The small, wealthy enclave of Montecito, located just south of Santa Barbara, is known for many things. There are the famous residents, for one (including Oprah and, of course, Harry and Meghan), and their famously lavish homes. There’s the stunning landscape, sandwiched between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific. And last but not least, the tiny town is littered with high-end resorts.
And now the upscale community, which has about 8,800 residents and had a median home price of a cool $5.5 million in 2024, might soon be a bona fide dining destination. An influx of recent and upcoming openings, some coming from seasoned restaurateurs from the greater Los Angeles area, are about to make sleepy Montecito flush with places to eat.
That’s not to say this sunny stretch of coastline has lacked good restaurants. Ever since Bettina opened its doors at the tony Montecito Country Mart in 2018, it’s been a destination for artisanal pizza and seasonal Cal-Italian fare. Sushi by Scratch, which opened in 2019 and helped spawn a nationwide chain, earned a Michelin star in 2021 and 2022. And Hillstone fanatics have made Honor Bar, with its sweeping outdoor patio, an always-busy destination for French dips and crispy chicken sandwiches.
But recently, the openings have been fast and furious. Late last year, the team from LA’s Little Dom’s opened the Mediterranean-leaning Bar Lou, after opening Little Dom’s Seafood in Carpinteria in 2020. Posh Austin import Clark’s Oyster Bar, which also has locations in Aspen and Menlo Park, debuted on Coast Village Road, the town’s fancy shopping and dining strip, in December. “Top Chef”contestant Jackson Kalb brought his easygoing LA Cal-Italian spot Ospi to the Post shopping center in May, and that’s just the start…