Apparently, all things must pass, as we were reminded by St. George (Harrison). The sad news comes that the longstanding local institution/eatery/musician hang known as Roy is reaching its swan song, or at least a transitional formation, by year’s end.
Roy, being Roy Gandy, is a nice boy from a famous Buffalo restaurant family, who has turned his joint into one of Santa Barbara’s not-so-secret and lovably funky go-to spots since opening his place at 7 West Carrillo in 1991. It has been a magnet for eaters, out-of-towners (including national media outlets), and musicians who crave and thrive on the simple but savory menu and the anti-slick decor.
This enlightened joint is a slice of classic Santa Barbara life. Just ask Jack Johnson, who played some of his earliest gigs here in the early ’90s and recently paid tribute to his old stomping grounds in his fetching new self-portrait film, SURFILMUSIC.
Gandy explained that it’s not so much retirement that’s pulling him away but a desire to be close to family in Texas, especially considering his life as a grandfather. He imagines the possibility of an interested and passionate party — a surrogate Roy, if you will — taking over and continuing the tradition, with the option of the real Roy returning in a few years to resume his royal Royness. Think of Dutch Gardens’s inspired revival. Any takers?
Closing his deeply-entrenched Santa Barbara location, Gandy says, is “a bittersweet thing, for sure. I’m still open to the possibility of teaming up with someone in some capacity, should the opportunity present itself. Part-time Texas, part-time here? But so far there are no signs of this happening.”
