2026 Best of
Santa Barbara®
Drinking
By Tiana Molony | October 22, 2026
Photos by Ingrid Bostrom | Illustrations by Ben Ciccati
Find more Best of Santa Barbara 2026® winners here.
Beer Selection on Tap
Restaurant/Bar to Watch Sports
Cooney’s at the Market
(805) 770-7702
“One day at Cooney’s at the Market that we’ll never forget was the first Mexico game of the World Cup,” said Natalie Ramos, general manager. “The energy in the market was incredible from the moment we opened. The place was packed with fans, friends, families, and people from all over coming together to watch the game and celebrate.” The team says it’s the energy of the people who walk through the doors that keeps them excited. “Every day is different, and you never know what the next shift will bring — whether it’s a big game, a celebration, a packed night, or just our regulars coming in and feeling at home.”
Runner-Up (Beer Selection on Tap, Place to Watch Sports): Lama Dog Tap Room + Bottle Shop
Bloody Mary
The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach
[See Eating: Sunday Brunch]
Runner-Up: Brophy Bros.
Cider
Single Fin Cider & High Seas Mead
“Single Fin Cider is actually named after our golden retriever, Finn — everyone’s favorite shop dog, taproom sheriff, professional vibe check, and loyal mascot,” said Austin and Anne Corrigan, founders. Its sister brand, High Seas Mead, began “back when Austin was making mead in our garage as a passion project,” and the two now share a Funk Zone taproom at 210 Gray Avenue, whose opening party drew more than 600 people and kicked more than 50 kegs. “That opening party reminded us exactly why we wanted to make this space home: good people, good times, and sips that hit just right.”
Runner-Up: Santa Barbara Cider Co.
Coffee House
Dune Coffee Roasters
“The hardest part of running our business is how much we care,” said Julia Mayer, owner of Dune Coffee Co. “We are constantly working on ways to get better in quality, hospitality, [and] our spaces, like we are never settling on anything. We have built this thing from nothing, and every brick of this business has been placed with so much intention and care. Caring is the only way that Dune exists. So caring about everything and everyone means that the integrity of our business is always present, and that is so rewarding.”
Runner-Up: Dart Coffee Co.
Espresso Martini
Show-Stopping Cocktail
The Good Lion
“This industry is routinely pretty nutty, so there are lots of unforgettable experiences we’ve had over the years,” said Brandon Ristaino and Misty Orman, co-owners of cocktail bar The Good Lion. “One of the many that we recall was the first day of service at Test Pilot. We just celebrated our 10-year anniversary there, so it remains fresh on our minds. We received final write-off to open at 5 p.m. on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. Money had long run out, so we went from zero to 60 and launched within the hour. It was one of the most hectic, fun, stressful, and rewarding weekends of our career.”
Runner-Up (Espresso Martini): Shaker Mill
Runner-Up (Show-Stopping Cocktail): The Imperial Lounge
Happy Hour Drink Specials
Margarita
La Playa Azul Café
[See Eating: Happy Hour Food Specials]
Runner-Up (Happy Hour Drink Specials): The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach
Runner-Up (Margarita): Santo Mezcal
Juicery
Smoothie Bar
Blenders in the Grass
Blenders in the Grass started in a small Isla Vista shop in 1995, when three friends — Art Tracewell, Scott Brown, and Keric Brown — opened with a menu of 28 smoothies. On the company’s website, the founders recall nervously waiting for their first customer, who eventually walked in and ordered a 24-ounce orange juice. “We were on our way,” they write. Today, the menu spans smoothies, açai bowls, fresh juices, and shots of wheatgrass, ginger, and turmeric, with locations from Montecito to Camarillo. Nominator Maria L. says they have the “best peanut butter smoothie.”
Runner-Up (Juicery): Juice Ranch
Runner-Up (Smoothie Bar): Backyard Bowls
Martini
Stiffest Drinks
Harry’s Plaza Café
Harry’s Plaza Café has been in Santa Barbara’s Loreto Plaza since Harry Davis opened it in 1968. Inside, the first thing you’ll notice is its walls, lined with more than 1,500 photographs. The cocktail list runs from the CEO — Cutler’s vodka with blue-cheese-stuffed olives — to a Lemon Drop and a dirty martini, alongside a Mean Tai and an Old Fashioned made with Maker’s Mark. Nominator Joseph V. reports, “They pour a great drink.” Mo M. seconded it: “They pour generously and gratefully.” The bar stays open until 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, then midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Runner-Up (Martini): Lucky’s
Runner-Up (Stiffest Drinks): Joe’s Café
Mocktail
La Paloma Café
“Our corner of Anacapa and Ortega has been home to a neighborhood café for more than 100 years!” said La Paloma Café’s senior marketing manager. “The original La Paloma Café was opened by Jennie Luera and her family in 1940 and became a beloved Santa Barbara gathering place for generations. When we brought Paloma back to life in 2020, we were intentional about honoring that history, even preserving original details like the murals and iconic neon sign that are still part of the restaurant today. We are incredibly honored and grateful to still be recognized today as Best of Santa Barbara®.”
Runner-Up: The Good Lion
Neighborhood Bar
The Pickle Room
threepickles.com/pickle-room-dinners
The Three Pickles family’s Lovejoy’s Pickle Room pours cocktails Monday through Saturday starting at 4:30 p.m., with weekday happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., when specialty drinks and food are $2 off. Nominator Mo M. loves the Pickletini Cosmopolitan and credits the crew: “All the bartenders bring great mixology to the drinks.”
Runner-Up: The Cliff Room
Restaurant Wine List
bouchon
On Bastille Day in 1998, bouchon opened. When asked what keeps the restaurant going, the answer is easy. “I got into the restaurant industry as someone who enjoys creating a positive experience for others,” said Mitchell Sjerven, founder and proprietor. “Especially gratifying is having guests who return over and over, and — even more rewarding — seeing them return with their children, who then return with their kids! Last year, we had UCSB grads who celebrated their graduation 20-plus years ago at bouchon return to celebrate with THEIR kids who were now grads. Love that!”
Runner-Up: The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch
S.B. County Brewery
Third Window Brewing Co.
[See Eating: Burger]
Runner-Up: M. Special Brewing Co.
S.B. County Winery
Folded Hills Winery
“We hear all the time that Folded Hills is a hidden gem,” said Kim Busch, owner and founder. “We love the gem part. Thanks for helping us with the hidden part!” The family-owned Santa Ynez Valley ranch gives back at every turn: 10 percent of every bottle sold goes to Grapes for Glioblastoma, $25 per new wine club member goes to Community Health Centers, Philanthropy Fridays send a day’s gross sales to a charitable partner, and every employee gets $500 to give to a charity of their choice. “Five-star hospitality is an honor and a privilege,” continued Busch. “It takes an enormous amount of energy and can be exhausting, but the smiles and the raves from our guests make it all worthwhile.”
Runner-Up: Margerum Wine company
S.B. Wine Tour Company
Coastal Concierge
Coastal Concierge started as a concierge service for luxury vacation rentals in the early 2000s. Then Sideways, the 2004 comedy about a wine-country road trip, hit theaters, and Matt Cooper pivoted the business toward wine tours. Twenty-some years on, the draw is still the company you keep. “To me, it’s all about the people. The people that I’ve met through the hotels, the wineries, tasting rooms, and my competitors in this business. I am lucky enough to call them friends. That is the most rewarding thing to me,” said Matt Cooper, owner/founder. Best day on the job? “Having the opportunity to take out Michael Jordan on a wine tour.” He’ll say no more.
Runner-Up: Santa Barbara Wine Country Tours
Tea Selection
Vices & Spices
For more than 50 years, Vices & Spices has been the sort of Santa Barbara shop where you can stop in for coffee or tea and leave with a bag of spices, a card, a gift, or something you didn’t know you needed. Blue Hal Booth opened the State Street store in 1975, shortly after turning 21, and it has remained at the same location ever since. A yearlong trip around the world with business partner Henry Wildenborg helped expand the shop’s collection of botanical goods and other discoveries, while Booth’s coffee farm on Hawaii’s Big Island eventually added homegrown beans to the mix. Today, Booth’s daughter Cassey runs the family business, which continues to combine coffee, tea, spices, gifts, and plenty of delightful surprises under one roof.
Runner-Up: Kin Bakeshop
Urban Tasting Room
Grassini Family Vineyards
The Grassini Family Vineyards estate “was originally purchased with horses, not wine, in mind,” said Katie Grassini, CEO. “When my parents bought the land in 1988, it was completely undeveloped. They initially envisioned building a home and a horse facility and riding through the hills.” A 2002 visit to the Santa Barbara County Vintners Festival changed the plan; soil tests and expert advice revealed “an exceptional site for Bordeaux varieties.” The family marks its 20th vintage in Happy Canyon, and Grassini Gives Back, which has raised more than $965,000 for local nonprofits, is on track to top $1 million, with Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation as this year’s partner.
Runner-Up: Margerum Wine Company
Valley Tasting Room
Sunstone Winery
“Sunstone is really 10 businesses in one: vineyard management, winemaking, multiple tasting rooms, the Sunstone Villa farmstay, our wine club, ecommerce, a lifestyle brand, stewardship of a 52-acre property, and more,” said Djamila Cabugos, CEO. “Keeping quality and hospitality consistent across every touchpoint requires constant refinement, and that work never ends. But that pursuit is exactly what gives our work its meaning. To us, hospitality is a chance to bring our members and guests happiness, to welcome them into something bigger than a glass of wine, and to create memories they’ll carry with them for a lifetime.”
Runner-Up: Rooted Vine Cellars
Wine Bar
Corks n’ Crowns
Tucked into the Funk Zone at 32 Anacapa Street, Corks n’ Crowns specializes in small-production, hard-to-find California wines alongside craft beers from independent brewers. The tasting room opens daily at 11 a.m., with tastings offered through the afternoon and wine and beer served into the evening; hours run later on some live-music nights. The shop is also known for playful pairings, including its wine-and-cupcake offerings. “Great service, live music every day, great rotating wine selections,” said nominator Nick I.
Runner-Up: Satellite
Wine Shop
Meritage Wine Market
Choosing a bottle of wine can feel overwhelming, but Meritage Wine Market takes a more personal approach. The shop opened in the San Diego area in 2002, built around the idea that buying wine should involve more than simply browsing shelves. Today, the Santa Barbara shop carries that philosophy to 18 West Anapamu Street, where a knowledgeable team can help shoppers find a bottle based on their tastes, budget, or occasion — whether they have a favorite varietal in mind or want to discover something new.
Runner-Up: Good Land Wine Shop
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