••• “The owners of Brophy Bros. restaurant want to close their first-floor retail shop, called The Store, and replace it with a large clam bar,” which would incorporate the existing restaurant/bar space pictured below. “Brophy Bros. restaurant is one of the top five restaurants in the country in revenues per square foot, according to the Waterfront Department.” Never underestimate the power of a great location. —Noozhawk
••• After I ran the menu that was posted on Linden Hall‘s website, I received word from owner Nick Bodden that chef Will Moon has left the project, and Bodden will be taking over. Consequently, the menu will be more Bodden’s style. “Linden Hall is a homage to my New York roots,” he says. “Bodegas, Jewish delis, Italian cafes, French bistros. A melting pot of sorts, all filtered through the skills and techniques I’ve picked up throughout the years working. You can expect to find everything from a Scott Sampler–inspired mortadella sandwich, beef tartar, Caesar à la Revolver and house-baked goods like focaccia, challah, and jelly donuts. Plenty of wine and of course vinyl records. I want it to be familiar yet nuanced and keep it strange and interesting like avant-garde jazz.” In other words, it’ll be much more like Revolver, but without pizza. Still very exciting!
••• Merci has introduced a roast chicken for two ($30), with caramelized cabbage, hazelnut vinaigrette, and whipped garlic, for takeout only.
••• “Presqu’ile Winery purchased 1,100 acres in the Santa Ynez Valley southwest of Buellton last week. In addition to planting 45 acres of grapevines in the spring of 2025, the Murphy family […] is seeking to conserve much of the land and potentially open hiking access to visitors in the future. […] Formerly home to the Iron Angel Ranch—a cannabis operation that’s now embroiled in lawsuits—the land is adjacent to the seminal Sanford & Benedict Vineyard” —Independent
••• Starbucks is said to be opening at 120 State Street, between the Santa Barbara Visitor Center and Melville Winery. —Restaurant Guy
••• A reader of Restaurant Guy says that Pueblo Pollo will reopen in Isla Vista. Still no word on what’s taking its old space at the bend in State Street….
••• “Have you heard anything about Louie‘s California Bistro at The Upham hotel?” emailed J. “Went to check to see if they were doing Thanksgiving again this year, and they don’t have a functioning website.” I stopped by and asked, and the front desk clerk assured me that everything is business as usual at the restaurant (despite the website glitch). I got the feeling he might be feeding me soup, as they used to say, so I reached out to Louie’s via Instagram. It turns out that former owners Kelly and Sean Rodgers have sold the restaurant to the hotel, in order to spend more time with their young daughter. The website URL has been tweaked, so it’s at louiescalbistro.com and not louiescabistro.com (as linked to from the hotel website). The hotel did not respond to requests about whether changes will be made. P.S. Tips and questions are always appreciated: email [email protected] or text 917-209-6473.
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Not to be too strict on neighborhood lines, but is that Starbucks location considered the funk zone?
I had the same thought. I don’t consider that location to be in the funk zone, but it looks like the funk zone’s website does. To me that’s the waterfront/tourist district
I think this is in the FZ but barely. State street to Garden street, Cabrillo to the 101. That’s how I define the FZ. A better headline would be “Starbucks coming to lower State street. And how gross is that!”
Another vanilla corporate store / restaurant on state, another chip away at what Santa Barbara used to be. Thanks StarShmucks.
???? agree, I guess they’re the only ones that can afford the high rents.
I agree! Support the locals!
That is the most vanilla tourist section of the funk zone, but let’s face it, the funk zone lost it’s moniker when the city started marketing it as the funk zone around the time Reds started phasing out and most of the artists were priced out. It’s a fun area but it has zero funk.
always enjoyed eclectic Reds…
The Drunk Zone. Developers took the funk out long ago.
Let’s call it what it is – the Drunk Zone. .The Funk died with Red’s last party, which was crazy epic for those who remember it, and those hidden little gems of artistic and eclectic shops closed. Now it’s filled with places that attract tourists and those who need to be “seen”, with the exception of one or two amazing artists or shops…the funk is gone…been gone, and will never return. Maybe it will take 100s of 1000s of $$ to a consultant for a new name, but for now, it’s the Drunk Zone for those in the know.
I will continue to get my coffee at The Goat Tree