Best Restaurants with a Fireplace in Carpinteria

The Confit De Canard (crispy duck on stuffed French toast) at Stella Mare’s is probably my favorite dish of all time. The sweet and the savory are perfectly matched. We had our wedding reception there three years ago and that is when I discovered this dish. When I heard the restaurant was closing at the end of the month I was bummed. The wife and I made a special trip up there yesterday to eat at Stella Mare’s one last time. It was bittersweet. The food and ambiance is top notch, and the prices very reasonable. Santa Barbara is losing a real gem! Sad it won’t be around in a few days and sounds like the restaurant will not be resurrected anywhere else anytime soon, at least that is what our waiter said. 😢 Cheers to the chefs Roth Ironside and Heriberto Munoz for some great memories!

Two new restaurants in Montecito we've tried, Clark's and Firehouse. Clark's had outstanding food but was so loud, between people hard surfaces and the music, that we couldn't hear each other across the table. RH Firehouse is atmospheric, very good food, excellent although limited wine list (corkage very reasonable 25$), personable professional service and we could have a nice romantic conversation without shouting or having to communicate via AirPods. In a word: perfect.

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.

Lucky’s is our “happy place.” Celebrated our anniversary there last night and as always, perfection!

I had concerns due to reading a few reviews stating the food was overstated and some waiters could be rude, but that wasn’t our experience. The ambience, as most reviews share, was magical. I expected that, but wow, the food was incredible! The steak was literally the best I’ve ever had. They provided gluten free rolls that were also the best I’ve ever had. And the service was impeccable. One of my best dining experiences to date and thankfully so since it was our 20th wedding anniversary. 10/10!