Bay Cafe
A Peek at This Seafood Spot Amid Wineries in the Funk Zone
Where: 131 Anacapa St., 963-2215, sbbaycafe.com.
What: Serving seafood-based lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch just a few blocks away from the ocean and State Street.
How Much: Dinner appetizers $9.95-$12.95, brunch entrees $10.95, blackened king salmon $19.95.
The Dish: Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone houses a few urban wineries as well as a long-standing seafood operation now known as the Bay Cafe & Fish Market. The building has been a fish market since 1912, and in 1985, the space made its impact on S.B.’s dining scene under the name of the Bay Cafe. The Fish Market is located right through the restaurant’s front doors, and its comfortable neighborhood feel is enhanced by twinkling light-decorated patios, homey landscaping, an intimate full bar, and occasional live flamenco music for evening diners. As the name would imply, seafood is the main attraction for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Dinner specialties range from ceviche, golden-fried calamari, Maryland blue crab cakes, and paella to a variety of lightly breaded seafood preparations, from abalone to oysters to filet cuts. Check for weekly specials, such as Red Abalone Mondays ($19.95) and Alaskan King Crab Wednesdays ($18.95). Saturday and Sunday brunchers can also indulge in a Bay Benedict and Champagne (10am-3pm).
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