Zoe here, your resident lover of food, all things local, and owner of the Instagram @bitemesb.
Originally from Santa Barbara, I've had the joy of watching the food scene expand over the years. What's been especially thrilling in the last five years is the growth of the coffee roasting community. Now we have a solid foundation of business owners passionate about bringing great coffee and good vibes to town. Here, I find out what makes their coffee so special.
CONSIDERED COFFEE:
Owner Pia Beck stumbled into her venture, Considered Coffee, bringing us her coffee love through mobile methods. She built her business backwards, “with profit as an outcome, and people as the driving force. I figured I may as well do it my way with generosity, community, quality, candor, and some fine-ass systems, to boot.”
Their first vehicle, a 1965 VW Bus, is parked at the Santa Barbara Mission, Friday - Sunday. Their second is a 1998 school bus named Shortie, you’ll find parked around town, Tuesday - Sunday. Know where they are is by watching their IG stories or signing up for texts.
Considered focuses on the human experience and features Handlebar roasts. Pia believes in “closed loop” business practices supporting local vendors. They source high quality ingredients from others, and turn them not only into a delicious cup of coffee, but “an unexpected, inspiring, and memorable moment in our customers’ day.”
INSIDER ORDER: Seasonal specials and their house-made syrups
DART
David Dart, Erika Carter, and Tom Stanley brought together different work experiences to open Dart. They began roasting in 2015 for a few wholesale accounts out of the back of Greenhouse Studios in the Funk Zone. Since, they've evolved into namesake locations in the Funk Zone, the Harbor, and Carpinteria.
They roast their coffee with care, served by friendly, familiar faces. In turn, they're garnered strong staff and community support.
David Dart shared that coffee production is seasonal like grapes: “Each origin produces its product (coffee beans) at different times of the year. We historically source from Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Ethiopia for our organic, specialty-class green coffee beans.”
Their favorite Guatemalan and Peruvian coffee are always on bar at Dart as drip or espresso options. Both offer chocolate and caramel flavors with hints of citric acidity.
INSIDER ORDER: Iced matcha or specialty lattes with honey
DUNE
Formerly known as The French Press, Dune began in 2009 when Julia Mayer and Todd Stewart wanted to bring specialty coffee to Julia’s hometown of Santa Barbara. Their mission is to make specialty coffee accessible, approachable, and fun.
Community is at the forefront of everything Dune does. Through coffee, Dune has the opportunity to make a positive impact across the globe and here.
“We have about 10 sourcing partners," says COO, Mal Preheim. "95% of our coffee is sourced through direct trade, meaning we have a personal relationship with those producers through a sustainable supply chain. Our producing partners can depend on us to make improvements, take risks, and be paid."
Their go-to Zip Zinger blend can be brewed as a cozy cup of drip or a reliable espresso shot. With notes of chocolate and stone fruit, it’s versatile and reliable.
INSIDER ORDER: A cappuccino or switch it up with an espresso tonic
HANDLEBAR
Former professional cyclists Aaron Olson and Kim Anderson opened Handlebar Coffee Roasters in 2011 after a year of roasting beans out of their garage. They wanted to create a community space for locals to enjoy good coffee, reminiscent of their favorite European cafes. Now they operate multiple locations and sell their beans wholesale.
They believe everyone can enjoy a drink in their day that offers a resting moment without breaking the bank. They offer a fun, casual experience to work or meet with friends and family. A place you can call home for 10 minutes or a few hours.
While the owners are still hands-on, Geoff Leech is their head roaster and manages wholesale accounts. Geoff’s favorite is from Guatemala’s Antigua region; a well-rounded coffee with a harmonious balance of acidity, complexity, body, and clean cup feel.
INSIDER ORDER: The Gibraltar or a matcha (for non-coffee drinkers)
LITTLE KING
Little King is the manifestation of married couple and co-owners, Grace Gates and Ryan Dobosh. Their story has some magic. They spent years running fine dining restaurants and falling in love over coffee. When their son, Roger, (THE Little King) was born, they decided to leap and open their venture.
They have a Buellton cafe and recently expanded at the Post in Montecito. Little King brings extensive hospitality backgrounds to the community. They source, bake, and build drinks with the same intention they would at a Michelin-star restaurant. Then they present that product with joy. They believe excellent service doesn’t require a special occasion and should be infused into everyday life.
They get their beans from family-owned Coastal Coffee Collective, who source from around the world and roast with intention. They developed the Little King Espresso Blend (Brazil & Rwanda) with Coastal Coffee Collective to create a balanced espresso with a deep, chocolatey foundation and bright top notes.
INSIDER ORDER: Little King espresso cut with an equal amount of steamed milk served in a Gibraltar
SB ROASTING COMPANY:
Current owner Brolin Russell’s father started Santa Barbara Roasting Company in 1988, the year Brolin was born. He’s been in the coffee business his whole life, literally. They have an incredible team, and one standout is their master coffee roaster, who's been working with them for 20 years.
The Russell family started with a coffee cart on the UCSB campus, then opened the cafe they still operate on Motor Way. They have a unique approach to sourcing and roasting beans, and a laid-back attitude towards coffee.
They import origins of green coffee from around the world. From those, they produce about 60 coffee offerings, ranging from blends to naturally grown (also known as organic) to flavored and decaf. Coffee is graded on a scale from 1-100. Anything above a score of 80 is considered “Specialty Coffee.” The importer they use doesn’t import anything under an 82, so all their coffee is gourmet.
INSIDER ORDER: Iced vanilla latte with espresso Milano or a flat white with cinnamon on top
ZACA:
Hayley Firestone and Dennis Patrick started Zaca Coffee in 2021. Hayley and her husband have a sweet morning ritual: 20 minutes of quiet time with their coffee to catch up before they head off into the world. It’s important to them, and they’ve seen how coffee is important to the many people who visit their shop.
The Zaca team spent their 2020 Covid year learning and tasting. Once they decided the blends and roasts they wanted, they established a relationship with a specialty coffee importer in LA who sources beans mostly from Guatemala, Peru, Columbia, Brazil, and Ethiopia.
Llama and Yama blends are the cornerstone of Zaca, offering great-tasting, easy-to-drink coffee. Rooted in community, they're “committed to roasting coffee that will remind people of the beauty of our spectacular part of the world where the land and the mountains meet the sea.”
INSIDER ORDER: Yama Flat White with a 1/2 scoop of chai with whole milk