Request for dinner suggestion, downtown Santa Barbara

[thebaron]

My wife is doing an overnight garden trip to Santa Barbara and staying at the Hotel Santa Barbara on State St. She would welcome dinner ( Tues.)suggestions within walking distance of the hotel. Not high-end but nice.

Thanks

[Alice Q]

I would highly recommend sitting at the bar at the Hungry Cat. It's not exactly high end, but the food is fantastic - interesting but simple. Bouchon is a little more of a romantic night out type place, wouldn't think it would be fun for someone alone.

[glbtrtr]

Bucatini's on State Street, near your hotel is a small classic Northern Italian place, with a covered patio (with heat lamps) and some indoor dining. Always very nicely prepared food and a very pleasant degree of formality for this little spot. If you like to people watch as well as dine, this would be a very nice choice.

Holdren's also close by is excellent for steaks and they have a particularly good special on Tuesday nights - check out their website. Joe's Cafe also in this same area (the night club drinking part of State Street where lots of college kids hang out) does have a number of dining spots but also a little more raffish atmosphere compared to other parts of town. The more north you go on State Street, the quieter it becomes, the more you move towards the harbor the more busy it is.

Except Emilio's as previously recommended - it keeps a nice small town restaurant feel to it as it is just far enough away from the tourist centers.

[thebaron]

She chose Bucatini's and was quite pleased. Thanks for all the input.

[glbtrtr]

Thanks for the report. Good choice and particularly if she was dining alone because it is a lively spot on the street with lots to look at and a casual atmosphere but with fine attention paid to the cooking. I always see happy looking diners when I am walking downtown. It really was the perfect walkable choice for her hotel location. What did your wife order?

[thebaron]

Fusilli pesto with pine nuts. A companion had artichoke hearts with crab and grilled polenta (which sounds great to me).

[sbgirl]

Zen Yai in the 400 block of State has very good and different Thai food. It would be someplace where I'd feel very comfortable dining alone.

The FisHouse on Cabrillo Blvd. (at the beach) has terrific deals on food at Happy Hour (which goes to 7:00), and we think their fish tacos are the best in town.We eat at the bar there frequently.

If she's feeling carnivorous, Jill's Place on Santa Barbara Street at Ortega is a good bet, and has a very local feeling.

[glbtrtr]

Emillio's on Cabrillo Blvd is always a nice choice. Walk down towards the Harbor on State Street, turn right on Cabillo Blvd and walk a few more blocks on the right hand side of the street. It is a California/Italian place, lovely interior, small and often nicely inspired choices. Do not confuse this with "Eladio's" on the corner of State and Cabrillo.

Buchon's is very good but also very pricey and a bit further to walk. But if you do want to walk up State Street towards the direction of the Arlington Theater there are a lot of restaurants in this area - Opal's would be the best choice for very nice food but less pricey than the other culinary stars in this area.

[Obessed]

Bouchon?