When Andi Schloss and her family lost their Santa Barbara home to a fire in September 2024, friends and family rallied around them in the most practical way they knew how: with food.
More specifically, they sent DoorDash gift cards.
“Just so much money in DoorDash gift cards,” joked Schloss. “It was insane.”
Schloss and her family quickly put the gift cards to use, eating out for most meals and exploring restaurants they otherwise might never have visited. Because, “when you have free money,” Schloss said, “it’s a lot easier to try new things.”
Before the gift cards, Schloss and her family stuck to a steady rotation of favorite restaurants. They would “get in a rut,” going to the same places “over and over again.” But as they ventured beyond their usual spots, they uncovered Santa Barbara eateries they hadn’t known about. Schloss began wondering why such great restaurants had slipped under the radar.
The experience sparked an unexpected mission: to share those discoveries and shine a light on restaurants she felt deserved more attention.
After talking with friends, Schloss dreamed up the concept of a casual, funny food page. About six months after the fire, in March 2025, and after the gift cards had finally run out, she officially launched her Instagram page, Andi Eats S.B., with the slogan: “Helping you find good grub in Santa Barbara.”
At the time, she was a stay-at-home mom who “never imagined becoming a food influencer.” She simply wanted to share what she had discovered. But before long, the account began gaining traction, with followers messaging her to say how much they appreciated her recommendations.
As her audience grew, so did the community around the page. She began meeting restaurant owners and connecting with fellow food lovers, sometimes even asking strangers out to lunch.
“I will never ever pass up an opportunity to meet different people,” she reflected.
For Schloss, food is merely the entry point; what she’s really collecting, she said, are stories, friendships, and community ties. She talks about “behind-the-scenes chefs” and exhausted restaurant owners with obvious affection, calling it “a beautiful experience to get to know these kinds of people.”
Schloss prefers to think of herself as a food reviewer rather than a seasoned critic. When evaluating a restaurant, she doesn’t rely on stars, scores, or critic-style breakdowns. Instead, she pays attention to the details that shape the overall experience.
What makes a restaurant stand out to her is how staff treat their guests. She points to Pang Zi Noodle Shop, which has been a longtime favorite of hers and her family’s. She recalled a time when employees surprised her children with birthday presents.
She also appreciates a thoughtful menu. Often, she looks for a clear “hero” item: a dish the restaurant is genuinely known for and executes exceptionally well.
At Little King Coffee, for example, she’s a fan of the small but intentional menu, with the Valley Breakfast Sandwich and the blackberry toast standing out as two favorites.
Because many of her followers are families, she’s always considering whether a restaurant is kid-friendly or better suited for a kid-free date night. Altogether, she defines a good restaurant as one that is welcoming, consistent, and clear about what it does best while fitting realistically into the lives and budgets of “regular” people.
“I think the average family in Santa Barbara in my demographic of followers are going out to eat with their kids once or twice a week, so I want to provide an experience to do that,” she said.
While she’s not one to shy away from a swanky night out with her husband, Schloss generally doesn’t review “super fancy” restaurants.
“I’ll dabble in Montecito,” she said. “I just don’t think I can speak to the Michelin star restaurants in the way other food bloggers can.”
That philosophy also shapes how she approaches criticism. Rather than posting negative reviews, if she can’t be positive or highlight at least one good dish, she simply doesn’t post about the restaurant.
As she says, “Any press is not always good press for restaurants.”
Andi Schloss checks out the grub at the new spot, The Neighborhood Grill | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Some of the menu items at The Neighborhood Grill | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Andi Schloss of ‘@andieats’ at The Neighborhood Grill | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Andi Schloss of ‘@andieats’ at The Neighborhood Grill | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Andi Schloss of ‘@andieats’ at The Neighborhood Grill | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom 
Some of the offerings at The Neighborhood Grill | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
For Schloss, the account has never been about turning a hobby into a business. While the venture now occupies a significant amount of her time, it isn’t a paying job.
“My husband and I are very adamant about not getting paid to do this,” she shared. “Only because it would rob me of the joy of doing it.”
She’s still learning how to navigate the often-murky waters of social media, embracing the mistakes that come with it.
One lesson came a few months ago, after she posted a parody video with Juan Pedro Muñoz of Seoulmate Kitchen & Café. In the skit, Schloss happily films inside the restaurant before Muñoz appears to confront her, telling her she can’t record and implying she’ll be kicked out.
Many viewers never watched to the end to realize it was a joke and assumed the interaction was real. Some even called for people to boycott the restaurant.
The reel spread so widely — amassing more than one million views — that Schloss and Muñoz had to post follow-up videos explaining that it had been scripted.
Schloss wanted to use the opportunity to set the record straight:
“Once and for all. This was a joke. Don’t boycott Seoulmate.”
See @andieatssb on Instagram.
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