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This Gorgeous New Waterfront Restaurant in Santa Barbara Comes From Celebrated Chef Danny Grant
The millions of tourists who visit Santa Barbara annually typically remain in its South Coast area centered around Stearns Wharf, the beachside activities, and within walking distance of the restaurants, hotels, and cafes on the highly popular State Street. But chef Danny Grant and his team are betting on locals and visitors will trek 15 miles north for his new restaurant, Marisella. The California coastal restaurant, set in a redesigned space overlooking the Pacific Ocean, opens on June 26 in the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta, slightly north of Santa Barbara.
Marisella, derived from the Latin term for 'star of the sea,' embodies what one expects from a California restaurant perched on a stunning seaside cliff. Design firm Studio K Design led the transformation of the former Angel Oak space, repurposing key elements like recycling old tiles, centering the bar, expanding the kitchen, and moving walls to create a more open space. Custom banquettes and a plant wall were also added. The result is a lush dining room with 270 seats, most of which offer expansive ocean views.
The Ritz-Carlton tapped Grant to lead the kitchen, whose resume includes opening Chicago's Maple & Ash, along with Monarch and Kessaku in Dallas. While developing the menu for Marisella, Grant built relationships with local farmers and fishermen to take advantage of the best local produce. The menu at Marisella channels coastal California cooking, with a tear-and-share focaccia starter that can be dipped into whipped ricotta or an incredibly fresh tomato sauce. Making the most of California's nearly year-round tomato season, Grant also prepares an appetizer of sliced tomatoes with olive oil to dip into a sea salt herb mix. Seafood features heavily on the menu in dishes like roasted prawns with salsa verde and a Calabrian emulsion, raw oysters, red snapper crudo, and sea urchin with roasted garlic. Fresh pastas include a simple spaghetti al nerano, spicy rigatoni a la vodka, and paccheri with a slow-roasted lamb ragu.
Larger mains include roasted California lamb rack and coal-fired piccata chicken, among others. The entire table can share a wood-fired bone-in short rib with charred summer peppers, or opt for the always dramatic salt-baked branzino, simply seasoned with capers, lemon, and brown butter. Sides include glazed string beans and polenta with mascarpone and Parmesan. All fresh ingredients are local, of course.
Grant brought along his Dallas-based pastry chef Mariella Bueza, who developed a show-stopping tableside tiramisu, plus a rum baba, a yeast-risen cake dotted with fresh fruit. At Marisella, the rum baba is served with roasted peaches, gelato, and orange zest. Ice cream, sorbet, and a cheese course are also available.
Christina Demas (spirits and brand manager for Grant's Maple Hospitality Group) created the bar menu for Marisella, which features Italian aperitivos, including Negronis, spritzes, and a martini program. Beverage director Amy Mundwiler's wine list varies between California, Italian, Austrian, and French producers. The wine cellar has 700 bottles.
In addition to the main 2,900-square-foot dining room, a patio resides directly outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. With its ideal location and sweeping views, it's just a matter of time until the grassy outdoor space will be used for weddings and special events, along with the lower level cellar with a wine storage room and bar. The ocean view is one of the best in the state because it's almost completely unobstructed, a rare sight in one of California's busiest tourist destinations.
In 2025, Santa Barbara's restaurant openings keep coming with a new location for LA burger specialist the Window, along with the forthcoming Ospi Montecito and Dom's Taverna from former Lonely Oyster chef Dom Crisp.
On June 26, Marisella is open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. until 9:30 p.m., and until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in the Ritz-Carlton Bacara at 8301 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA, 93117. See More: Eater Inside
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