Santa Barbara’s Best Breakfasts, Part 1
We’ve been on a quest to find the best breakfast in Santa Barbara and are writing about three restaurants every week until we’ve tried them all and can confidently name one restaurant as the winner. (Or Top 5 – I’m sure it will be hard to decide on one as it is!) Restaurants will be graded on food, service, decor, atmosphere and overall experience. This week’s contestants showcase Santa Barbara’s stiff competition!
D’Angelo’s Bakery
25 West Gutierrez Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 – (805) 962-5466
D’Angelo’s Bakery serves up delicious coffees, pastries and entrees on a cute little street side cafe off lower State Street. We sampled a simple bacon & egg croissant and the Eggs Rose, a D’Angelo’s breakfast staple! – and both lived up to expectations. Subtle touches of decor, like loaves of bread in the entrance and D’Angelo printed around every plate, show a touch of sophistication that you won’t find in most bakeries. The atmosphere was also a vibrant crowd of people out to enjoy Santa Barbara on a warm Saturday morning, making it all the more inviting.
Overall impression: D’Angelo’s was a fine deviation from our standard breakfast circuit and we’ll definitely be back to try more of their pastries and other menu items.
Savoy Cafe
24 W. Figueroa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101 – (805) 966-2139
Wow! Unexpected perfection! After walking to Jeannine’s and finding a line out the door, we carried on down to Savoy to check out their breakfast menu & never looked back. I ordered an Earl Grey tea expecting a lackluster mug of whatever they warmed up but got a full tea service at my table, complete with cast iron teapot. They must have known that I live for such excessive ceremony… it totally made my day! The food was delightfully fresh and the toast was grilled to perfect crispness. I seriously can’t say enough.
Overall impression: I WANT TO EAT HERE EVERY DAY!
Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach
2981 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93109 – (805) 898-2628
Situated directly adjacent to the beach at Hendry’s, breakfast at the Boathouse is worth the trip for the views alone! There are often dolphin putting on a show in front of the restaurant to make the experience especially surreal. In addition to the beautiful scenery, the Boathouse offers a wide range of breakfast options from eggs benedict to corned beef hash to your standard egg and bacon/sausage breakfast. You can often expect a wait on the weekend, but that just allows you to start the day off right and indulge in a bloody mary or mimosa & fully immerse yourself in the Boathouse experience!
Overall experience: Touristy, but a nice place to eat and be surrounded by Santa Barbara’s natural beauty.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the series! Until then, let us know what your favorite breakfast dishes are at your favorite Santa Barbara restaurants in a comment below!
