Off Beat Restaurants in Santa Barbara

From restaurants in the mountains and the Santa Ynez Valley, to beach side cafes and hidden gems just under your nose, Santa Barbara is home to eateries that may be out of sight, but are packed daily with those in the know. To get to Cold Spring Tavern, you drive up Highway 154 from town, and off the shady lane of Old Stagecoach Road, you'll find the restaurant packed nightly with diners in the restaurant and regulars bar. On the east side of town, Arnoldi's Cafe has been a Santa Barbara institution since 1937, while Brewhouse is the watering hole of choice on the west side of the train tracks. On Milpas Street, what looks like a tiny, turquoise snack-shack is actually the famous La Super-Rica Taqueria. The line around the block around lunch time will tip you off that you're in the right place. In a different location everyday, the mobile Burger Bus is not only off the beaten path, it's downright elusive. Luckily the organic burgers and yam fries are worth the time it takes to check theburgerbus.com to see where the taste-making wagon will be parked for the day. The Valley's long, winding roads take you to go-to spots like Brothers Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern. Head toward the ocean and you'll be rewarded by seaside eateries like Shoreline Beach Cafe. Sojourner and SOhO are right off of bustling State Street, but it will take asking a local to find these hidden restaurants.

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