Santa Barbara, CA
The 10 best coffee shops in Santa Barbara
By Coffely ·
Downtown along State Street, in the Funk Zone near the beach and out in neighborhoods like Oak Park, Santa Barbara has more coffee than a city of about 90,000 people would suggest: 55 coffee shops in our directory alone. So which ones are actually the best? We let the reviews decide.
We ranked the coffee shops in Santa Barbara by their Google rating, weighted by how many people left one: 17,419 reviews in all. Each business counts once, however many locations it has. These are the 10 that came out on top.
Quick picks
- Best overall: Zaca Coffee Trailer (4.9 stars, 77 reviews)
- Most reviewed: Handlebar Coffee Roasters (4.7 stars, 1,236 reviews)
- Local coffee shop open earliest: Daily Grind, opens at 5:30 AM on weekdays
- Local coffee shop open latest: The Brewhouse, until 9 PM on weekdays
The 10 best coffee shops in Santa Barbara, ranked
1. Zaca Coffee Trailer
4.9 out of 5 stars on Google from (77 reviews)220 Anacapa St · Lower StateIndependent
Open 8 AM–3 PM Tue–Fri. Closed Monday, Saturday, and Sunday.
2. Handlebar Coffee Roasters
4.7 out of 5 stars on Google from (1,236 reviews)128 E Canon Perdido St · Santa Barbara DowntownIndependent
The most-reviewed coffee shop in Santa Barbara. Open daily 6:30 AM–5 PM. Also at 2720 De La Vina St (4.7, 766 reviews).
Google describes it as “Cozy, bicycle-themed coffee shop brewing its own roasted beans & selling related merchandise.”
3. CAJÉ Coffee Roasters – Haley
4.7 out of 5 stars on Google from (393 reviews)416 E Haley StIndependent
Open daily 7 AM–6 PM. Also at 1316 State St (4.6, 355 reviews) and 811A State St (4.3, 227 reviews).
4. Considered | Curbside Coffee Bus
4.8 out of 5 stars on Google from (66 reviews)2201 Laguna St · Upper EastIndependent
Open 9 AM–1 PM on weekdays.
5. Dune Coffee Roasters
4.6 out of 5 stars on Google from (944 reviews)528 Anacapa St · Lower StateIndependent
Open 6 AM–5 PM on weekdays. The earliest start of the 10 on weekdays. Also at 1101 State St (4.5, 576 reviews).
Google describes it as “Airy, modern coffee shop for bespoke espresso drinks & in-house baked pastries & sweets.”
6. Lilac Pâtisserie
4.6 out of 5 stars on Google from (876 reviews)1017 State St · Santa Barbara DowntownIndependent
Open daily 8 AM–3 PM.
Google describes it as “Bright counter-serve bakery featuring desserts with gluten-free options, plus light daytime fare.”
7. Lokum
4.6 out of 5 stars on Google from (775 reviews)1019 State St · Santa Barbara DowntownIndependent
Open 10 AM–8 PM on weekdays. Open the latest of the 10 on weekdays.
8. Savoy Cafe & Deli
4.6 out of 5 stars on Google from (707 reviews)24 W Figueroa St · Santa Barbara DowntownIndependent
Open 7:30 AM–3:30 PM on weekdays. Closed Sunday.
Google describes it as “Pastries, sandwiches & a salad bar with over 40 ingredients including wild salmon & organic tofu.”
9. Bree’Osh — Artisan Sourdough Brioche & French Bakery
4.6 out of 5 stars on Google from (217 reviews)2700 De La Vina St · Oak ParkIndependent
Open daily 6:30 AM–2 PM.
10. Lighthouse Coffee
4.7 out of 5 stars on Google from (56 reviews)401 E Haley StIndependent
Open daily 7 AM–3 PM. Also at 711 Chapala St (4.5, 197 reviews) and 1819 Cliff Dr C (4.3, 191 reviews).
Best coffee in Santa Barbara early in the morning and late at night
Of the 24 coffee shops in Santa Barbara rated 4.5 or higher, these open first and close last on a typical weekday.
Open earliest
- Starbucks402 N Milpas St · Santa BarbaraOpens 5 AM
- Daily Grind2001 De La Vina St · Oak Park, Santa BarbaraOpens 5:30 AM
- Dune Coffee Roasters528 Anacapa St · Lower State, Santa BarbaraOpens 6 AM
Open latest
- The Brewhouse229 W Montecito St · West Beach, Santa BarbaraUntil 9 PM
- Live Oak Cafe2220 Bath St · Oak Park, Santa BarbaraUntil 9 PM
- Starbucks402 N Milpas St · Santa BarbaraUntil 9 PM
18 coffee shops in Santa Barbara open by 6 AM on at least one day, and 3 stay open until 10 PM or later. See them all on the early birds in Santa Barbara list, or coffee shops open early across California.
Local coffee shops vs chains in Santa Barbara
All 10 of the best are independent. Across the city, local coffee shops average 4.53 stars against 4.01 for chain locations.
| Coffee shops | Average rating | Rated 4.5+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local | 41 | 4.53 | 68% |
| Chains | 14 | 4.01 | 7% |
The biggest chain in Santa Barbara is Starbucks, with 11 locations averaging 4.01 stars. Our local coffee shops in California page leaves the chains out.
How Santa Barbara compares with the rest of California
Santa Barbara ranks #5 of the 16 California cities with 15 or more coffee shops in our directory by average rating. Eureka leads with 4.64.
| Coffee shops | Average rating | Rated 4.5+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara | 55 | 4.40 | 53% |
| All of California | 1,180 | 4.38 | 47% |
See the best coffee shops in California, ranked the same way across all 240 cities and towns.
How we ranked them
- Shops are ranked by Google rating, weighted by number of reviews: each counts as if it also had 50 reviews at 4.4 stars. A 4.9 from 700 reviews ranks above a 5.0 from 8.
- Several locations of one business count once, under their best-rated location. A shop needs a 4.5 rating or higher to make the list.
- Google lists Corazón Comedor (a Mexican restaurant) and Elsies Tavern (a bar) as coffee shops. We left them out.
- Ratings, reviews and hours come from public Google Maps listings, last updated in October 2026. Hours change, so check with the shop before you go. How the directory is built.
Santa Barbara coffee shops: FAQ
What is the best coffee shop in Santa Barbara?
By Google rating weighted by number of reviews, Zaca Coffee Trailer (4.9 stars, 77 reviews), followed by Handlebar Coffee Roasters and CAJÉ Coffee Roasters – Haley.
Which coffee shop in Santa Barbara has the most reviews?
Handlebar Coffee Roasters at 128 E Canon Perdido St, with 1,236 Google reviews and a 4.7 rating.
Which coffee shops in Santa Barbara open earliest?
Among the best-rated, Starbucks opens at 5 AM, Daily Grind opens at 5:30 AM, and Dune Coffee Roasters opens at 6 AM on weekdays. 18 coffee shops in Santa Barbara open by 6 AM on at least one day.
Are there coffee shops open late in Santa Barbara?
3 coffee shops in Santa Barbara stay open until 10 PM or later on at least one night, including The Brewhouse, Starbucks, and Winchell's Donut House.
How many coffee shops are there in Santa Barbara?
Our directory lists 55 coffee shops in Santa Barbara: 41 independent and 14 chain locations. All coffee shops in Santa Barbara