Eater: The Lark Celebrates 10-Year Milestone in the Funk Zone
Popular Santa Barbara restaurant the Lark marks a decade of service in the beachside destination’s Funk Zone neighborhood. View full article
Santa Barbara Independent: The Lark Celebrates 10 Years in Santa Barbara
Chefs don’t tend to stick around long in the modern American restaurant scene, where ladder-climbing looks more rewarding than loyalty. But the longevity of Chef Jason Paluska is why The Lark remains a darling of the Santa Barbara culinary scene. View full article
The Infatuation: The 25 Best Places To Eat & Drink In Santa Barbara
This is a place where fun comes in the form of endless rounds of West Coast oysters, giant ribeye steaks, and eavesdropping on young couples who still seem to be in the honeymoon phase. It’s fancy without being too stuffy—a dinner here will make you feel like a chic, sophisticated version of your former self. View full article
Afar: California’s Best Wine Regions – Where to Stay and What to Drink
Though not a tasting room, the Lark restaurant is one of the best places to experience some of Santa Barbara’s wines by the glass or bottle, in an alfresco setting and paired with flavorful buttermilk fried chicken thighs and handmade pappardelle with garlic butter beurre blanc. View full article
Barrons.com: The Dynamic, Californian Idyll of Santa Barbara
The Lark is an oft-recommended and eclectic Santa Barbara staple. Its expertly wrought dishes in loungey, lively surrounds, pay homage to the chef’s Texas roots with cornbread and fried chicken. But the continually-changing menu is mostly about local, California-sourced ingredients, like halibut and oysters. View full article
Thrillist: Best Things to Do in Santa Barbara
Acme Hospitality’s fine dining stalwart the Lark, casual Cali-Mexican La Paloma Cafe, and Spanish spot Loquita are always top-notch dining options. View full article
Michelin.com: 4 Women Making MICHELIN Guide Restaurant Wine Pairings Exciting—and Equitable
A Houston, Texas native, Stephanie Perkins made her way out to Napa before landing at The Lark in Santa Barbara. She holds a Level 2 Sommelier certification and CSW, and attended the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone for the Accelerated Wine and Beverage Program. View full article
Delicious Australia: How to spend 24 food-filled hours in Santa Barbara
The wine region and food bowl of Santa Barbara on California’s Central Coast is a monied coastal enclave with some of the world’s best farm-to-table dining, produce and seafood – making it the perfect foodie getaway out of LA. View full article
USA Today 10 Best: 11 Stops for a Royal Road Trip Around Montecito, California
A little bird may have mentioned that Harry & Meghan once dined in a private dining room at this trendy restaurant that was once a fish-packing plant. In the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone arts district, Executive Chef Jason Paluska is plating up innovative dishes that are served family style in a space that feels both industrial and clever. View full article
Suitcase: In the Zone
While still sparkling with the same starry glamour it’s always had, California’s Santa Barbara has a fresh buzz, thanks to the emergence of the Funk Zone – an artsy neighbourhood hub drawing in creatives of all stripes. View full article
Seattle Times: Eating and Drinking Around Santa Barbara
The Lark features menus certified as “Ocean-Friendly” by the Surfrider Foundation, which works with businesses to protect the earth’s oceans and beaches through such conservation efforts as eliminating single-use plastic. View full article
Santa Barbara Independent: Santa Barbara’s The Lark Launches Brunch (Finally)
Amid the awakening buzz of the Funk Zone on sprawling patios perfect for seeing and being seen, the restaurant that elevated this neighborhood from wine-taster’s paradise to legitimate culinary destination was overdue for attracting an earlier crowd. View full article
Thrillist: The Absolute Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara
This farm-to-table restaurant in the Funk Zone is a local favorite. The changing menu pays tribute to the four seasons, showcasing the region’s bountiful produce with plates that come out looking like a work of art. View full article
Inside Hook: A Culinary Tour of Santa Barbara, The Most Underrated Dining City in America
The Lark and Loquita are sister restaurants in many ways (they share ownership, for one), but executive chef Jason Paluska was one of the earliest contenders in the region to earn a Plate Michelin honor back in 2019. View full article
LA Eater: 14 Essential Cocktail Spots in Santa Barbara
The Lark, which is located in the vibrant Funk Zone, has been a destination for fine food and wine since it opened in 2013. Bar manager Alberto Castillo and team create a new cocktail menu every season, celebrating the very best of the Central Coast. View full article
Santabarbara.com: Acme Hospitality’s certified “ocean friendly restaurants” celebrate national seafood month
Acme Hospitality has announced that their three local dining restaurants, The Lark, Loquita, and La Paloma Café, have been certified by the Surfrider Foundation as Ocean-Friendly Restaurants. View full article
Culture Trip: A Nature-Lover’s Guide to California’s Pacific Coast Highway
You’ve seen what California’s natural beauty has to offer – but have you tasted it? The Lark, a cucumber-cool affair in Santa Barbara’s buzzy Funk Zone district, is the ideal place to sample the bounty of Cali’s Central Coast. View full article
Trip Advisor: How To Create The Perfect Picnic
To delve into the region’s produce, there’s no better place than The Lark for Chef Jason Paluska’s inventive takes on crispy Brussel sprouts and spring vegetable tartine. And, since we’re talking romance, don’t forget to order their oysters, topped with cucumber jalapeno granita and borage flower View full article
George Eats: A Dees-licious Wine Dinner at The Lark
The wine dinner last night at The Lark (ok, actually held at sister property the SB Wine Collective, but created by The Lark team) featuring wines from the wondrous Matt Dees–namely Mail Road and Kimsey–danced like Rogers and Astaire, harmonized like the Temptations, even comically contrasted like Laurel and Hardy. View full article
805 Living: Cocktail Week Features
Quench that summer thirst with The Lark’s smooth and well-rounded mezcal highball. The Manzanita—offered at $13—contains Vida mezcal, Espolòn Tequila Reposado, lime, hibiscus tea infused with pink peppercorns, and ginger beer. View full article
805 Living Drinks Issue: A Quick Pickle
Nobody pickles at home, unless they’re going the distance to do that,” says executive chef Jason Paluska of The Lark (thelarksb.com) restaurant in Santa Barbara. “Quick pickling is a good segue because the results are almost instantly gratifying.” View full article
Hotels Above Par: Santa Barbara, California Destination Guide
This trendy spot in the iconic Funk Zone (@thefunkzone) neighborhood celebrates naturally grown Santa Barbara County provisions sourced from local wineries, farms, and waters with delicious seasonal cuisine in a modern, urban setting. View full article
LA Magazine: 45 Perfect Weekend Getaways In and Around L.A.
Housed in a 1920s fish-processing building with exposed rafters, the Lark is named for the passenger train that used to cruise by. With such dishes as grilled octopus and Dungeness crab risotto, seafood still holds a place of honor here. View full article
Ranch and Coast: Santa Barbara Beckons
The hotel is in The Funk Zone, and while no one knows exactly how the neighborhood got its name, it may have stemmed from the fish processing plants that were once located there. They have since given way to artists’ studios, shops, wine and craft beer tasting rooms, and such restaurants as The Lark, a hip urban eatery housed in a former fish market.View full article
Hemispheres: Mission Santa Barbara
State soon dips below the highway and enters the Funk Zone, a formerly industrial area that has lately seen an influx of restaurants and urban wineries. I pick up a couple of souvenir bottles of syrah and mour-vèdre from one of my standbys, Kunin Wines, and then score a seat at my favorite restaurant in the city, The Lark, where I feast on truffled polenta and pomegranate-braised beef short ribs. View full article
Conejo Valley Lifestyle: Daydream Destinations for Your Next Getaway
Once in Santa Barbara, spend time in the hip Funk Zone, a walkable area with numerous places to dine and sip wine and beer outside from boutique tasting rooms. Peruse art pieces and graffiti murals on converted warehouses as you meander the area. Consider dinner at The Lark, Spanish tapas and craft cocktails at Loquita, or wood-fired pizza at Lucky Penny. View full article
Santa Barbara Life & Style: Take A Sip, Cheers to Takeout Cocktails
Our wondrous city is home to an inspiring cocktail scene—skilled mixologists bring masterful creations to our restaurants and bars routinely. View full article
805 Living: A conversation among four 805-area culinary proprietors about the unprecedented challenges that their industry continues to face
805 Living connects four restaurateurs who have kept their businesses afloat and the rest of us well fed during the pandemic. Read on for their 20 questions and 20 answers. View full article
Santa Barbara Independent: Six Santa Barbara Stars for Date-Night Takeout
It wouldn’t be a date-night feature without mentioning one of the most sought-out reservations in town. A perk of going the takeout route is the lack of worry over snagging a table; another is The Lark’s incredible SAMsARA Winery Dinner for two. View full article
Chartering Her Course – Sherry Villanueva, Owner/Managing Partner of ACME Hospitality
Sherry Villanueva is the owner/managing partner of ACME Hospitality in Santa Barbara which operates seven restaurant concepts in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. Chances are if you’ve spent time there, you’ve visited some of their places. Listen to the Podcast
805 Living – Dining Guidance
The inaugural Michelin Guide California, the first statewide version of the guide in the country, was recently released. Although no stars were awarded to 805-area eateries, 12 Santa Barbara County restaurants, including The Lark received recognition. View full article
Wine Spectator – 11 Small but Mighty Wine Lists
The Lark is all about embodying Santa Barbara dining, from the local ingredient–driven menu to the abundance of wine selections from nearby producers. Chef Jason Paluska crafts crowd-pleasing dishes family-style, like caramelized cauliflower with black garlic vinaigrette, cured salmon with roasted shishito pepper aioli and crispy duck leg confit with a duck fat biscuit. View full article
Wine Enthusiast Magazine – Best Wine Restaurants 2019
With an eye toward deliciously creative flavor pairings without borders, Chef Jason Paluska has a little something for everyone, from pimento cheese sliders to his signature Brussels sprouts. On the drinks side, Wine Director W. Hayden Felice has rounded out a California-centric list with an exciting array of Old World and natural wines. View full article
Forbes – A Relaxing Weekend in Santa Barbara
The trendy Funk Zone has new diverse dining, including The Lark for quintessential Californian food, Loquita for Spanish tapas and Tyger Tyger for Southeast Asian street food.
Pit Stops with Kids – Guide to Santa Barbara
If you can slip away for some grown-up fun: Head straight to the Funk Zone, parents will find about six square blocks of wine tasting rooms and art galleries, plus a fun boutique or two and delicious dining. Dine without the kids at The Lark, Lucky Penny, or Tyger Tyger, all within easy walking distance or with the kids along the wharf. View full article
805 Living – Cocktail Hour!
At The Lark in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, belly up to the bar or communal table…and dig into chef Jason Paluska’s new cocktail hour snacks, including pimento cheese sliders, hush puppies with salted honey butter, and duck fat roasted pecans.
Food Network – Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara
Highlights come from land and sea, like the grilled Australian wagyu beef short rib, or caramelized diver scallops. Burrata doused with local citrus, castelvetrano olive tapenade, and marcona almonds is almost too beautiful to eat, and works particularly well as a snack with cocktails before dinner. View full article
Marie Claire – The Best Spring Break Destinations We Want to Visit ASAP
A favorite amongst locals and tourists alike is The Lark in the eclectic Funk Zone neighborhood. Ingredients are locally sourced from California’s Central Coast and the drink menu highlights local winemakers and artisan craft cocktails. Portions are large, so share a snack and a few dishes from each category and a bottle of Santa Ynez pinot noir to keep it all in the family. View full article
Eater Los Angeles – 11 Essential Cocktail Spots in Santa Barbara
The Lark has been a destination for fine food and wine since it opened in 2013, landing on several best-of lists including EaterLA’s. Bar manager Nicholas Priedite and team creates a new cocktail menu every season, celebrating the very best of the Central Coast.
Santa Barbara Seasons – COCKTAIL CORNER: SPIRITED NEW COCKTAILS AT THE LARK FOR FALL
Santa Barbara’s The Funk Zone, The Lark’s fresh market-driven drinks are influenced by the California climate and are designed to complement the seasonally changing menu of small and large plates by Executive Chef Jason Paluska.
Tatler – Why you need to visit Santa Barbara, the glamorous American Riviera
Nab a table in their fire pit-strewn courtyard and settle in for the night – this is one meal you don’t want to rush.
trekbible – 9 Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara Foodies Will Love
We love that the menu options are not only locally sourced but responsibly grown. Seasonal ingredients keep the food fresh, served up family style for sharing. Looking over to the full bar, you’ll find a series of classics as well as craft cocktails using the finest artisan spirits and mixers.
Eater Los Angeles – The 13 Essential Santa Barbara Restaurants
The Funk Zone staple The Lark may be Santa Barbara’s most enduring modern restaurant. Perennially packed and beloved by locals and travelers alike, this is the restaurant for of-the-moment produce, grilled proteins, and a stiff cocktail — all available just blocks from the beach.
Forbes – How To Plan The Perfect Santa Barbara Weekend
Drop by The Lark for a five star dinner on a patio studded with fire-pits. Don’t miss the Niman Ranch pork chop, accompanied by grilled nectarines, or the crispy Brussels sprouts.
OpenTable – 100 Best Al Fresco Restaurants in America for 2018
OpenTable analyzes over 12 million reviews to find the 100 best open-air restaurants in the United States.
The Infatuation – The Best Restaurants In Santa Barbara
If this restaurant was in LA, it’d be one of the hardest reservations in town. But it’s here, in Santa Barbara, and still one of the hardest reservations in town. Plan ahead.
Vacation Idea – Romantic Date Idea in Santa Barbara: The Lark
This unique place is the crux of Santa Barbara’s food and wine loving community as the restaurant is located at the strategic location of central Funk Zone, which is a bustling arts district full of galleries and local surf shops, and the popular Urban Wine Trail, which houses some of the finest wines in the whole of Santa Barbara. View full article
USA Today – Made in Santa Barbara: Flavors of the Funk Zone
Set in a former fish warehouse dating back to the 1920s, The Lark is easily one of Santa Barbara’s most venerable locales. It’s an entirely communal dining experience here.
Tasting Table – Santa Barbara Restaurant & Dining Guide
Now one of the town’s most celebrated gems, The Lark dishes food that is just as exciting as when Paluska became one of the first chefs with a pedigree to make the transition from a big city. House-made porchetta di testa comes adorned with roast strawberries, West Coast oysters are bracingly refreshing thanks to a tangerine granita and vegetable dishes are all sourced from within 30 miles, without having to boast about it on the menu. View full article
Travel + Leisure – 31 Things to Do in Santa Barbara
T+L designates The Lark as the most romantic restaurant in Santa Barbara.
The Minty – SANTA BARBARA: DINNER AND DRINKS AT THE LARK
For dessert, we had the luscious ooey gooey butter cake. You know when you take that first bite and your eyes light up? Well, this cake caused our eyes to sparkle.
Santa Barbara Independent – The Lark’s Love Letter to Santa Barbara
The just-published Around the Table: Recipes & Stories from The Lark in Santa Barbara is certainly as amazing as The French Laundry Cookbook. With more than 160 recipes, gorgeous photos by Macduff Everton, and tales of Santa Barbara past and present, it’s no surprise to learn that this accomplishment was part of Acme Hospitality founder and managing partner Sherry Villanueva’s dream before she even opened The Lark. View full article
7×7 – A Revitalized Santa Barbara Gets Down, Gets Funky
The Lark owes its lasting appeal to a lively, fire-pit warmed patio, bowls of garum-splashed Brussels sprouts, and exceptional cocktails such as the bright, rose-colored California negroni made with St. George terroir gin, Aperol maraschino, and Cocchi Americano.
The Telegraph – Enjoy a blend of culture, exercise and indulgence in Santa Barbara
Lark, named after an old Pullman railway car, is particularly inventive in its flavour combinations – how about a black pepper pappardelle with smoked kurobuta pork belly, 12-month-old manchego, cured egg yolk and fennel pollen?
805 Living – Food Noir
At THE LARK (thelarksb. com) chef Jason Paluska uses squid ink and black sesame seeds in the crackers he serves with uni as a special.
Noozhawk – Jeff Bridges, The Lark Spice Up Foodbank Fundraiser for Table of Life Gala
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County hosted a gathering at The Lark’s Pullman Room on Wednesday evening to thank sponsors and patrons of its annual gala fundraiser Table of Life. Jeff Bridges, the 2017 Table of Life honoree, and Susan Bridges, both active and longtime supporters of the Foodbank, were present, along with Maryan Schall, 2016 Table of Life honoree and this year’s honorary event chair.
Eater Los Angeles – 16 Road Trip-Worthy Central Coast Restaurants
There may be no hipper place to dine on the Central Coast right now than The Lark, which acts as a pseudo-hub for tourists and locals exploring the area’s artsy Funk Zone.
LUXURY MAGAZINE – The Californians
Luxury Magazine explores the virtues of Santa Barbara’s unique atmosphere.
The Infatuation – The Best Restaurants In Santa Barbara
Smack in the heart of the Funk Zone, The Lark is the pride and joy of Santa Barbara. If this restaurant was in LA, it’d be one of the hardest reservations in town.
Huffington Post – L.A. Escape: Santa Barbara
Executive Chef Jason Paluska’s kitchen creations at The Lark are as beautiful as they are delicious. Every item on the menu is a one-of-a-kind, gorgeously plated and imaginatively assembled.
Exotic Wine Travel – Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail: Highlights & Tips
There are plenty of restaurants and eateries in town, which makes for an exciting pit stop for lunch or dinner. Right next to Les Marchands is The Lark, one of the hottest restaurants in town.
JetSetting Fashionista – THE FABULOUS LARK RESTAURANT SANTA BARBARA
If you’re looking for a lively scene with great food, amazing cocktails and a really chill relaxed setting both inside or outside The Lark is the spot for you.
Santa Barbara Seasons – COCKTAIL CORNER: EASTER DINING AND A TOAST TO SPRING!
Santa Barbara Seasons rounds up the best places to eat for Easter.
Wine Enthusiast – America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants 2016
Chef Jason Paluska cooks creative comfort food inspired by farmers’ markets—smoked pork belly, for example, might come with roasted berries, pickled summer peppers and candied brittle of fat local almonds.
805 Living – DISHING IT OUT FOR CHARITY CHALLENGE
The Lark’s Executive Chef, Jason Paluska, serves up crispy brussels sprouts in support of charity.
Harper’s Bazaar – 7 AFFORDABLE WINTER VACATIONS DESTINATIONS PEOPLE OFTEN OVERLOOK
Head to the myriad restaurants downtown or by the shore. The Lark is a must.
Travel Industry Today – FOOD PORN IN THE FUNK ZONE
Charmed by the area, I went back several times for wine by the glass at Les Marchands Wine Bar and for dinner at The Lark, super popular for their ambiance and dishes such as crispy brussels sprouts, hangar steak tartar and charcuterie platter.
SB Seasons – Cheers! 12 golden watering holes to celebrate the winter season
The bar features classic and craft cocktails and a comprehensive wine list that highlights small Santa Barbara County producers as well as artisan winemakers from afar. Ingredients for Chef Jason Paluska‘s menus are grown responsibly, locally sourced and served family-style for sharing in this truly lively space.
Escape Online – Best Things to do in Santa Barbara, CA
Food lovers are beyond spoilt for fine-dining options in Santa Barbara. However, the current culinary hot spot is The Lark.
Virgin Australia Holidays Online – The Flying Foodie: Los Angeles
The shared dining experience at The Lark features artisanal and seasonal ingredients, which celebrates the abundance of incredible produce available on the Central Coast of California.
7Travel Online – First Timer’s Guide to Santa Barbara
A collection of boutique food and beverage concepts can be found in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, with restaurants Loquita, The Lark and Lucky Penny among the local favourites.
Santa Barbara Independent – Best of Santa Barbara 2016: Eating
The Santa Barbara Independent breaks down the best places to eat in Santa Barbara.
Foursquare – The 15 Best Places for Gnocchi in santa Barbara
reat space and delicious food and drinks. Aztec cocktail is delicious, and be sure to order deviled eggs, scallops, hanger steak, brussel sprouts and octopus. Don’t miss dessert.
-Ranu Rajkarnikar
Matador Network – 13 Spots that Prove Santa Barbara is a World-Class Foodie Destination
Arguably the top restaurant in Santa Barbara currently, The Lark is no stranger to top local restaurant lists. Since 2013, they have been serving locally-sourced and responsibly grown cuisine from the Central Coast.
Sunday Herald Sun – Stellar – 5 Reasons to Visit Santa Barbara
Dig into local wines and farm-to-table produce at cool eatery THE LARK in the heart of the food and wine-loving Funk Zone;
The Guardian – On the SoCal food trail with Curtis Stone: sunshine, Santa Ynez wine and celebrities
In Santa Barbara, in a renovated light industrial precinct dubbed the Funk Zone, there’s an old fish market building transformed into a popular eatery called the Lark, complete with flower-filled steel bathtubs out the front.
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Tasting Table – Where to Eat in Santa Barbara
The Lark sources ingredients from area farms, and its menu consists of addictive, family style dishes: crispy Brussels sprouts with Medjool dates, harissa and honey–glazed Jidori chicken, and funnel cake drizzled with malted milk cremeux and triple–chocolate ice cream.
StumbleUpon – 17 Design-Driven Hot Spots
The Lark, the 130-seat restaurant housed in the historic Santa Barbara Fish Market building in the heart of the arts district, is an institution known for its delectable locally sourced and seasonal menu.
Zagat – 11 Hottest Restaurants in Santa Barbara
It’s gorgeous, mostly outdoors, and the food and drinks are pretty stellar. This contemporary American spot is a centerpiece to the Funk Zone complex that houses a guitar shop, a brewery (Figueroa Mountain), artisanal spirits (Cutler’s), sibling restaurant Lucky Penny and the Les Marchands wine bar. As soon as the doors open at night, locals and visitors fill every seat in the house, from the funky vintage train booths and communal tables inside to the sprawling patio lined with strings of lights, succulents and cool Santa Barbara breezes. The food speaks to the place and season.
Thrillist – 19 WAYS TO HAVE YOUR BEST SANTA BARBARA TRIP EVER
Your family-style dinner at this lauded New American restaurant will probably come out looking more like a piece of art than an edible arrangement. But then you’ll get over it, and realize that your plate is filled with ingredients so fresh they were probably picked from the farm that morning. The cocktail program (which uses seasonal fruits and veggies) is on-point, too.
The Hollywood Reporter – 19 NEW IDEAS FOR WHAT TO DO IN SANTA BARBARA AND OJAI: A 48-HOUR STAYCATION ITINERARY
…Funk Zone from Acme Hospitality, the force behind Santa Barbara dining institutions such as The Lark (fans include Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Conan O’Brien) and Lucky Penny (where Christopher Lloyd dines).
OpenTable – 100 Hottest Restaurants in America for 2016
The Lark makes OpenTable’s list of 100 hottest restaurants for 2016.
USA Today – Date Night: 10 Most Romantic Restaurants in Santa Barbara
The Lark is a striking restaurant located in the heart of Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. The menu here celebrates Central Coast fare, from fruits and vegetables to meats and wines.
Santa Barbara’s Film Feast Serves up Delectable Experiences
The Lark’s “Movie, Popcorn and The Vesper”: Throughout the film festival, the popular Funk Zone eatery will swap out its regular popcorn for Movie Popcorn, which pairs perfectly with a “Vesper” Cocktail, aka 007’s Dirty Martini.
Santa Barbara Seasons – COCKTAIL CORNER: SIP AND SAVOR VALENTINE’S DAY
Set the table for romance at The Lark (131 Anacapa St.), where Executive Chef Jason Paluska and Executive Pastry Chef Jeff Haines present a weekend of Valentine’s Day dining with enticing specials designed to be shared by two for the ultimate romantic dining experience.
LA Times – America’s hottest 100 restaurants? 25 are in California, 3 in Las Vegas
The Lark makes the top 100 hottest restaurants.
Forbes: The 100 Best Restaurants in America: OpenTable Releases Its 2016 List
OpenTable—the online restaurant reservations system—just released its “100 Hottest Restaurants in America for 2016.” And it’s refreshing, to say the least.
The Mirror: The California coast from San Francisco to LA is best experienced by car
Take my word for it, have the Brussels sprouts… no matter how much you think you hate them, this place will change your mind.
News.com.au: California’s Highway One: A guide to the one road trip you need to do in your lifetime
The Lark — The Lark is widely regarded by locals and regulars alike as one of the best dining destinations in Santa Barbara.
Momentum: A Guide to Biking in Santa Barbara
A fairly new and most welcome addition to Santa Barbara is the Funk Zone, which is an artsy little ‘hood replete with two dozen wine tasting rooms and craft breweries alongside numerous galleries and restaurants.
The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara
Simply put, The Lark is operating on a different level than everybody else right now in Santa Barbara.
805 Living: Chef’s Choice
Executive Chef Jason Paluska dishes out advice on local food…
Thrillist: The Lark
Ingredients for dishes like the autumn beets and butternut salad, roast chicken and grilled octopus are locally sourced and beautifully presented.
Hemispheres: Three Perfect Days: The California Coast
Then it’s onto The Lark, where we bypass the extralong communal table for a quieter spot outside. The menu ranges from pancetta-stuffed deviled eggs to a black garlic–glazed, Flintstones-size lamb shank. It’s all quite good, but I want to bottle the crispy Brussels sprouts and take them home.
7×7: A Modern Guide to Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone
You’ll want to try everything, so bring some friends to share globally inspired dishes ranging from southern pimento cheese to a Moroccan spiced chickpea tagine.
VacationIdea: 23 Best Things to Do in Santa Barbara
The Lark, surrounded by local surf shops and galleries, is located in the historic Santa Barbara Fish Market building. You can sit inside or enjoy the breeze on the outside porch. The ambience is romantic with flickering candles and old lamps, and the large communal tables are homey and welcoming – you can share one of them with 23 friends or make new friends with some of the other guests. The cheery atmosphere is just the beginning…
SB SEASONS: NOT YOUR FATHER’S SANTA BARBARA: A LOOK AT THE MOVE TOWARD NEW URBANISM
Another example of Santa Barbara’s “New Urbanism” trend is 131 Anacapa in the city’s Funk Zone, which encompasses The Lark restaurant, Lucky Penny, Les Marchands wine shop and the Santa Barbara Wine Collective.
Donna Polizzi: Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone Draws a Crowd from Throughout Central Coast
The Lark has a comfortable energy and the food is consistently good. You must order the Crispy Brussel Sprouts appetizer. It sounds unusual, but it’s out of this world.
SB Life & Style: SANTA BARBARA WOMEN MAKING WAVES
Walk into Santa Barbara restaurant and reigning hot spot The Lark most any night of the week and you’ll feel as though you’ve been invited to the party of the year. Even if you don’t know a single soul situated around the large communal table or the radiant hearth, you’ll soon become engrossed in conversation with a neighboring diner.
California dreaming: tales from our correspondent
Dinner at The Lark, a really cool outdoor restaurant with a warehouse vibe. We had huge sharing plates including scallops, steak and pork belly.’
Santa Barbara: Five divine spots to dine (or lunch)
Open just 18 months, the already uber-hot restaurant made OpenTable’s national “top 100 hot spots” list in March.
37 Things a Man’s Gotta Do This Summer: Daytrips and Weekenders
The Lark’s porch is lovely, but the communal table is where the party’s at. Plan to meet new folks and eat spicy pineapple and jalapeño octopus.
thrillist: THE 23 BEST DAMN PLACES TO DRINK IN SANTA BARBARA
Because friends don’t let friends suck at drinking in Santa Barbara, we’re rounding up the absolute best places to get your booze on in/near SB (a bunch of which we guarantee you don’t even know exist)
Santa Barbara Life & Style: The Lark
The Lark clearly takes advantage of the values we hold near and dear to our hearts. It manages to embody the local culture, while dressing it up with decadence, in the best way possible. Chef Jason Paluska’s inspired menu is crafted with fragments of memories from various travels. The result is a melting pot of flavors, whose pairing is executed with unparalleled precision.
Businesses Get a Motivational Boost as Tourism Season Kicks In
“For our businesses we continue to be a business where locals want to come and where visitors want to come where they feel the authentic , real Santa Barbara.” said Sherry Villanueva with the Lark restaurant in the Funk Zone. It is in a grouping of new businesses including the Lucky Penny and the Les Marchands Wine bar.
The hip Funk Zone adds color to often-stodgy Santa Barbara
Diners fill every chair at the popular Lark restaurant, including those at a long communal table. Like many other Funk Zone businesses, it is pet friendly and pups join their masters on the patio.
Foodie Getaways
Playful New American food is the hallmark at this one-and-a-half-year-old restaurant, which shares a complex in Santa Barbara’s western “Funk Zone” with the popular Les Marchands wine bar and The Lucky Penny pizzeria, making it a must-visit destination in the city.
Santa Barbara Seasons: EAT: CHEF’S HITS & MISSES
Professional chefs are pretty good at predicting what their customers will go for on a menu. Seasoned chefs trust their instincts and years of experience.
The Nose-to-Tail Trend
Transforming Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone into an even more hip zone, The Lark is attracting diners in droves.
Why you should be adding this versatile fruit to your cooking – and cocktail – repertoire
“Yuzu is rad!” says Jason Paluska, executive chef at The Lark in Santa Barbara, one of the hottest reservations in Southern California right now.
Santa Barbara Seasons: COCKTAIL CORNER: MOVIE-INSPIRED SIPS AND SAVORIES
A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!
OC Register: Quick Getaways: Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone lives up to its name
Head to The Lark, a much-ballyhooed restaurant where exposed brick walls, mellow lighting, and a convivial crowd are the backdrop to a delicious menu heavy on shared plates (try the grilled hanger steak and charred broccoli spiked with chile and mint).
Santa Barbara Independent: The S.B. Questionnaire
New Year’s Chat with the Marketing Exec-Turned-Funk Zone Restaurateur
Los Angeles Magazine: The Weekender: Santa Barbara
“You’re steps from what is arguably Santa Barbara’s best restaurant, The Lark. Everything about the seasonal cuisine shows Jason Paluska’s gift for pairings, such as the duck liver mousse with roasted strawberries.”
Traveller: The 50 best travel finds of 2014 from around the globe
Best Restaurant Concept. “A fabulous Californian experience.”
805 LIVING: A FREESTYLE THANKSGIVING
Chef Cat Cora rounds up a few of her favorite Santa Barbara chefs for an outside-the-box feast.
Food Republic: The Lark/ Lucky Penny
The Lark and Lucky Penny, “the two-for-one hotspot in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone — a micro ‘hood featuring restaurants, wine tasting rooms and distilleries — offers the best of all worlds.”
Tasting Table: Dinner at The Lark
Tasting Table discusses where to eat, drink and stay in the coastal town of Santa Barbara. “Newer on the scene is The Lark. Here, comfort foods meet seasonal ingredients, so the wedge salad is made with Little Gems, chicory-glazed bacon and spicy pecans, and the housemade gnocchi is served with Dungeness crab, grilled corn, jalapeño and preserved lemon.”
Santa Barbara Independent, September 2014
The Lark receives the “Funk Zone Epicenter Award” in the Fifth Annual Foodie Awards – The Santa Barbara Independent’s Celebration of Culinary Culture.
The Lark Hosts an Art Contest, August 2014
The Funk Zone’s hottest dinner reservation is making moves to become home to some of the area’s coolest new artists. The Lark is currently hosting a friendly competition for any and all Santa Barbara artists. The restaurant is providing 5” by 8” wood boards that contestants are being challenged to create their best original art masterpiece on. Artists of all age ranges and levels of experience are encouraged to participate.
Food & Beverage World, July 2014
The Lark: Latest Star in Santa Barbara Restaurant Scene
GMA Yahoo, June 2014
Skip the Bar, Get Funky Downtown Santa Barbara, especially lower State Street, is well-known for its bar action. But for more educated sipping, the Funk Zone’s the place to be.
Visit California, May 2014
California has had a long love affair with spirits and cocktail culture stretching back to the Prohibition-era rum runners and speakeasies of San Francisco and gilded lounges frequented by Hollywood’s Golden Age screen stars. Prohibition is a distant memory and today bars everywhere try to emulate speakeasy style, but California continues to stay in the mix by leading the field with an ingredient found everywhere in the Golden State: innovation.
Food 52, May 2014
Jason Paluska’s kitchen letters featured in Food 52. Roasted Pineapple and Habanero Salsa recipe.
Zagat, May 2014
When it’s time for a quick jaunt away from LA for a weekend or even a day, Santa Barbara is the closest getaway – only 90 miles – yet it feels so much further off. And that’s a good thing. With the beautiful coastline, local farms and ranches and wine-country influence, it’s also a culinary paradise. Plus, Oprah lives nearby. Here are 10 delicious new reasons to check out the Santa Barbara dining scene, from hopping around the Funk Zone to eating your way around the grand Santa Barbara Public Market.
Sky Magazine, April 2014
Snag a table at The Lark, opened last year, and dig into Brus- sel sprouts with medjool dates and mussels with charred pineapple and chili. Finish with rieslings from Austria or pinot noirs from the nearby Santa Maria Valley at Les Marchands Wine Bar and Mer- chant, a stunning wine bar around the corner.
Westways Magazine, February 2014
Home to the Urban Wine Trail with its mix of topnotch tasting rooms, Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone has a new culinary crown jewel: The Lark.
The Tasting Panel, Febuary 2014
The concept was simple: sharing plates in a communal setting. But the execution was no lark. Owner Sherry Villanueva’s family-style restaurant goes beyond meeting your tablemate. As the new Funk Zone favorite, neighbor to popular wine tasting rooms and retail shops, a reservation at Lark is a coveted treasure.
News Press, January 2014
Executive chef Jason Paluska leaves San Fran to help make Funk Zone eatery an overnight success.
A Lady in London, January 2014
The Lark has a huge communal table made from a single piece of Douglas fir from Oregon, and as I sit down to fresh salads and delicious local meat and produce, I learn that in addition to the unique table, the restaurant also has furniture in the form of former church pews and a 100-year-old Catholic confessional.
Santa Barbara Magazine, Winter 2014
At the helm of The Lark, the latest hot spot to open in the Funk Zone, are executive chef Jason Paluska and executive sous/pastry chef Nick Flores, the dynamic duo that creates fresh food with a modern twist.
Edible Magazine, December 2013
An evening sharing the edible art of Jason and Nick brings spice and warmth, happiness and satisfaction to the soul.
Noozhawk, November 2013
Word of Mouth sent out our “20 Questions” survey to Chef Jason Paluska of The Lark in the revitalized Funk Zone, and he fills us in on a few of his favorite eats.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine, 2013
No venture into the Funk Zone is complete without a stop at the new half-block complex housing The Lark restaurant
Santa Barbara News Press, October 2013
Very creative food in a very cool environment, The Lark has laid down new tracks for restaurants in the area. The Cauliflower Gratin and the Roasted Mary’s Chicken are a must try.
Santa Barbara Independent, September 2013
Here’s an audio report on the emerging scene in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, the waterfront neighborhood now full of wine tasting rooms, galleries, restaurants, and a bit of controversy.
Los Angeles Times, September 2013
A new Santa Barbara destination has it all: Wine shop, restaurant and take-out pizza
Centurion Magazine, Fall 2013
The Californian grande dame is being rejuvenated with a clutch of contemporary restaurants and spaces
Santa Barbara Independent, August 29, 2013
The Lark Lands in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, Shannon Kelley
10 Best, August 2013
The menu at The Lark changes seasonally, favoring Central Coast ingredients like local figs and freshly caught fish. Appetizers include deviled eggs, stuffed Castelvetrano olives and charcuterie. Salads burst with bright farmers market fare and larger platters celebrate sustainably farmed meats.
KEYT, August 2013
A new restaurant called The Lark has opened in Santa Barbara’s rapidly changing “Funk Zone.”
Santa Barbara Seasons, August 2013
The Lark, one of Santa Barbara’s newest restaurants in a triad including Lucky Penny (127 Anacapa St.) and Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant (131 Anacapa St.), is now open for business! The Lark is led by general manager Dan Russo, executive chef Jason Paluska and executive sous chef Nick Flores, who intend to create a magical culinary experience. The Lark pays homage to the legendary California luxury train of the same name, and hopes to bring together the past and future to depict Santa Barbara’s rich history, landscape and community.
Gayot, August 2013
The Lark has opened in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, a burgeoning arts district where recently there’s been an upswing in wine and food. Expect seasonally inspired dishes like herb roasted diver scallops with chorizo, grilled corn, gypsy peppers, romano beans, lime and cilantro.
Santabarbara.com, August 2013
Menu items for The Lark will be locally sourced and responsibly grown, using seasonal ingredients based on the abundant bounty available on the Central Coast. The Lark’s full bar will feature classic as well as craft cocktails using the finest in artisan spirits, mixers and seasonal fruits and vegetables. The interior and exterior design of the space has an urban style that integrates vintage and re-purposed materials for a sophisticated yet casual sensibility.
San Francisco Magazine, August 2013
In the same complex, the Zone’s new restaurants—the Lark, an upscale spot, and the casual Lucky Penny—are bending the town’s burger-and-fries palate toward calamari cassoulet and pork-fennel meatball pizza.
Los Angeles Magazine
Our neighbors up in Santa Barbara welcomed a new restaurant this past Tuesday, The Lark. Located within the Funk Zone, home to the Urban Wine Trail and minutes from the 101, this New American spot is an easy trip up from the L.A. area.
Noozhawk, August 8, 2013
The Lark Opens with a Perfect Recipe for Success, Judy Foreman
Santa Barbara Sentinel, August 2, 2013
Welcome to The Lark, Matt Mazza, August 2, 2013
Sunset Magazine, July 2013
Start with The Lark, named for the overnight train that ran between L.A. and San Francisco, where you eat at railcar-inspired booths or, better yet, firepits on the patio.
Montecito Journal, June 2013
Montecito Journal 30 May – 6 June 2013. Catherine Remak, Lori Gaskin, The Lark chef Jason Paluska and Sarafina Brown from Fairview Gardens Education Farm at Taste of the Nation
Santa Maria Times, May 2013
A taste of Santa Barbara. Food from more than 25 restaurants, and beverages from more than 20 wineries and breweries will be served at Sunday’s “Taste of the Nation” at the Montecito Country Club.
Pacific Coast Business Times, May 2013
The main sit-down restaurant will be called The Lark and will feature seating for up to 130 people and casual American-style food, served family-style.
Santa Barbara Independent, April 16, 2013
The Lark, Lucky Penny and Les Marchands poised for June Opening in Santa Barbara
Santabarbara.com, April 2013
A 120-seat restaurant named The Lark is coming to 131 Anacapa Street, the former home of Bay Café. Most of the seats will be out door in 2 large patios. The Lark will offer seasonal, local New America cuisine including new ethnic twists on traditional modern comfort food. The chef is Jason Paluska.
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