Every time I run a roundup of forthcoming restaurants, we learn of several others in the works. If you know of any, please email [email protected] or text 917-209-6473. And the opening forecasts are best guesses—rare is the restaurant that opens when it aspires to.
KIN BAKESHOP
Tommy Chang and Will Chen of the popular doughnut pop-up say their bakery in Noleta’s Turnpike Center is finally close to ready. Opening forecast: June.
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SOCIALEATS
A “mini-food hall” is coming to 6521 Pardall Road in Isla Vista, with various concepts branded independently. Opening forecast: “Soon,” says the chain’s founder John Kolaski.
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HAPPY CAT EATS
Oku‘s Tina Takaya is branching out with Happy Cat Eats next door; we can expect “a fun, casual, dining spot with Handlebar coffee and great breakfast and lunch options.” Construction is underway. Opening forecast: July.
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ALMA FONDA FINA
In Little Alex’s former space at the Montecito Country Mart, Corazón Cocina’s Ramon Velazquez plans to offer “soul food, if you will—tacos, soups, enchiladas, and tamales. It’s home cooking.” (N.B. The initial name was Alma Fonda Fina, then it was changed to Taco Roma, and now Velazquez has decided to go with Alma Fonda Fina. Here’s a thought: why not call it Corazon ‘Cito?) Opening forecast: July.
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THE EDDY
Jennifer Steinwurtzel and Alex Suhadolnik of Jake & Jones are converting the former Beads shop at the corner of E. De La Guerra Street and Santa Barbara Street into an updated version of the corner stores you still see here and there around town. The tagline promises “food, booze, flowers,” but not the usual Doritos and Coors Light. We can expect “grab-and-go lunch options from local partners like Revolver and Oat Bakery, natural wine, craft beer, pantry items, homewares, and essentials.” Opening forecast: Late July.
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LINDEN HALL
For its sophomore effort, Revolver is opening the 38-seat Linden Hall in the kitchen and taproom of the former Señor Frog’s outpost in Carpinteria (890 Linden Avenue). And instead of pizza, executive chef William Moon’s menu draws from contemporary American and traditional Korean food. Satellite’s Drew Cuddy is beverage director. Opening forecast: Late July or early August.
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SEVEN BAR & KITCHEN
When the Funk Zone favorite’s lease wasn’t renewed, owner Mike Gomez found a new home in what used to the The Neighborhood Bar. A remodel has already begun, and he’s working with Rodeo Room (which will stay) “to create a new hub for locals and visitors to enjoy food, drinks and music.” Opening forecast: Before August.
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THE ELLWOOD
Co-owner Omar Khashen says that the Independent‘s initial description of the plan for the former Beachside Bar-Cafe at Goleta Beach Park is still accurate, except they’re also adding a bar to the patio: “a focus on California coastal cuisine that’s elevated but not overly expensive, with regionally respectful beer, wine, and spirit selections. They’ll enhance the location’s varied settings—the two bars, the main dining area, the primary patio, and the small rooms that could be rented for small events—and turn the small stand outside into an ice cream shack also serving scaled-down menu options, possibly with to-go cocktails.” Opening forecast: Late summer.
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AZUL
Chef Manny Diaz is at the helm of a new Mexican restaurant in the former Somerset/Smithy/La Cocina space on Anapamu (State/Anacapa). After briefly soft-opening, the establishment announced in March that it needed to push back its debut a few months “due to ADA compliance requirements,” and the work is still ongoing. Opening forecast: Late summer.
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SHALHOOB’S
The local meat purveyor is expanding beyond the Funk Zone and Public Market with a restaurant at the old Woody’s space at 5112 Hollister Avenue. The goal is “a carbon copy of the Funk Zone location—we are even installing mini garage doors in where each stained glass window currently is, which will create an outdoor feel inside the restaurant, kind of mimicking our look in the Funk Zone.” Opening forecast: Work has just started and they’re aiming for mid-August.
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SANTA BARBARA FISH MARKET
The harborside fish shop is opening an outpost in Goleta (in the Albertson’s shopping center near Costco), and it’ll include a restaurant component offering smoked fish, fish and chips, fish tacos, and more. Opening forecast: October.
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DANG BURGER
After a months-long hiatus, the popular burger pop-up announced that it’s taking up residence at Sunburst wine bar in Carpinteria. Construction should start this month. Opening forecast: Fall.
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TURNPIKE CENTER MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Chris Chiarappa of Mesa Burger and Lighthouse Coffee is planning a Mexican restaurant in two spaces at Noleta’s Turnpike Center. Opening forecast: Fall.
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TRATTORIA DEL SOLE
A sister outpost of Trattoria del Sole in Sherman Oaks is in the works for 1027 State Street (Carrillo/Figueroa). The menu is traditional: spaghetti with meatballs, chicken Marsala, fettuccine Alfredo, etc. Opening forecast: Fall.
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BRUXIE
The chicken-and-waffles chain is coming to the former Pizza Rev space in Paseo Nuevo. Opening forecast: October.
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BELCHING DRAGON TAVERN
Construction has finally begun at the former Starbucks at State and De La Guerra on what proprietor Mike Sheldon (of Local in Montecito) calls a “modern English pub concept” with “brick walls, big TVs, gourmet pub grub, draft beers, and craft cocktails.” Opening forecast: Late fall or early winter.
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LAMA DOG / SAMA SAMA (A.K.A. LAMA SAMA)
The two local favorites are partnering on a restaurant in the former La Rumba nightclub space on upper State Street (Las Positas/S. Ontare), which is being given an upgrade by Kevin Moore Architect. We can expect a “restaurant/bar and bottle shop that’ll be as accessible to families as it will be to beer/wine geeks and foodies,” said Lama Dog’s Pete Burnham. Opening forecast: Toward the end of the year.
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SILVERS OMAKASE
Lennon Silvers Lee, former chef at Sushi by Scratch Restaurants (née Sushi Bar Montecito) on Coast Village Road, is opening his own restaurant in the old Seven Bar & Kitchen in the Funk Zone. Opening forecast: They’re saying by year end, but construction has yet to begin.
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UNNAMED MONTECITO RESTAURANT
Montecito resident Graham Duncan has leased the former Montecito Wine Bistro in the Upper Village; the project still needs to wind its way through the county’s permitting process. Opening forecast: Spring 2024.
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THE HOTEL EL ROBLAR
Eric Goode—of the turtle sanctuary, Tiger King, and many projects in New York City—bought the former Oaks at Ojai spa (before that, it was El Roblar hotel) with Warner Ebbink of Little Dom’s Seafood and Ramin Shamshiri of Studio Shamshiri. Brandon Boudet, Ebbink’s partner/chef at Little Dom’s, will be the chef at the hotel’s restaurants. Opening forecast: Spring 2024.
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700 LINDEN AVENUE
The multi-tenant project at 700 Linden Avenue in Carpinteria includes retail, offices, and most important, restaurants. The tenants we know are onboard: Bettina and Ramon Velazquez (Corazón Cocina). Lease negotiations with an undisclosed tenant for the rooftop bar are underway. Opening forecast: Summer 2024.
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LITTLE ALEX’S
Little Alex’s, which got booted from the Montecito Country Mart in the fall of 2021, will reopen in Fresco Cafe’s former space in the Five Points shopping center. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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CLARK’S
Austin seafood restaurant Clark’s Oyster Bar, which also has an outpost in Aspen, is taking over the former Cava space on Coast Village Road—and Jeff Shelton is redoing the buildings in his inimitable style. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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RH MONTECITO
The company formerly known as Restoration Hardware is opening a store in what used to be Lucca, and according to help-wanted ads, there will be a restaurant. Opening forecast: “We have not formally announced timing for the opening,” said a rep.
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MOLLIE AHLSTRAND’S MARKET/DELI
Mollie Ahlstrand, most recently of Trattoria Mollie, announced plans for an Italian market/deli in the same Carpinteria strip mall as Rudy’s and the Food Liaison. Inside is still raw. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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TEDDY’S ON STATE
Sarah Dandona and Juan Rodriguez of Teddy’s by the Sea, Brass Bird, and Omni Catering are opening an outpost of Teddy’s in the former MacKenzie Market (3102 State Street) in San Roque. Opening forecast: Unknown; the project is still in permitting.
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TYDE’S
Ty Warner decided to sever the relationship between the Biltmore resort and the Coral Casino private club, and in an effort to woo a better chef to the club’s restaurant, non-members will be allowed to dine there. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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CHICK-FIL-A
The loved/loathed fast-food chain is in the permitting process for on an outpost at the site of the former IHOP at 4765 Calle Real, east of N. Turnpike Road. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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THE LANDING
Chris Chiarappa is turning the former Outback Steakhouse building at 5690 Calle Real in Goleta into a Finney’s-esque restaurant. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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SKYFIELD
Mary Ta, founder of the MASS Beverly and Minotti Los Angeles showrooms, has ambitious plans for the former Black Sheep space (Anacapa/Ortega). “Skyfield is a community-driven, ingredient-centric dining outpost and retail concept inspired by the stunning landscape of the Santa Barbara coastline and the biodiversity of Skyfield Ranch—an 80-acre certified organic farm nestled in and amongst the Los Padres National Forest. Skyfield will have a strong emphasis on seasonality and locality—inviting local farmers, fisherman, and artisans to showcase their ingredients with mindfully curated foods, products and educational experiences. The plans involve a restaurant that will serve lunch and dinner, while a quick-service and retail component will be available alongside a bottle shop.” Opening forecast: Unknown; they’re still in the development phase.
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LILAC MONTECITO
State Street’s popular Lilac Patisserie is branching out into the former Mesa Burger space on Coast Village Road. Demolition permits have just been issued. Maybe they can get rid of that pyramid…. Opening forecast: Unknown.
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EVERYTABLE
With the noble mission of “making nutritious, fresh food affordable to all,” Everytable is a chain that charges more in well-off areas to subsidize meals in poorer communities. The restaurant at the base of Amazon’s office at State and Carrillo was supposed to be the first outside L.A., but in the many years that that the project has been on ice, the company has opened locations in New York City and all over Southern California. Opening forecast: It apparently depends on when/if Amazon workers come back to the office.
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And farther on the horizon:
••• The plans for the former Casa Blanca and Fit Buddha parts of the ANDALUCIA BUILDING at State and E. Gutierrez have been said to include a restaurant and bar, a “speakeasy,” and a music venue.
••• Runyon, the developer behind the Platform in Culver City, is turning the Las Aves complex across from the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge into THE POST, with two full-service restaurants and two smaller café/fast-casual options. An Italian restaurant in L.A. is said to be sniffing around one of the restaurant spaces. And the company also bought the Stella Mare’s building nearby and told the restaurant it won’t be renewing the lease, so presumably it has plans to bring in another operator.
••• Runyon is also in the permitting process for an outpost of its PLATFORM development at 301 E. Yanonali, on the west side of Garden Street and south of the 101. The plans show at least one restaurant space.
••• On land owned by the Fess Parker family, the Robert Green Company is developing an 86-room resort—with “a signature restaurant with outdoor dining overlooking the ocean, a rooftop bar and grill with unparalleled views, and a lobby bar and lounge with enticing small plates”—at 433 E. CABRILLO BOULEVARD, at the corner of S. Calle Cesar Chavez. It will be positioned somewhere between the Rosewood Miramar Beach and the Hotel Californian, and barring delays from the city, construction is slated to start in the third quarter of this year.
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Drew Cuddy* of Satellite SB for Linden Hall
Thanks. It drives me crazy that the browser autocorrects names.
32 more chefs and restauranteurs willing to put their life savings into their hobbies, all for our dining pleasure. Of the 32 listed here, maybe 8 will survive past a year. If you like new dining experiences, is there a better place to live than SB? We have a never ending supply of people who seem more than happy to take a” big” fortune and turn it into a “small” fortune in their attempt to crack open the local scene…
Yeah another vote for Corazon Montecito/Cito. Why the constant rebranding? Confusing for new and returning diners. Also please have some favorites from Corazon-we ate at Corazon at the public market last night and it would be great to have an alternative when you want something less lively.
Noleta? It is Goleta. I don’t get it. We don’t use Southa Barbara. Turnpike is considered in the city of SB. Please stop, this isn’t LA
Turnpike Center is in unincorporated territory. If one needs to give it a name beyond Santa Barbara County, Noleta is actually more appropriate than Goleta or Santa Barbara, as both are factually incorrect.
Right on! I am a fellow Noletan, and coined the term at least a decade ago.
Turnpike road is not in SB City limits. The shopping center at Turnpike and Hollister is in the County of SB.
yet…
“Carbon copy of the Funk Zone Shalhoob’s” in Magnolia Shopping Center means no Beef Ribs. Bummer!
Good luck to the Runyon group out of LA. Both of these locations are off of the beaten path of SB/Montecito, even by a block or two. The RG better have some killer dining concepts.
My daughter is good friends with the owners of teddys and brass bird coffee and they told my daughter that they had to go back to the city to modify their kitchen ( at the former Mackenzie Market ) after being almost to the finish line because they are planning on doing a combination of both of their very popular concepts in the same location.
I live a block away and I just can’t wait to see the final finished product as I am a regular at both teddys and brass bird coffee and have been patiently waiting for years for a quality establishment to open up at this location.
Dr. Dan
As a former restaurateur (not here), I find all of these doings to be interesting — but what does it mean for a place to be “Jeff Sheltonized”? Out of all of these things in the works, that’s the one that stands out to my mind —
Architect Jeff Shelton has been hired to redo the buildings in his trademark style.
Love your restaurant roundups!
Get rid of the pyramid? That’s the only interesting element to the building.
Thank you for the great restaurant round up- complete with photos of the locations!
I’ve been in SB since 1957 so I’ve seen many, many restaurants come & go, that being said, the only one in this lot that doesn’t sound like the same old thing over again is Skyline…just my opinion.
Hi Erik,
Thank you so much for your restaurant roundup! I love reading it so much. It must take hours and hours of research to get the all the details correct, plus getting the photos etc. It is really amazing and fun to read about the food concepts and building plans put out by everyone. It is also very interesting how restaurants in SB often play musical chairs with locations. But, the point of this comment is to let you know that your report is outstanding and appreciated. What if an instructor gave an assignment, “Go and find out all the new restaurants coming to town. Get the names, background and details of the new businesses including projected opening dates. Include photos. Write it up in a relatable conversational style. Due next week.” Great job, Erik. A+