Est. Jul 2014 a modern vegetarian cuisine restaurant. Menu of Mediterranean-inspired dishes including items such as mushroom tacos, grilled polenta with braised garbanzo and baby okra, and pickled radish and summer squash. Makes a rose petal kombucha. Interior has an industrial and natural wood feel. The landscape is tropical. Reported to serve honey January 2024. Open Mon-Sun 11:00am-9:00pm.
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1919 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara, California, USA, 93109
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Last update on 01 Jan 2024 by SarahS88
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Added by jmohleca on 09 Jul 2014
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127 Reviews
First Review by steveveg
WholeFoodLovers
Points +660
Come here every time we are in town - Edit
Favorite Santa Barbara restaurant. So far, we have liked every item we have had.
Read moreToday we started with the Fried Brussels Sprouts. Fava bean puree was a nice addition (an item we will try to duplicate at home).
Entrees were Pulled Smoked Mushroom & Gluten Free Vegan Lasagna. Both where excellent.
Smoked mushroom where nicely spiced with just a little heat. Liked the quantity of marinara on this dish. Again, great flavors!
Friendly and attentive staff. Very helpful when trying to decide on entrees.
Pros: Wide selection, Mostly vegan
Cons: Expensive
Guest
nico.stubler
Points +485
Tasty, Expensive - Edit
Super tasty, super spendy. High end veggie food. Gorgeous presentation, quality ingredients. But expensive
Read moreGuest
TomForde
Points +60
Mouthwatering Perfection!! - Edit
Every bite is so incredibly flavorful. I’ve never experienced food that has this good of flavor in every bite. My mouth waters every time I think or talk about Mesa Verde food. There should be a Mesa Verde in every town, already!!!
Read moreGuest
manic-organic
Points +246
Beautifully presented delicious food in a cosy setting - Edit
The food was outstanding and such a surprise to find in the location. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Read morePros: Exceptional food, Varied menu, Handy location for a Cali road trip
Guest
DavidPowell
Points +84
is it rude to lick the bowl/plate? - Edit
Ok I’m only half joking about the licking thing but the food at Mesa Verde has been so terrific for these two vegans that we did briefly discuss table etiquette. We’re visiting SB from Seattle and we’re so in love with this place we’ve been back two more times. Wishing the owner would open a Mesa Verde in Seattle or its Eastside. Service has been warm, knowledgeable, and friendly.
Read morePros: Many vegan choices all great, Quality of food , Terrific service
Cons: We live in Seattle, Mesa Verde is in SB
Guest
Ashni
Points +2290
Generally delicious food! - Edit
Upscale veggie restaurant with mostly vegan options.
Read moreThe pulled jackfruit soft tacos were amazing - such great flavours!! They are on the appetiser section and one order is two tacos but they are huge, so could potentially be a main or a good starter between two people.
First main was vegan cashew based lasagne - really delicious, served with some zaatar flatbread (so good!) Again, amazing flavours.
Second main was a harissa cauliflower with some vegan patties/sausage. Patties were nice. I found the sauce to taste primarily of tomato and couldn't really taste any harissa, so the dish became cauliflower in tomato sauce.. a bit ordinary and not on the same level as the other two dishes.
Pros: Generally delicious vegan food, Friendly service
Cons: Cauliflower dish average
Guest
ForGoodnessSeyks
Points +760
Lovely vegan restaurant - Edit
Wow. What a treat. Organic, vegan and mostly gluten free (with so many clearly marked gluten free options).
Read moreWe were spoiled with the cheese plate (heavenly, you know how much I love incredible vegan cheese),
the asparagus with ALMOND hummus - yum, risotto which is healthy, warm, creamy but light, and exactly what I'm craving for comfort food,
The gluten free pizza which is topped with Brussels sprouts, tempeh bacon, and this cheese which tastes like heavenly cream cheese (bagel and lox worthy, people),
AND THEN
For dessert we had baklava! I've never had vegan baklava and it s worth reviewing about. Baklava (no honey) with soy ice cream,
And a serving of cheese cake (Brian's favorite dessert).
We have to take leftovers home but we'll definitely be back to try their other dishes. They have a real artistic take to designing culinary dishes.
Jamal was an awesome host. They have a lovely wine and beer list. Can't wait to share this with our friends and family.
Www.instagram.com/forgoodnessseyks_foodie
www.forgoodnessseyks.com/blog
Guest
Ufftah
Points +125
Gotta Go here! - Edit
Wonderfully charming and quiet and sheltered patio. Beautiful weather in Santa Barbara. We will return and recommend to friends.
Read morePros: Attentive friendly staff, Clean. Calm Ambiance, Looking forward to a return visit.
Guest
actualmichael
Points +13
Seriously Good Food - Edit
Lovely little outdoor patio. Very cute and not too stuffy. Could have a casual dinner with friends here or a casual vegetarian date. Large selection of beverages including beer, whine, kombucha, teas, and herbal mixes. Food is all take offs of traditional American or Southern Californian cuisine, but with the flair and presentation of an upscale restaurant.
Read morePros: Almost an entirely Vegan menu full of many varying
Cons: A little on the pricey side.
Guest
carolinemacou
Points +25
Amazing vegan food!! - Edit
Super good food, I had the Grilled Cheez and the Chocolate Cake and was not diappointed in the slightest. The staff was really friendly and made sure I was always being tended to. The atmosphere was great as well! If I lived in Santa Barbara I would eat here all the time!
Read morePros: Almost completely vegan, Super yummy food, Really friendly staff
Cons: pricey
Guest
shirley1
Points +340
yummy - Edit
The food was delicious. I had vegan gluten free empanadas. I’ve never eaten them before and they were delicious. When I visit Santa Barbara I will have them again.
Read moreMy husband had the tacos which were also good and we took the leftovers for breakfast.
The mushroom risotto and jackfruit were also very good.
Pros: I think this was the only vegan restaurant in Sant, the menu was clearly marked vegan , gluten free , staff knew their products. !
Cons: none
Guest
bripattt
Points +121
Appetizing & Aesthetic - Edit
The tacos here were especially wonderful, and the way in which they present their food is so pretty! The ambience is chill and the staff is great, too... A must try if you are in the area!
Read moreGuest
SpunkyMonkey
Points +18
Excellent food, Friendly service, Chill vibe - Edit
Excellent food, interesting menu options, many GF options. Very friendly service. Nice outdoor patio, dog-friendly. Highly recommend.
Read morePros: outdoor patio , dog friendly, gluten free options
Guest
DJGShef
Points +72
Excellent food... - Edit
... and lots of it! It's so great in a country like the USA to be able to order freely off a menu and enjoy vegan food of such high quality.
Read moreThe restaurant has a great, lively atmosphere, fast and friendly service.
We had to accept the offer of boxes at the end of our meal as there was too much to finish.
Pros: Almost completely vegan, Friendly and helpful service, Very pleasant surroundings
Guest
CharlottePeach
Points +27
Ah-MAZ-ING! - Edit
This is probably one of my favorite restaurants of all time. The food is incredible. Definitely get the cheese plate. The staff is so friendly and hospitable. You will definitely fall in love with this place. My only regret is that I don't live in Santa Barbara, so I can't go more often, but will definitely be back whenever I am in the area!
Read morePros: Delicious Food, Friendly Staff, Good variety of food
Cons: None
Guest
bfair
Points +20
excellent food and service - Edit
Excellent food and service. I had the vegan burger and it was the best burger I’ve had in my life (vegan or otherwise). I also tasted the baklava and that was amazing. Highly recommend this place- dangerously good.
Read moreGuest
Dentalbabe15
Points +20
what a gem! - Edit
Was looking for a vegan place in Santa Barbara. This place is amazing. All the food looked so good. The mushroom burger and the falafel bowl were delicious. The vegan baclava and ice cream were a great
Read morefinish. Owner was so sweet. Highly recommend.
Guest
KymmHansen
Points +26
a wonderful experience - Edit
From the moment we arrived to the moment we left we were welcomed and very well taken care of. Our waitress was so sweet and helpful...eager to answer any questions and prepared with great answers once we asked them. We had the Caesar salad and the Macadamia ricotta flatbread pizza(so so yummy)...and two of the best lavender lemonade kombuchas...it was all so GREAT!!! And the Baklava was AMAZING!!! Seriously I wish I lived closer...but I will definitely be back at least a couple times a year...WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE WITH WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
Read moreCons: more parking is needed for this popular little pla
Guest
LotteDanish
Points +107
unbelievable - Edit
best vegan meal of my life. Every bite was delicious, potions huge and innovative, atmostphere and ambiance like a nice restaurant and not a little
Read moreHippie vegan joint. Loved everything about it and wish we had something like it in SF.
Guest
SiaraEdwards
Points +19
Amazing place! - Edit
This place was absolutely beautiful. Great location and beautifully styled. All the food was superb, some of the best I've had in my life. Got the jasmine bliss kombucha, Patatas Bravas Tacos, Macro bowl, Ceasar Salad, strawberry cheesecake, and baklava (I shared). The tacos, bowl, and baklava were INCREDIBLE, and the kombucha was my favorite ever. The baklava is the best you will ever taste (these were the owner's very true words) and the soy ice cream it comes with is extremely creamy and delicious. If there was one thing I would not get again, it would be the ceasar salad, though it was still good. The owner came out and talked to us energetically, and upon hereing it was our first visit, he gave us a complementery taster of the baklava. It was obvious how much he loved the food and his restaurant. There are so many vegan options, though do watch out for honey if you do not eat it, some of the options marked as vegan do contain it. Overall, I highly recomend this place!!!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2017-09-03
Pros: Superb food, Great Ambience, Friendly Staff
Cons: Pricey, but definetely worth it
Guest
veggiegirl01
Points +16
Amazing place to eat - Edit
The food was absolutely amazing and the staff were extremely nice!
Read morePros: Excellent and flavorful food, Amazing staff
Guest
LucyJaneMorris
Points +18
ridiculously good! - Edit
Decided to go here because of the great reviews on here and the menu and pictures on Instagram looked incredible. It didn't disappoint. Amazing tacos - make sure you get the Californian salad and portobello tacos!
Read morePros: everything! service, food, drinks menu
Guest
meggy
Points +16
The real deal - Edit
I see the chefs shopping at our Farmer's Markets.
Read moreMy friend and I share get together lunches here and always enjoy the excellent foot. There are many vegan choices and the cooking is creative, inspiring, and very tasty. I think it is the best restaurant in Santa Barbara
Pros: Excellent food, Friendly staff, Good vibe
Cons: Sometimes you have to park across the street
Guest
JillAgo
Points +63
Amazing Food and Beautiful Presentation - Edit
I used to live about 3 minutes away from Mesa Verde and loved going there every few weeks. The food is always super fresh (and I believed sourced locally), presented beautifully, and is very, very tasty. The menu changes often which is nice for us locals. The only downside is that the food and drinks are pretty expensive. I believe just a smoothie is $10. Though they are super delicious! The atmosphere is really nice, too, especially at night when the outdoor heaters/torches are on. Definitely a great place for a mellow date. :)
Read morePros: Amazing Food, Nice Ambiance, Fresh and local produce
Cons: Portions are a little small
Guest
alexandra_vegan
Points +1549
"Happy cow knows nothing!" weird situation with the owner - Edit
I felt very uncomfortable because the owner started yelling "happy cow knows nothing!". He came to our table as he does with all the customers, asked us how we had found about the place. We told him it was through Happy Cow, then I suggested he should mark the vegan items on the menu to be easier to spot. He said the food is all vegan, I told him I tought it was Vegetarian, he said he did have some non vegan items and he started yelling "Happy Cow knows nothing" several times so that everyone could hear him.. It was so embarrassing and auckward. He just left.
Read moreAbout the food: We ordered hummus, strada tacos and polenta fries. Food was really nicely presented and the tacos were my favorite. The polenta fries were tasty but the hummus was a disappointment, watery and not at all creamy.
Updated from previous review on 2016-12-27
Pros: mostly vegan
Cons: small portions, you need to get appetizer to feel , expensive, owner dislikes Happy Cow
Guest
Enjoybeing
Points +18
Beauty on your plate - Edit
I have nothing but good things to say about this place. The presentation made the food look like works of art and it didn't stop there. The flavors were intelligently designed and each bite was delicious. The staff was also very sweet. I look forward to returning here the next time and every time I pass through.
Read moreGuest
justingross
Points +247
Wow! Delicious!!! - Edit
We had the jack fruit street tacos, empanadas, hummus and flat bread and the baklava. We loved all of these dishes. The flavors are so refined and unique. You won't taste anything like this anywhere else. Well worth a trip to Mesa Verde. This place is awesome. I'm dreaming about the baklava right now. It was the best baklava I've ever had, served with vegan ice cream. I couldn't believe this was a vegan dish. Incredible place. We highly recommended this place to anyone that loves quality plant based food with incredibly unique flavors.
Read morePros: Baklava, Great Atomsphere , Awesome staff
Guest
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