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    PRESS

    Departures: Michelin Stars and Speed on the California Coast

    Inside Loquita, there’s a casual ebullience that mirrors its dedicated menu section of gins and tonics. I quickly scan the offerings and order everything containing the word “jamón.”

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    The Infatuation: The 25 Best Places To Eat & Drink In Santa Barbara

    This upscale corner spot in the Funk Zone is a great choice for sipping cocktails and people-watching. The massive patio makes it ideal for a big outdoor group dinner and the incredible Spanish food only sweetens the deal.

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    Eater LA: A Perfect Way to Spend a Day Eating and Drinking Through Santa Barbara

    Loquita has been one of Santa Barbara’s most consistent restaurants thanks to well-executed tapas like pan con tomate and croquetas to patatas bravas and tortillas served in a charming space covered with colorful tiles and tasteful wooden tables.

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    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.

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    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.

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    D Magazine: A Refreshing Escape to Santa Barbara

    Dinner that evening at Loquita Santa Barbara was outstanding. We began with an order of Dátil, a plate of goldenberries, jamón serrano, manchego, and membrillo, with bread for dipping. For the main dish, my wife and I split the Chorizo y Pollo Paella, which can easily feed four.

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    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

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    805 Living: Trends in Cocktail Land

    The Spanish cuisine at Loquita in Santa Barbara meets its perfect match in a cocktail menu devoted exclusively to gin tonicas, or Spanish-style gin and tonics. How different is a Spanish G and T from its English-speaking counterpart? Vastly.

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    805 Living: Sangria

    Sangria, in its most natural form, comes from a very humble tradition of simplicity,” says Ryan Lykins, lead bartender at Loquita in Santa Barbara. “I think what makes ours so special is that we don’t try to overdo it.”

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    LA Eater: Eating and Drinking Around Santa Barbara

    Lower State Street’s Loquita is all about Spanish influences, from the colorful tiles to the tapas menu and the stand-up bar tucked into the back. Step through the front door on any given weekend night for the scents and sounds of paella coming fresh from the kitchen.

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    Seattle Times: Eating and Drinking Around Santa Barbara

    The Lark, Loquita, and La Paloma Café, feature 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.

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    Thrillist: The Absolute Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara

    A contemporary Spanish restaurant with timeless style, Loquita is full of locals and visitors alike. With executive chef Jasmine Shimoda at the helm, you can expect traditional Spanish flavors and tapas plates like Patatas Bravas, Pulpo, and Tortilla Española.

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    Inside Hook: A Culinary Tour of Santa Barbara, The Most Underrated Dining City in America

    Newly knighted with the Bib Gourmand honor — for the Michelin newbies here, this distinction sits right below a star — Loquita’s energy emanates before you even set foot in the door.

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    AFAR: What’s New in Santa Barbara

    There’s a clutch of new—or newsy—places to eat well in this food-loving city, starting with the three latest additions to the California Michelin guide: Loquita (a Spanish restaurant with stellar tapas, which got a Bib Gourmand designation).

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    San Diego Magazine: Santa Barbara

    Loquita is a popular restaurant that was just added to the California Michelin guide this August: Their tapas, three styles of paella, and unique gin and tonics will transport you to Spain.

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    LA Eater: 14 Essential Cocktail Spots in Santa Barbara

    The bar program with its gin tonicas, farmers market fresh sangria, and Spanish vermouth selection completes the Iberian vibe, especially when the drinks are enjoyed on the restaurant’s beautiful bougainvillea-dressed patio — the best seats in the house.

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    Santabarbara.com: Acme Hospitality’s certified “ocean friendly restaurants”

    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.

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    Go Nomad: Santa Barbara Travel Therapy

    The aromas from the open kitchen permeated our senses instantly. As does often happen with tapas, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, and when the delectably savory paella with tempura squash blossoms, avocado, and tomato rallado was served after our starters, we had to take a break to make room.

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    Michelin Guide: New Additions, Central Coast, California Restaurants

    Servers know the menu by heart, so follow their lead and start with tapas like crusty pan con tomate, before digging into hearty chorizo y pollo paella. An homage to the El Bullí olive is a contemporary signature, while carpaccio garnished with pickled mustard seeds and aged sherry vinegar is forever popular.

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    Pure Wow: The 13 Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara

    To dine at Loquita is to briefly escape to Spain. There’s no wrong answer to what to order here, from classic tapas to seafood grilled on wood fire to sharable paellas. Add to that a menu of gin and tonics and a beautiful patio surrounded by flowers, Loquita is the perfect night out in the American Riviera.

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    Malibu Coast: Exploring Santa Barbara, The American Riviera

    For a fancier dinner in the Funk Zone, try Spanish tapas and craft cocktails at Loquita.

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    Montecito Journal: Celebrate Mother’s Day at These Local Restaurants

    Loquita will introduce diners to jamón ibérico de bellota on Mother’s Day. Known for its authentic hot and cold tapas, Loquita is offering Spanish delicacies for mom on her special day. Executive Chef Nik Ramirez introduces a new menu item: jamón ibérico de bellota – the finest aged ham in the world, sold by the half ounce. If mamá is thirsty, order her a rosé sangria.

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    PureWow: The 25 Best Beach Towns in America

    Santa Barbara is one of the most favored California getaway towns, and for good reason. In addition to stunning beaches, it’s renowned for its Spanish-influenced downtown area, which is riddled with delicious restaurants and shops. Grab dinner at Loquita, or Blue Agave or Bouchon. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    Santa Barbara Independent: Six Santa Barbara Stars for Date-Night Takeout

    Loquita provides an escape to Spain without the stress of a pandemic flight. “Chef Nik Ramirez was inspired by the travels of the conquistadors throughout the country,” said GM Stephanie Perkins. Their four-course Valentine’s Dinner features tasty pintxos, remolacha with Mud Creek Farms citrus, ricotta salata, and chicories, and paella bursting with Santa Barbara spiny lobster and wagyu short rib.
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    New York Times: 36 Hours in Santa Barbara County

    For a more cosmopolitan dining experience in the city of Santa Barbara, sit beneath the strung lights on Loquita’s side patio, where quintessentially Spanish dishes mix with the gauzy atmosphere in ways both intoxicating and magical.
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    Plantfull Kitchen: Loco for Loquita’s Vegetable Paella

    Santa Barbara’s Loquita does proper paella and Spanish tapas in the heart of the city….the veggie-friendly options on the menu are well worth it. The most notable being the verduras or vegetable paella. Perhaps it’s a humble name, but this was a stand out dish on its own, delicious enough to make me want a second taste of the paella the following day.
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    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.
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    Domino: Happy Camper – Our Guide to Santa Barbara

    Loquita One of the hottest tables in town—thanks to Spanish tapas with a twist, like pork belly with kimchi paella. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, from the whitewashed modernist dining room to the terracotta patio surrounded by jacaranda trees, bougainvillea, and flowering vines.

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    LA Eater: 13 Essential Santa Barbara Restaurants

    Lower State Street’s Loquita is all about the Spanish influences, from the colorful tiles to the tapas menu and the stand-up bar tucked into the back. Step through the front door on any given weekend night for the scents and sounds of paella coming fresh from the kitchen, or plate after plate of croquettes winding their way to the sunny back patio. This is the place to spend a summery Santa Barbara evening.

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    Travel by Entree: Loquita: great Spanish cuisine in Santa Barbara

    Our experience one recent night (Loquita is open only for dinner) was sensational. A polite and charming hostess offered us seats at the lively bar or at a comfy table with cushions overlooking the open kitchen. We settled in comfortably and Justin, our very adroit and congenial waiter, brought us a bottle of light Spanish wine and a signature saffron-infused gin cocktail and martini while we perused the menu. View full article

    The Infatuation: The Best Restaurants In Santa Barbara

    If you’re looking for an upscale dinner with great cocktails (that isn’t stuffy at all), Loquita is a place where we’ll always send you. The pulpo, the scallops with chorizo, and the churros are all must-orders.

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    Santa Barbara Independent: Foodie Awards

    But almost exactly a year to the day since its opening, everyone knows that Loquita thrives as a delicious and dazzling postcard to modern Spanish cuisine.

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    Coastal Living: The Ultimate Shopping Guide to Santa Barbara, California

    The patio at Loquita… is the perfect alfresco setting for feasting on paella and Spanish tapas
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    Santa Barbara Life & Style: A Little Loca

    What’s better than sharing stories and laughs with good friends, over good drinks? Truthfully not much, besides perhaps the drinks being authentic masterpieces.
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    805 Living: HOLA LOQUITA!

    A new eatery celebrates the culinary traditions of Santa Barbara’s historic roots
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    Santa Barbara Magazine: NEW Spanish Days!

    On the edge of the Funk Zone, LOQUITA serves up authentic pintxos, tapas and paella
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    For press inquiries, please contact Jannis Swerman & Company

    jannis.swerman@gmail.com