As 2025 comes to a close, Santa Barbara’s dining scene reflects a year of change with the arrival of new restaurants offering both creativity and comfort. From sourdough bagels and ramen to Mediterranean specialties and Korean fusion, these newcomers brought fresh flavors and new stories to the community.
With each opening, a new layer was added to the city’s dining experience, creating more choices, greater variety, and more ways for the community to come together over a meal.
10 Restaurants That Expanded Santa Barbara’s Dining Scene in 2025
1. Mother Dough Bagels
Mother Dough Bagels opened on Santa Barbara Street with a focus on naturally fermented sourdough bagels.
According to Mother Dough Bagels, the dough is fermented for 48 hours, hand-rolled, boiled, and baked in small batches, resulting in bagels with a thin, crisp exterior and a light, chewy center…