Another great option especially for seafood lovers is Lark, which serves seasonal Central Coast fare. Do not miss the fresh fish of the day. If you are in a savory mood, order the buttermilk fried chicken with grits.
Though not a tasting room, the Lark restaurant is one of the best places to experience some of Santa Barbara’s wines by the glass or bottle, in an alfresco setting and paired with flavorful buttermilk fried chicken thighs and handmade pappardelle with garlic butter beurre blanc.
Partake in epic ocean activities like kayaking, paddle boarding or sailing during your weekend away, or opt for a self-care jaunt with plenty of spa time, before heading to locally-loved Loquita for tapas and wine.
Eat on the flower-draped patio of La Paloma Cafe, built on the figurative ruins of not one but two of Santa Barbara’s most beloved restaurants: a mid-century institution and the neon-lit Paradise Café, which closed, to the lament of many locals, in late 2020.
Popular Santa Barbara restaurant the Lark marks a decade of service in the beachside destination’s Funk Zone neighborhood.
Dine under twinkly lit trees on the patio at Loquita. The Spanish restaurant was awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2021 for its tapas, wood-fire-grilled seafood and inventive dishes created with input from celebrated Spanish chef Perfecto Roche.
Wine lovers will want to spend an afternoon wine tasting in the Funk Zone, which is home to around 20 different tasting rooms. Enjoy sipping at locally loved spots like J. Wilkes or Deep Sea on Stearns Wharf before sitting down for dinner at Bouchon or Loquita.
The Funk Zone, an area next to the Amtrak station that’s bustling with boutique wine and beer tasting rooms, cafes, galleries and shops, has become one of the city’s most-visited spots. Relax with a nice rosé at Santa Barbara Wine Collective, a martini at the elegant Pearl Social or dine on the patio of Shalhoob, a favorite of local foodies
Located in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, Loquita has been a mainstay for many years.
