New restaurant, XO Santa Barbara, provides comfort food in the Funk Zone
Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse poses with employees on the day of a ceremony celebrating the opening of XO Santa Barbara, a restaurant in the Funk Zone.
One of Santa Barbara’s newest restaurants, XO Santa Barbara, opened recently in the Funk Zone, offering comfort food made from scratch.
About 30 people, including Mayor Randy Rowse, attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at the restaurant, located at 121 E. Yanonali St.
“This is our love letter to Santa Barbara with XO and a way to have a fun meal in an exciting environment,” Sherry Villanueva, owner and managing partner of Acme Hospitality, said during her speech at the May 12 ceremony. “We are doing smashburgers and salads and chicken sandwiches. We just launched a breakfast program with breakfast sandwiches that are absolutely out of this world.
“Dark Coffee is our neighbor here doing outstanding artisan coffee as well. We would love for you to come in and try XO,” she said. “It’s really fun, and we are really proud of it.”
The restaurant plans to set itself apart from other Santa Barbara dining, rather than blending into the local cuisine.
“XO Santa Barbara serves simple comfort food made from scratch by hand using the highest quality ingredients,” Daniel Bendett, director of operations, told the News-Press in an email.
“It’s fast, affordable, fun and seriously delicious,” he said. “XO Santa Barbara is the perfect (place for a) meal to grab with friends when you are exploring the Funk Zone or headed to the beach.”
The ribbon cutting itself was a special moment, according to Mr. Bendett. “The ribbon cutting ceremony went great” he said. “We are thankful for the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, VisitSanta Barbara, Mayor Randy Rowse, City Councilman Oscar Gutierrez and all of our friends from the Santa Barbara community who showed up to show their support.”
Another special moment during the event was “the camaraderie of everyone staying after the ribbon cutting to share a smashburger together,” said Mr. Bendett.
“The vision for XO Santa Barbara is to deliver a craveable experience for our guests to enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner,” he said. “Our simple, no-fuss solution is perfect for eating in or on-the-go. XO Santa Barbara … we love you.”
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
FYI
XO Santa Barbara, 121 E. Yanonali St., is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It’s closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For more information, go to xosantabarbara.com.
