Mendocino Farms Comes Ready to Make a Mark

Fast-casual food chain Mendocino Farms made an eagerly awaited splash when it opened in Santa Barbara this week. With a well-earned reputation for specializing in sandwiches and salads with bold flavor combinations and high-quality ingredients, the organization — founded by Mario Del Pero and Ellen Chen-Del Pero in Los Angeles in 2005 (the two remain shareholders, but the majority stake belongs to private equity firm TPG Inc.) — celebrated big, as Santa Barbara’s La Cumbre Plaza restaurant is now the 100th location.

There was a palpable buzz in the air, as locals who had signed up for e-club accounts and a few walk-in guests enjoyed a soft opening dinner on June 29 before the official opening the next day. I was particularly impressed by the variety of items on the menu. My personal favorite (so far) was the Peruvian Steak sandwich, which had thinly sliced and seared steak in a spicy aji amarillo sauce along with melted Oaxacan cheese — we added avocado, which always makes everything better!

We also tried the “Not So Fried” Chicken sandwich, which isn’t at all fried, but has “Mendo’s krispies” along with the sliced chicken, slaw, and tomatoes to give it a little bit of crunch. It was a nice, light chicken sandwich — it tasted very clean — and came with a side of basil pesto shells, which were excellent and surprisingly flavorful. Honestly, almost everything we tried was surprisingly flavorful, which is not generally my expectation from a chain.

The Avocado & Quinoa Superfood Ensalada (there’s that avocado again) was also a favorite, with roasted corn, black beans, grape tomatoes, and jicama among the key ingredients. The quinoa was a nice accent to the kale and romaine lettuce, and we added chicken, which made for a hearty meal all on its own.

I also really liked the Chen’s Crispy Rice Salad, which came with chicken (tofu was another option) and an excellent miso sesame dressing, which elevated the flavor in this nice, light salad.

A nearby friend raved about the Golden State Cobb salad, and rather than the traditional chicken, she got it with steak, which she said was excellent. Another guy I knew said he loved the Chicken Pesto Caprese sandwich, which looked delicious and comes on panini-pressed ciabatta. 

It’s early days of course, but one of the other selling points was how “on it” the service was at the soft launch. Everyone was super friendly and helpful, and when one of our many dishes wasn’t ready with the rest, they quickly brought us some cookies to-go as a “thanks for our patience.”

“Opening our 100th location in Santa Barbara feels incredibly meaningful for our team because it celebrates both how far we’ve come and where we started,” said Alicia Mowder, CMO of Mendocino Farms, in a statement. “California is home for Mendo, and Santa Barbara’s vibrant food culture, sense of community, and coastal spirit make it the perfect place to mark this milestone. We’re excited to continue growing while staying true to the hospitality and culinary creativity that have defined us for over 20 years.”

In a nice, community-oriented touch, Santa Barbara–based artist DJ Javier created a lovely “Eat Happy Santa Barbara” mural in the back room, with depictions of monarch butterflies, palm trees, produce, flowers, and the brand’s trademark blue cow catching some waves. The company also said that it will partner with local schools, nonprofits, and organizations in and around Santa Barbara to offer 50 percent back on all fundraisers through September, in addition to donating meals to local first responders, medical professionals, and community causes.

Mendocino Farms is located at 3851 State Street in La Cumbre Plaza.