants map.
Assorted dips. Aegean
Cucumber soup. Aegean
Aegean
Opening date: September 2025
Aegean, which began as a pop-up from Turkish-born chef Efe Onoglu, has found a permanent home in Downtown Santa Barbara. At the restaurant, Onoglu, who previously worked as a biomedical engineer and at restaurants like José Andrés’ Zaytinya and Bavel in Los Angeles, serves a menu that blends his Mediterranean roots with Santa Barbara ingredients. Aegean offers spreads and vegetable mezze like fluffy falafel with lemon tahini or hummus with zhoug. The mains include a chicken kebab marinated with harissa and yogurt, wagyu and lamb meatballs, hamachi crudo with fermented koji grain, and a wonderfully fresh green salad piled with lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, cilantro, and tossed in an herby tahini dressing.
Rozzi Pizza
Opening date: May 2025
Chef David Rosner’s experience is formidable. After tenures at Balthazar, chef Daniel Boulud’s Daniel, and Santa Barbara’s Wine Cask and Monarch, the longtime chef opened a simple pizza joint in a quiet neighborhood near the 101 Freeway and Downtown. At Rozzi Pizza, Rosner pulls from his Long Island roots to serve thin-crust New York-style pies. Traditional cheese and pepperoni are available, but Rosner also ventures into more adventurous territory with the Fig Geta Bout It, topped with fig barbecue sauce, bacon, red onion, and hot honey. Order the house salad with a zippy vinaigrette to accompany the Hey Papo pie stacked with prosciutto, ricotta, and fresh basil.
Forthcoming Santa Barbara and Montecito Restaurants
Little Mountain chef Diego Moya. Kort Havens
Little Mountain
Opening date: November 2025
Little Mountain, an upcoming seasonal menu-driven restaurant in Montecito, has a new team at its helm as it prepares to open this fall. While chef Joel Viehland stepped away from the project to focus on Santa Barbara’s El Encanto, chef Diego Moya, whose background includes New York City’s Casa Mono, plus Le Comptoir and L’Arpège in Paris, has taken his place. Owners Eva and Bryan Schreier, with Graham Duncan, put their confidence in Moya to put his extensive experience and creative touches on Little Mountain’s seasonal and sustainable menu.
El Encanto
Menu relaunch date: 2025
Though initially slated to open Little Mountain, former Gramercy Tavern chef Joel Viehland has been recruited to update the culinary program at El Encanto, which was privately purchased in July 2025. He’ll provide direction for a full revamp of the historic resort’s dining program, including the menus in the dining room, terrace, and bar.
Manifattura
Opening date: Fall
The team behind the longtime popular restaurant Aperitivo will open their second restaurant, Manifattura, this fall on State Street in Downtown Santa Barbara. The name, which translates to “manufacturing” and “made by hand” in Italian, is a nod to the homemade pastas on the menu.
Bistro Amasa
Opening date: Fall
The team behind Barbareno will open Bistro Amasa at the historic 154-year-old Upham Hotel this fall. Set in the former Louie’s Bistro space, Bistro Amasa will serve a menu from chef Julian Martinez, plus old favorites like Louie’s famous meatloaf.
Dining and Cooking