Best Restaurants for Foodies in Montecito

Convivo is our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. It's our go to place for celebrations of all sorts and a place to take visitors. We love sitting in the beautiful garden area. The service is always quick and top notch. The food is dependably wonderful every time.

One of the very best restaurants in Santa Barbara. The staff is always friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable and professional. It’s easy to label the food as Californian or New/Contemporary American, yet there is a uniquely local vibe that permeates the entire menu. Each dish showcases its primary ingredients with often interesting and playful flavors and textures. Standouts from the current menu (December 2024) include the acorn papardelle, crispy pork belly with bbq beignets. The persimmon salad with Urfa vinegraitte perfectly balances out the richer dishes. Don’t skip the bread, which is made with an 11 year-old starter and is served warm. For dessert, the Baked California is never to be missed and should probably be trademarked. The Chamango, with its spot-on blend of Tajín, mango and chamoy is a celebration to and a tribute of the humble Mexican fruit stand that I really hope stays on the menu.

Everything about this restaurant was top notch. One of the most impressive aspects of the experience was how a number of times we were asked about the quality of our food/ experience and how the staff there worked as a coordinated professional team. A restaurant staff obviously working as a team is rare to see. We were lucky enough to have met the owner-Tina, and from our conversation she appears to have a leadership style which is respectful and encourages excellence. Many of these staff will do well in the future.

Wonderful Christmas evening meal—best ever! The prix-fix selections were spot-on and delicious. The service was far and above what is typical of dining out on a holiday; everyone involved at Black Sheep, from the hostess to each and every server made the experience special. Thanks Black Sheep for a great Christmas dining experience!

Twelve of us (family and friends) had a Christmas Buffet celebration at Finch and Fork. The whole experience was exceptional. We were made to feel welcome by a very professional and friendly team who clearly wanted us to enjoy ourselves - which we did - and enjoy a wide selection of food offerings. The buffet stations were refreshed as needed and our table was comfortable and not squashed in at all. We requested some number changes in the run up to the 25th and were accommodated readily. We all felt that the buffet was great value at $110 for Christmas Day in Santa Barbara.